NVQ 3 Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools

STLS21 Support the development and effectiveness of

work teams
Questions Units KUS
Please explain the principles underlying effective STLS 21 K1
communication, interpersonal and collaborative skills and how
to apply these within the teams in which you work

Effective Communication Skills

Good communication is an essential part of working as a team. The
principles of effective communication include the following aspects.

Listening to what others have to say

This is important: often people listen to one another, but do not really hear
what others are saying. This may be because they are thinking about
something else or are too eager to put their own point of view across. I
ensure that I always listen to what others have to say as this is a very
important part of my role.

Making sure that you contribute to team discussions

I am gaining more confidence in my role and now feel confident to
volunteer my ideas in team discussions and staff meetings.

Providing regular opportunities for talk

This is important in my school, where everyone is busy and may not have
time for discussions when one member of the team needs to talk about a
particular issue. For teams to communicate effectively within my school,
there are systems in place that contribute to this. It helps because we
have a clear staff structure and everyone has clearly defined roles, which
will make it easier for staff to see where they fit into the school as a
whole and how their role is defined. Communication also takes place
through meetings between different groups within school, for example the
senior management team, the teaching staff, the year group, teaching
assistants, individual support assistants and those working within a
particular class. These meetings provide regular opportunities for
discussion and exchange of information, which may be written or verbal.

Effective Interpersonal Skills

These are sometimes the most difficult skills to have within any team
there will be a number of personality types. Individuals need to have the
skills to relate to one another well and be sympathetic, supportive and
helpful. Members of the team should be sensitive to the needs and
feelings of others, and encourage those who they know are finding work
challenging or difficult, which may be due to other issues outside school.

There may be a combination of factors that make it difficult for

individuals to focus on and tackle problems in the work environment. In
order to get around this, it is important to read others body language so
that you can pick up on when it is not a good time to approach another
member of the team with a problem. There may also be a member of the
team who is much more of a speaker than a listener. This can be a problem
if the person does not give others the chance to have their say.

Effective Collaborative Skills

Members of the team need to be able to work together. In his Team
Development Manual, Mike Woodcock outlines nine building blocks which
lead to team effectiveness. These are:
have clear objectives and agreed goals
be open about facing issues and resolving them
work in an atmosphere of mutual support and trust
have appropriate leadership, which suits the task, team and
individual members
conduct regular reviews to reflect on performance as a team and as
individuals
have good relationships with other groups
have sound procedures for working together and taking decisions,
with all members being consulted and involved
encourage and foster individual development of all team members
work together cohesively but be free to disagree with necessary,
i.e. allow both co-operation and conflict to get results.

Individual members of staff within the team at my school are able to apply
these skills to their own environment and experience to ensure that they
are supporting other members of the team. I always remember that
although I am working as a team, individuals have their own strengths,
which I recognise and value.