Page 7 - Mini-Module 4

Forms of Communication

Communications in schools takes many different forms and occurs
for many different reasons.

Positional Communication
It is the sort of communication that takes place in a general school
staff meeting, or in a school newsletter, where one party wishes to
have their position understood by another party or parties. It might
be a teacher’s position on the need for more Math
textbooks, or the principal’s position on the importance of meeting
a deadline for submitting school reports. In both examples, it is
about one party making their position clear to others, as such, it is
unidirectional.

Interest Based Communication

In Interest Based communication the purpose is not to transmit a
position but to explore mutual interests. Take, for instance, a
‘brain-storming’ session on what to do about a particular
behaviour management problem. This should be a genuine
communication to explore teachers’ and parents’ needs, fears and
concerns and to generate ideas and strategies for dealing with the
situation. [Teachers often complain that their school Staff
Meetings have become forums for positional communication (being
told things) when it should be a forum for interest based
communication and collaborative decision making.]

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