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Transition Planning Considerations: Communications

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1 Transition Planning Considerations: Email Communications
PowerPoint Slides to be used in conjunction with the Facilitator’s Guide

2 Copyright © 2012, East Carolina University.
Recommended citation: Williams, S., & Henderson, K. (2012). Transition planning considerations: communication – A PowerPoint presentation for professional development. Modules Addressing Special Education and Teacher Education (MAST). Greenville, NC: East Carolina University. This resource includes contributions from the module developer and MAST Module Project colleagues (in alphabetical order) Kelly Henderson (Facilitator Guide Editor), Tanner Jones (Web Designer), Diane Kester (Editor), Sue Byrd Steinweg (Project Director), Bradley Baggett (Graduate Assistant), and Sandra Hopfengardner Warren (Principal Investigator).

3 Session Agenda Introduction Session Goal and Objectives
Transition Planning Research Written Communication

4 Session Agenda, continued
Pet Peeves Tips Lesson Plan Summary Evaluation

5 Introduction It is often only a matter of time before a college instructor receives an similar to this one from a student.

6 Introduction, continued
When students transition to the college setting, even one right in their hometown, they experience a culture change. College administrators, professors, and advisors expect students to be independently motivated, self advocates, and able to interact professionally. Written communication is one way students convey information about themselves to these postsecondary professionals.

7 Introduction, continued
Written communication, especially via , is becoming one of the most commonly used forms of communication on college campuses between faculty/staff and students. Students are expected to have this skill internalized before coming to campus, but direct instruction about how to communicate effectively in writing will be required for some students.

8 Introduction, continued
It can’t be assumed that all students in transition will develop this skill automatically. When students compose s or other forms of written correspondence, they are communicating something about themselves beyond the specific content or question they want to share.

9 Introduction, continued
This module is focused on helping students ensure that they accomplish what they intend to communicate.

10 Introduction, Activity
Read over the examples. Describe how you would react to receiving it. Share your first impressions of the writer and the scenario.

11 Session Goal Goal: to explore common uses for communication in postsecondary education settings (e.g. community college, college, university) and to share/provide ideas for helping students in transition adjust effectively to this new use of written communication.

12 Session Objectives Participants will be able to:
Identify common uses of communication in postsecondary education settings; Identify common pitfalls of new college students in regard to effective communication;

13 Session Objectives, continued
Identify 10 basic guidelines to teach to students regarding communication in the college setting; Evaluate implementation of the guidelines in sample scenarios; a Demonstrate understanding of the module content and its relation to transition planning and cited research literature.

14 Transition Planning Transition planning must begin to be incorporated into a student’s Individualized Education Program when that student reaches 16 years of age (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA 2004). However, states and school systems have the option of beginning this process much earlier.

15 Transition Planning, continued
A proactive process to transition preparation is critical for most students – especially students for whom post-secondary education is a consideration. Even as early as middle school some students begin to participate in classes and select programs of study that will have a direct impact on if they have the necessary coursework to apply for college.

16 Transition Planning, continued
Key Transition Planning Considerations include (but are not limited to): The development of appropriate and measurable postsecondary goals in relation to training, education, employment, and (where appropriate) independent living skills. Identification of transition services that will be necessary for the student to reach the selected goals.

17 Transition Planning, continued
A statement, written no later than 1 year before the child reaches the age of majority under state law, that the child has been informed of his or her rights, and that these rights will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority. The articulation of a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance [SOP], including recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting postsecondary goals.

18 Transition Planning, continued
For a student with a transition goal in the area of education and/or training to “go to college”: Services to ensure that the student takes the correct high school classes and help the student to secure recent evaluation/eligibility data are important, but may not be sufficient.

19 Transition Planning, continued
Other transition planning may involve helping the student to understand the culture and requirements specific to the postsecondary environment - including attention to potential changing communication needs in that environment.

20 Transition Planning, continued
Up to this point, communication regarding the student’s academic needs and questions may have been done for him/her. Opportunities for written and verbal communication experienced may also often have been informal in nature.

21 Transition Planning, continued
Transition planning can include direct instruction and practice opportunities for students to build effective professional communication skills that are appropriate for postsecondary learning environments.

22 Transition Planning, continued
We cannot assume that students will automatically and effectively transfer use of a technology that has previously been used for social purposes to using the same tool as a learning technology.

23 Transition Planning, Activity
Watch the video at . In small groups, take the perspective of both the writer and the faculty member. What potentially-appropriate skills or competencies did the writer demonstrate? What skills were lacking? What dilemma does the faculty member face?

24 Transition Planning, Activity, continued
Regardless of the decision reached, this might not be the sort of self-advocacy we want our students to face right off the bat when they enter college – or the type of impression they will want to make. What could be done to help students in transition avoid being the source of these sorts of conversations between faculty members?

25 Research Rather than having to wait for an appointment or for posted office hours, students on college campuses can now communicate conveniently with instructors via . Some have predicted that this tool will actually increase the amount of communication between students and faculty.

26 Research, continued For apprehensive students, this may have the advantage of creating a nonthreatening way to make initial and ongoing connections with faculty (Duran, Kelly, & Keaton, 2005). Although messages between instructors and students have become a common source of communication, using an style that is overly casual may do more harm than good (Russell, 2009).

27 Research, continued Overly casual student-generated messages were found to cause instructors to like the students less, view them as less credible, determine the message to be of lower quality, and be less willing to comply with the requests in the messages (Stephens, Houser, & Cowan, 2009).

28 Research, continued Instructors may view casually written s as careless and cocky, even if students do not write with these intentions (Duran, Kelly, & Keaton). Instructor impressions based on overly casual s also do not seem to be nearly as related to generational issues as some may think (Stephens, Houser, & Cowan).

29 Research, continued But some research has demonstrated that people who send grammatically correct s are viewed more positively – even as being friendlier and more likable (Stephens, Houser, & Cowan).

30 Research, continued Students will not only have the opportunity to communicate with instructors via , but will likely also use this tool for communication with other students, disability support service providers, advisors, and administrators. Doing so effectively can make a positive difference for students.

31 Research, continued Teachers supporting students in transition can help students learn to “flip the switch” (Turner, 2009) between text-talk and standard English when sending s to different audiences. If done as a part of transition planning, students may be more likely to enter the post-secondary campus more prepared for different types of interaction and communication.

32 Research, Activity Use to have small groups of participants brainstorm as many words that they can think of that relate to the terms “communication” and/or “ ”. Use the resulting visual to frame the discussion for the rest of the day.

33 Written Communication
Look at these definitions of “communication”: “the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.” (dictionary.com); and “to convey knowledge of or information about: make known: to reveal by clear signs" (Merriam-Webster.com)

34 Written Communication, continued
Examples of Technology-based Written Communication Frequently Used in College Settings: Students frequently use technological tools to communicate both formally and informally in the college setting. The following graphic displays some of these different uses of technology for written dialogue and information sharing:

35 Written Communication, continued

36 Written Communication, continued
Now more frequent than ever, written communication in the college setting takes many forms: accounts, discussion boards, online classes, online advising calendars, even online IM support from university librarians. Students need to utilize professional communication that falls somewhere between the casual text lingo used with friends and the formatting used in a business letter.

37 Written Communication, continued
communication remains one of the most common forms of faculty-to-student communication. College professionals still expect a professional and respectful tone to be maintained in these types of correspondence – just as in face-to-face meetings.

38 Written Communication- Activity
Listen to the audio at . Individually, list the various functions you have facilitated by communication in the past week, both professionally and personally. Share your results, recording on chart paper or white board the many functions supported by correspondence.

39 Pet Peeves Instructor Pet Peeves: As part of the development of this module, 15 instructors were informally polled to share their “pet peeves” regarding s they have received from students. These informal responses aligned closely with the research literature.

40 Pet Peeves, continued If a student takes the time to contact a faculty member, she or he generally needs some support. Learning how to avoid some basic pitfalls that frustrate faculty members may make it more likely that the instructor responds favorably. Giving students in transition a heads-up about these instructor preferences and the content of this module will possibly help them avoid some unnecessary bad impressions!

41 Pet Peeves, continued Many faculty members report receiving s with no more text than something like, “hey I cant get into the test”. The faculty member recipient has no idea who is having difficulty (no student identification), what class the student is in, or which test is being attempted. No capitalization or punctuation is used, and a very informal “hey” begins the message.

42 Pet Peeves, continued This type of exemplifies the most common types of “pet peeves” described in this informal survey. Teachers of students in transition to postsecondary settings can turn these “pet peeves” into instructional tips. Many are addressed in the lesson plan later in this module.

43 Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution A student sending an and not identifying himself. When this occurs an instructor must take several extra steps before being able to respond. In order to respond an instructor must figure out who sent the (if possible), what class the student is in, and then try to answer the question. Faculty members receive many s daily, and this makes it impossible to reply quickly. It also does not usually facilitate a particularly responsive mood on the part of the faculty member. Always include your full name in the text of an . When appropriate, identify what class you are in or explain briefly your connection with the person recipient. Sending an that begins with something like: “Hi ya”, “What’s up”, “Yo, prof!”, “howru” s with this level of familiarity often come across as disrespectful. Beginning an with an extremely informal tone may make even the most relaxed faculty members less likely to reply. Some faculty members also mentioned that using a first name (rather than title and last name) in the greeting without being asked to do so often conveys a tone of disrespect. Dear Dr. ________, Hello, Greetings! Hi Dr. __________, Good morning/afternoon_______

44 Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution An sent when a student is angry, and feelings are conveyed inappropriately and disrespectfully. If you are sending an about which you feel strong emotion it is often best to wait 24 hours before sending it. This wait-time may not always be possible, but either way, have someone you trust read it before clicking “send”. Don’t put anything in writing to a faculty or staff member that you would not be willing to say face-to-face. A message typed as if talking to your best friend- all lower case, no punctuation and abbreviations- lol, jk, idk, etc. Even faculty members who text their friends and family frequently will generally switch to a more professional tone when corresponding with students. Students will want to do the same. Other faculty members may not be familiar with abbreviations used when texting. In these situations, decoding your will be time consuming and frustrating. Write full sentences. Use correct punctuation. Run spell check..

45 Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution Subject line text: HELP!!! Rarely does a college question require so many exclamation points, and seeing emotionally laden language in a subject heading will more likely cause an instructor to feel defensive than encourage him or her to read the right away. The subject line should give the instructor a head’s up about the focus of your question, not the level of your emotion. An alternative might be Internet failure during on-line test. “I don't understand what I need to do in Module 4” The student did not identify herself or tell which class she is talking about. Remember, instructors can have literally hundreds of students and numerous classes within one semester. Also, the text of the does not give any indication that the student has made an attempt to understand or try the Module 4 assignment. Within the text of the designate which class you are asking about, and ask a specific question. The question will likely be better received if you describe what you do understand about what you think you are to do, and ask if this is correct.

46 Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution “I'm sorry I missed your class today. Please tell me what I missed.” This student did not identify himself or tell what class he is in. The implied assumption is that the instructor will re-teach the class to the student after being absent. First contact the instructor before missing class and explain why you will not be able to attend. If there is not a legitimate reason – don’t miss the class. Then, consult the course calendar and contact another student prior to sending the instructor an . In the text of the identify yourself, describe what you have done to find out what you missed, describe what you have learned about the class you have missed, and ask if there is anything else that your friend forgot to share. An that does not allow sufficient turn-around time for a response. An example might be an written at 10:00 p.m. with a question about an assignment that is due at midnight. In this sort of situation, even if the instructor does respond, you may be less likely to get the response you would like. Even if a due date is not involved, be sure to provide plenty of time for an instructor to respond. It is generally not a good idea to send follow up checking-in s every few minutes or hours. That will be less likely to help you receive a quick response and more likely to simply annoy the faculty member. The best approach would be to work ahead enough on assignments to be able to recognize if you have questions far in advance of the due date. College assignments are rarely assigned one day and due the next. If you are doing some last-minute work, acknowledge responsibility for this and your recognition that you may not receive a response prior to the due date in the context of the .

47 Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution Using the high importance symbol (!) Rarely would something associated with a college course require this. Most faculty members reserve this for fairly urgent needs. It might be an especially poor choice to use this symbol because you feel something is urgent to you simply because of procrastination on an assignment. The high importance symbol should indicate something that would be urgent and/or time sensitive to the recipient. If you feel it is important to contact the faculty member quickly you can try different options such as ing, phoning, and stopping by the office during office hours. Using font that is difficult to read Fancy or interesting font has a purpose in many different situations, but faculty-student correspondence is not generally one of them. Instead it may simply make the text more difficult to read. Use standard fonts and colors when ing and save the creativity and attention to detail for assignments and schoolwork. Replying to old and unrelated s without changing the subject heading… or starting a new each time in the middle of an dialogue. Because faculty members communicate with hundreds of students regularly, the text from previous s can be very helpful in a continuing conversation. If a student pulls up an old unrelated dialogue and uses it to start a new conversation without changing the subject line, the faculty member does not have an accurate context before opening the . Alternatively, if you are in the middle of an dialogue and start a fresh each time, the faculty member will have not point of reference when responding. Instead s/he will have to hunt through old s to read what has already been typed. Keep the subject heading current based on the conversation, and keep the dialogue intact by replying each time rather than starting a new or wiping out the earlier part of the dialogue.

48 Pet Peeves- Activity Take a poll of “pet peeves” about . Add these to the list started in this module.

49 Tips Use the following tips to help students think ahead about post-secondary etiquette. Many of these tips have been provided by first-year students with identified learning disabilities. Some of these reminders and tips will err on the side of formality.

50 Tips, continued Students should remember that although many instructors will be technologically savvy, most have not grown up with the immersion in computer use that students have experienced. They may be comfortable with a style that feels a bit formal to students. However, it is most important for the student to show respect and keep communication open with instructors.

51 Tips, continued Remember that , texts, and online communication are forever. Once you click send you can’t take it back. Prevent sender’s remorse by getting in the habit of pausing to think and re-read before you click send.

52 Tips, continued Now is a good time to take a serious look at what your Facebook page (or MySpace, Twitter, blog, etc) communicates to the world. These social networking resources can help you stay connected and share information, careless use can lead to making bad impressions, loss of opportunities, penalties for rule violations, and even very real danger depending on the types of information you post.

53 Tips, continued is usually a good way to contact most professors, but it is not necessarily always the best way. Pay attention if your professor mentions that a different method of contact is preferred. Also, shouldn’t be the only way you communicate with professors. Face to face communication is important, too.

54 Tips, continued Have somebody look over your written communication (especially ) before you send it. After a few reviews from others who are a bit more experienced, you will start to get a sense of how to effectively communicate in writing on campus.

55 Tips, continued Also, when sending an remember that you will also not have the advantage of incorporating body language and voice tone to communicate the intent of your message. The text you choose to use will need to accurately convey both the content and the tone of your message.

56 Tips, continued When you are corresponding by with an instructor, you are communicating professionally. The casual style you use with a friend is not appropriate here.

57 Tips, continued Always include your name in the , and do not assume the system will provide that for the instructor. This is especially true when using addresses other than those supported by the educational institution. Professors don’t have time to guess the identities of “bballdude22” or “iheartpirates17”.

58 Tips, continued with the same rules for polite and respectful communication as you would use in a face-to-face meeting. Also, typing in all caps is often interpreted as shouting. There are seldom times when students would use shouting with instructors, so be careful with this type of emphasis.

59 Tips, continued Check your daily and be very prompt replying to s. However, do not expect instructors to be on call to respond to s around the clock. If it is a critical situation send an and make a phone call

60 Tips, continued You may want to draft your , re-read it, and spell check it before putting the recipient’s name in the “To” line. This will eliminate the worry of accidentally clicking “send” before you are ready for the person to see what you’ve been writing.

61 Tips, continued Feel free to use space between major ideas (much as you would construct paragraphs) so that important information and questions do not get “lost” in a large body of text. Be as clear and concise when you compose your message as possible. Many faculty members receive a large number of s each day.

62 Tips, continued Be careful with “reply to all” option. Remember that you might not have been the only one to receive the initial . Notice who else received and and respond accordingly.

63 Tips, continued Do not ask the recipient to reply to your unless there is a true need for it. Also, do not use the feature to see a note if the person has read the unless that is necessary.

64 Tips, continued While adding a “pretty” background or fancy font to the may make your personal style stand out, it also may add a few extra clicks for the recipient to even be able to read the . This may be more annoying that helpful. There may be other more appropriate ways to add a colorful flair to your communication than dressing up the appearance of an .

65 Tips, continued Identify yourself and your class in the subject heading – make this a useful “heads up” to the one who receives the . Unless you already know the addressee fairly well, always start by introducing yourself and stating how the person should know you. It’s common for a professor who might recognize your face not to be able to place you by name unless you’ve met several times.

66 Tips, continued Write in standard English, not as though you are texting or posting online. Maintain a professional tone and don’t be overly familiar

67 Tips, Activity Individually construct an that when read with different facial expressions and voice tones could communicate very different meanings. Read the to a small group several times – each time using voice and body language to communicate a very different message (frustration, joking, sarcasm, warmth, anger).

68 E-mail Tips, Activity continued
In small groups, discuss how students frequently write s with one intent/tone, but that an instructor may read it in an entirely different way when they only can see the text. Without careful attention to how an is composed, a person may convey something unintentional beyond the content of the message.

69 Lesson Plan Some students will benefit from direct instruction regarding basic considerations when ing in a college setting. The sample lesson plan that follows could be used with high school students preparing to transition to college (for example, in a Curriculum Assistance classroom, an English classroom, a resource classroom, or any number of different environments).

70 Lesson Plan Lesson Objective: The student will draft an using at least eight effective writing conventions for appropriate written correspondence with post-secondary instructors. Note: the lesson plan at pptx pptx links directly to supplementary materials

71 Lesson Opening Materials
Lesson Element Procedures Lesson Setup & Lesson Opening Focus student attention with “A Tale of Two s” by showing the following two samples: Use a Venn Diagram to note student comments as they compare and contrast the two different s. Have them view the s from the lens of the instructor, decide which would be best received, and justify their decision. List the elements of the 2nd that make it most effective for this type of written communication. Materials Power Point slides with sample . s on student handout if desired Venn diagram hey, can you send me the slides from class today b/c I was out and missed it. Thanx!!! Cameron Dr. Smith, Hello, this is Pete Pirate, and I am in your PSYC 1000 class (section 002). I looked over the test we got back in class today, and I have a few questions about things I got wrong. Can I come during your office hours at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow to discuss what I can do to improve my grade on the next test? If another time would be better for you, just let me know and I will schedule an appointment. Thanks for your help, Pete

72 Lesson Body Teacher Input Use the information in the sample PowerPoint slides to: Provide a rationale/context for the type of communication students will want to use in college. List guidelines for composing an that would be considered appropriately written in a college setting. Although is not quite as formal as traditional letter-writing, you can still use some of the features of the more formal writing to structure your communication. Help students understand that the nature of each written communication will be different, but these tips are generic tips that could be considerations for a variety of purposes. Guidelines portrayed in the PowerPoint file (in a bit more detail in the Power Point file) include: Begin with a polite and respectful salutation. Clearly communicate message, questions, or concerns. Use proper punctuation. Use complete sentences and professional language. Use commonly accepted abbreviations only when helpful. Use respectful language/tone. Include both your first and last name in the . Fill in the subject line. Use spell check. Proofread the before sending. Take time to discuss each guideline, provide examples and explanation when needed. Power Point

73 Lesson Body, continued Provide a sample template that students can follow until they become more comfortable with professional communication in postsecondary education settings in this way. Identify elements of the template that reflect the 10 guidelines presented. Present the students again with the two s (from Cameron and Pete) from the beginning of the lesson. Have them compare these s with 10 guidelines discussed in this lesson. Guided Practice: Present the following scenario to the class. You are registering for spring semester classes. Last week you met with your academic advisor to discuss the courses you will need to take in the spring and spent time developing your preferred schedule. One of the classes you had planned to take is now full, and you are not sure if you should ask for special permission to be added to that class or if you should just select something else (but you are not sure what that would be). Compose an to your advisor to ask for guidance with this decision. As a group, draft an to the academic advisor referenced in the scenario using all of the tips discussed earlier. Power Point

74 Extended Practice Students draw a sample postsecondary scenario depicting a situation when communication may be appropriate. Each student should compose an to the instructor addressing his/her scenario using at least 8 of the 10 guidelines discussed in this lesson. Students can exchange s and use the guideline checklist to provide feedback to one another – or the s can be collected for formative assessment and/or a classwork grade. Postsecondary scenarios cut and placed on cards. Lesson Closing Discuss other potential uses of written communication in college (library, thank you notes, requests for internships, online discussions, blogs, etc) Review 10 guidelines.

75 Summary This module was designed to generate thinking about ways to help students be strategic as they prepare to communicate in the college setting – specifically via . Sharing practical tips and providing meaningful practice opportunities may increase a student’s ability to make a positive impression on a college instructor and/or convey messages accurately.

76 Summary, continued Do not assume students will naturally make the leap from the casual electronic communication used frequently and effortlessly by many teenagers to the more professional communication expected on a postsecondary campus. Proactive supports and direct instruction for students in transition can facilitate a student’s effective adjustment to the college setting.

77 Focus and Reflection Questions
Follow up on any questions raised during the session. Share personal experiences with communication via . Discuss any changes you may make in your own composition of s. How can the instructor model good communication

78 Application & Extension activities
Activities to use as Attention-Grabbers/Ice Breakers: Describe a scenario, and have participants compose an that would be appropriate for that scenario – but to three different audiences (e.g. best friend, teacher, parent, employer). Make a list of 10 – 20 texting abbreviations. See how many the group can decipher. Time the group – and introduce the idea of extra time involved if reading an from a student requires this type of decoding. Discuss how this could be simulated with students (e.g., full of education-related acronyms or fictitious texting abbreviations that might be used in fields of education, business).

79 Application & Extension activities, continued
Activities to use to Extend Learning Following review of the module, these activities could be used to extend learning regarding how to assist learners with written communications. Include information and a template to teach students how to construct well-written thank you notes. This practice with writing to people with whom a student may rarely correspond in writing, may help students develop practice writing to others in a polite, but informal style. It will also help them when the graduation gifts come in!

80 Application & Extension activities, continued
Develop role plays (simulated student/faculty meeting) and samples that communicate the same information. Compare/contrast the effectiveness, strengths, & limitations of each type of communication for various purposes. Point out similarities and differences of each.

81 Application & Extension activities, continued
Activities with a Broader Communication Scope With sufficient time allotted the scope of the module could be expanded beyond written communication. For example, oral communication and body language could also be included for a more broad focus on communication in the college setting.

82 Application & Extension activities, continued
After working through the materials in this module about one form of written communication, have participants write a similar lesson plan that applies to a form of oral communication or body language. Brainstorm different times/ways oral communication or body language is used in college, and the different audiences students speak with for different purposes.

83 Application & Extension activities, continued
Discuss the impact body language can have on impressions others have of you. Students will need to decide what they want to communicate with their body language and deliberately work to ensure they actually do so in different settings. Areas of emphasis in the college setting can be class participation; texting, checking , web surfing, etc during class lecture; sleeping; making eye contact; monitoring facial expressions, and nodding.

84 Application & Extension activities, continued
Teach SLANT: A Starter Strategy TM for Class Participation developed by Edwin Ellis (1991) and published by Edge Enterprises. This strategy is part of the many valuable resources provided by the Kansas University Center for Research on Learning. See their website ( for more information about training and learning strategies or Content Enhancement Routines.

85 Application & Extension activities, continued
Show a photograph of a classroom depicting students with different postures. Have the participants identify students that seem to be “paying attention” and demonstrating respect. Use as a foundation for a discussion about faculty perceptions and the impact that may have on learning and course performance. Even if the student is effectively multitasking and absorbing information being presented, the student is making an impression on the instructor. Instructors may perceive very differently the impact of the student’s choices regarding interaction with the class content.

86 Application & Extension activities, continued
Students with disabilities are responsible for self-disclosing to an instructor information about accommodations for which they would be eligible. Especially if this is the first time students have contact with the instructor;, it can be a difficult and awkward conversation for a student. Participants can develop resources for teaching students to introduce themselves, explain how their disability impacts classroom learning, and break the ice with an instructor.

87 Application & Extension activities, continued
Students in college rarely visit faculty members during office hours or make contact outside of class. At the end of the semester faculty frequently receive several student contacts asking for extensions, extra credit, grading considerations, etc. Participants can discuss how to impress on potential students the impact of this communication pattern and the benefits of a more proactive approach to communicating with faculty members.

88 Application & Extension activities, continued
However this understanding will not likely be enough to ensure that students take those first steps to get to know their instructors. Participants of an extended workshop can share ideas and develop lesson plans designed to teach students strategies for scheduling and following through with that first meeting.

89 Application & Extension activities, continued
Some tips that can be shared with students about body language and oral communication (* indicates a tip from a current college student) are: Look people in the eye when speaking and listening. Try to replace some of the more casual words in your vocabulary with their more professional counterparts. For example, “yes” instead of “yeah” or “uh-huh”. Remember your manners. Saying “please” and thank you” and generally having a respectful and positive attitude communicates more than almost any other words you can say.

90 Application & Extension activities, continued
Make a point of meeting your professors during the first week of class and making a positive impression by going to their office hours. Follow up with an . *If you don’t have an unlimited plan, keep track of your cell phone minutes and texts carefully. It’s easy to run out because most college students call and text their friends a lot! * Don’t be afraid to ask questions! * Sit and stand up straight. Don’t fidget with objects (e.g., pen or pencil) in a distracting way.

91 Application & Extension activities, continued
Listen actively. Consider the message you may convey if you are not clean and appropriately groomed when you leave the dorm. Do your clothes send the message that you take your classes seriously or that you just happened to drop in for class in between other, more important activities? Consider the message it sends if you attend class in the same clothes you wear to sleep?

92 Session Evaluation A form for participants to evaluate the session is available in the Facilitator’s Guide.

93 Self-Assessment A self-assessment with response feedback is available at . Participants may take this assessment online to evaluate their learning about content presented in this module


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