Determine if the communication strategies were implemented
View a completed implementation plan from Step 4 in Activity 3.12a to decide whether Shawanda actually used the specific communication strategies she intended to use.
Determine if the communication strategies were effective
To determine the effectiveness of communication strategies, the teacher will need to rely on informal assessment approaches such as asking parents and colleagues to give her feedback. For example, at the end of a regularly scheduled meeting, Shawanda could inform Ashley that she has been working to improve her communication and ask if there is anything she might do differently next time to address this goal.
View Handout 3.6, a simple evaluation tool called “How am I Doing?” that can be used to get feedback from others about your communication.
Use the results to improve future communication practices
Becoming an effective communicator requires time and practice. It also requires careful attention to gathering feedback from the families and professionals with whom you work, and taking their individual communication styles and preferences into account. The feedback you obtain can be used to determine whether some communication strategies are used more or less often (and perhaps more or less effectively) than others and to make adjustments and improvements along the way.