Classroom Communication Teaching Resources
Explore classroom communication tools for teachers perfect for communicating with parents and students this school year.
This collection of teacher-created tools was built by the teachers of Teach Starter to help boost verbal and non-verbal communication in your classroom this year so you can build strong relationships with your students and their parents.
A crucial part of being a good teacher is being a good communicator, and we've built tools that can help you be just that. Even better? This collection is stocked with tools that will also help you teach your students to be more effective communicators.
Why Classroom Communication Matters
You likely already know that a teacher's communication in the classroom is linked with student outcomes, but just how much does it matter? A lot!
Education researchers have evaluated what happens when teachers are specifically trained in classroom communication, and the results are significant. Not only do teachers spend less time on discipline and more time actually engaging their students, but the students' behaviour mirrors that of their teacher.
Meanwhile, other studies have shown that a teacher's communication skills are just as important as their knowledge base regarding their effectiveness as educators, and even how we communicate with parents can boost student success.
So, what does good classroom communication look like? Both verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as written communication, play heavily here.
Read on as we break down each.
What Non-Verbal Communication in the Classroom Looks Like
When we talk about non-verbal communication, we tend to talk about things like body language and facial expressions. Everything from how we gesture to how our faces change when someone says something falls under non-verbal communication in the real world and, of course, in the classroom.
In the classroom setting, however, non-verbal communication is particularly important to create a safe environment for our students.
A warm smile on your face when a student enters the room is a non-verbal cue that lets them know you welcome them to the space. Similarly, when we turn our bodies toward a student who is speaking and give them our full attention, we show them we value what they have to say.
These behaviours also play into our important role as role models for our students who are still learning social norms and how to be good communicators.
Non-verbal communication in the classroom can also take the form of the visual media we provide to help our students learn, including learning aids like:
- Anchor charts
- Bulletin boards
- Posters
- Maps
This type of non-verbal classroom communication helps our students learn through the help of visual representation, and they can help supplement our verbal communication.
What Does Verbal Communication Look Like in a Classroom?
Of course, that brings us to verbal communication in a classroom. Again, there are direct ties to verbal communication as we describe it in a broader context.
Verbal communication can refer to the direct instruction that's core to teaching, but it also refers to things like the greetings we give children when they enter our rooms and the one-on-one conversations we have with our students.
Of course, these all help us build relationships with our students and serve as a means of providing students with information.
Being good verbal communicators isn't just being able to impart information to or chat with students. It's being able to:
- Appropriately engage the audience
- Transmit information in clear and understandable ways
- Speak in a tone that's appropriately assertive — not intimidating or abrupt but also calm and loud enough to be heard
It's a lot for teachers to juggle; we know! It's why we've created so many tools to help!
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Meet the Teacher - Get to Know You Game
Help your students get to know the teacher with a fun Get to Know You Game!
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All About Me Activity - Library of Learning About Me Craft
Get to know your students by building a library of “About Me” book stacks with a unique All About Me activity.
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All About Me Bag Activity Template
Get to know your students a bit better by having them create ‘All About Me’ Bags!
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Can You Save Fred? Activity
Can You Save Fred? Encourage teamwork and resilience with a fun, hands-on problem-solving and team-building STEM activity.
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Google Sheets Digital Teacher Planner
Start the school year with a ready-made digital lesson plan and record book using our Google Sheets Digital Lesson Planner.
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Student Interest Survey Pack
Use a Student Interest Survey to get to know your new students at the beginning of the school year.
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Meet The Teachers - Template for Back to School BINGO!
Encourage your students to explore their new classroom and meet the teachers with a game of Bingo!
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Positive Affirmations for Kids — Classroom Display Cards
Print a set of 25 positive affirmations display cards for kids to use in your classroom.
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Meet The Teacher Presentation Template
Introduce yourself and your classroom expectations to parents and students with a customisable Meet the Teacher Slideshow!
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Meet The Teacher Letter - Editable Version
Use these back-to-school templates to create a letter for your new students and their families introducing yourself.
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My Favourite Things List
Organise your school gift exchange in advance with a printable Teacher Favourite Things form!
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Back to School – Meet the Teacher PowerPoint Template
Use an editable slide deck during to foster communication during your 'Meet the Teacher' or 'Back-to-School Parent Information' event.
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Our Class is a Family Activity Flipbook
Start building a classroom community from day one with a printable ‘Our Class is a Family’ flipbook.
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Meet The Teacher Station Signs - Editable
Organise your Meet the Teacher event by setting up classroom stations using our printable Back to School Station Signs.
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Maths Homework Helpers - Early Years
Give your students handy Maths Homework Helper printables to reference when working in class or at home.
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Meet The Teacher Postcard Templates
Use this Meet Your Teacher postcard template to prep your back-to-school letters and ease your students’ first-day jitters.
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Editable School Notes for Parents - Classroom Reminders
Keep your parents informed with this set of 27 editable notes from the teacher.
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Student End of Year Gift Tags - We Had a Ball This Year
Have a ball making your end of year gifts for students when you add special student gift tags to their gifts.
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When You Enter This Classroom - Door Display
Welcome your students into your classroom with a ‘When You Enter This Classroom” Student Affirmations Classroom Door Display
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Free Classroom Newsletter Template - Weekly Snapshot
Use this free classroom newsletter template to communicate important information each week.
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Student Gift Tags - Owl Miss You
Attach an 'Owl Miss You' gift tag to your end of year student gifts.
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Editable Class Newsletter
Give important information to your students’ parents and guardians by using this editable classroom newsletter.
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Parent Teacher Interview Templates
Save time, enhance organisation and strengthen the parent-teacher partnership with this set of parent-teacher interview forms.
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Editable Homework Information Sheet
Use this editable template to inform parents of what homework will look like in your classroom.
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Student Interest Survey - Upper Years
Learn your students' interests on Day 1 of a new school year with this student interest survey for the upper years.
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Printable Information Form for Students - Parent Survey
A survey to send home to parents at the beginning of a new school year.
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Student Behaviour Contract Template
Create a classroom community and ensure adherence to rules and procedures with a printable Student Behaviour Contract Template.
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Back to School Treats - Student Gift Tags
Give your students a fun back-to-school gift tagged with one of these fun student gift tags!
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Parent-Teacher Conference Documentation Form
Organise your parent-teacher interviews ahead of time and keep accurate and detailed records of parent communication with a conference documentation form.
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Student Daily Check-In Template
Check in on your students' emotions each day with a printable emotions chart.
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Positive Notes Home – Parent Communication Templates
Use this editable template to share information with parents and guardians about academic improvement, positive behaviour and more!
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Learning Preference Worksheet
Learn your new students' likes and dislikes with this learning preference sheet.