GTA:Communication
TL;DR
- Have good communication skills and be able to talk to students individually or in a group setting, such as tutorials or group work.
- Have good writing and English skills.
- Have patience with the students, who may need more time to understand new concepts.
Effective communication is at the heart of successful teaching and lies at the core of your role as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Your ability to communicate clearly, patiently, and professionally with students, fellow GTAs, and academic staff will significantly impact the quality of the learning experience you provide and the effectiveness of your contribution to the School of Computer Science.
Communication Skills in Individual and Group Settings
As a GTA, you must have good communication skills and be able to talk to students individually or in a group setting, such as tutorials or group work. This requirement reflects the diverse nature of teaching contexts in which you will be working and the variety of communication approaches needed to support different learning situations.
When communicating with students individually, you should be able to listen actively to their questions and concerns, diagnose where their understanding may be incomplete or incorrect, and provide clear, targeted explanations that address their specific needs. Individual communication requires you to be attentive and responsive, adapting your explanations to match the student's level of understanding and learning style. Some students may grasp concepts quickly with a brief explanation, whilst others may need more detailed guidance or alternative approaches to the same material.
During individual interactions, you should encourage students to articulate their thinking and ask questions. Rather than simply providing answers, effective communication often involves guiding students towards understanding through carefully chosen questions that help them reason through problems themselves. This Socratic approach develops students' critical thinking skills and helps them build confidence in their own abilities.
In group settings, such as tutorials or group work sessions, your communication skills need to adapt to a different dynamic. You should be able to address multiple students simultaneously, facilitate discussions, and ensure that all students have opportunities to participate and benefit from the session. Group communication requires you to be aware of group dynamics, to encourage contributions from quieter students, and to manage dominant voices so that the learning experience is equitable for all participants.
When facilitating group work, you should be able to explain concepts clearly to the entire group whilst also being alert to individual students who may be struggling or who may need additional support. You should circulate amongst groups of students, checking on their progress, answering questions, and providing guidance where needed. This requires you to be approachable, empathetic, and friendly to students, fellow GTAs, and staff, as specified in your GTA guidance.
Your communication should be professional at all times, as required under Clause 41 of your contract, which states that the University expects all members of staff to conduct themselves with probity and propriety. This professionalism extends to both verbal and non-verbal communication. You should maintain appropriate body language, make eye contact, and demonstrate through your demeanour that you are engaged and interested in supporting students' learning.
During teaching sessions, you are expected to engage with the students by actively participating in lab demonstrations. If the session is quiet or there seems not much to do, you should actively seek out questions from students or have short chats making small talk to create a good atmosphere. This proactive approach to communication helps create a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable asking for help and engaging with the material.
You should introduce yourself to students at the beginning of sessions and make it clear that you are available to help. Being visible by wearing a lanyard or badge helps identify you as a GTA, but your approachable manner and willingness to engage with students are equally important in establishing yourself as a resource they can turn to for support.
Written Communication and English Language Skills
In addition to verbal communication, you must have good writing and English skills. Written communication is essential for several aspects of your role, including providing feedback on student work, communicating with academic staff and fellow GTAs via email, and potentially contributing to course materials or documentation.
Your written English should be clear, grammatically correct, and professional in tone. When providing written feedback to students on their coursework, your comments should be constructive, specific, and helpful in guiding students towards improvement. Poor written communication can undermine the value of your feedback and may confuse students rather than helping them understand how to develop their work.
If English is not your first language and you feel you would benefit from additional support in developing your academic writing or communication skills, you should not hesitate to seek assistance. The University offers resources through People & OD that can help you develop these essential competencies. There is no shame in seeking support to improve your communication skills; indeed, recognising areas for development and taking steps to address them is a sign of professionalism and commitment to your role.
Your written communication with students should always be respectful and professional. You should avoid informal language or slang in written feedback, and you should ensure that your comments are clear and unambiguous. Remember that written feedback becomes a permanent record and may be reviewed by other staff members, external examiners, or even used in academic appeals processes, so it is important that your written communications maintain high professional standards.
When communicating with academic staff and fellow GTAs via email, you should follow professional email conventions. This includes using an appropriate greeting and sign-off, writing in complete sentences, proofreading before sending, and responding to emails in a timely manner. Your email communications should be clear and concise, providing all necessary information without unnecessary verbosity.
You should also be aware of your obligations regarding confidential information, as outlined in Clauses 48-51 of your contract. When communicating in writing about students, you must be mindful of data protection requirements and ensure that you do not disclose confidential information inappropriately. You must comply with the University's Data Protection policy when handling personal data, including personal data relating to any student, as specified in Clause 53 of your contract.
Good written communication also extends to your record-keeping responsibilities. You are required to report your worked hours in the portal at the end of each month, and this documentation should be accurate and clear. If you need to claim additional hours, you should email your GTA Lead, Simon Harper, and copy in the unit lead with a clear explanation of the additional work undertaken and the hours involved.
Patience and Supporting Diverse Learners
One of the most important communication skills you can develop as a GTA is patience. You must have patience with the students, who may need more time to understand new concepts. This requirement recognises that students learn at different paces and that effective teaching requires adapting to students' individual needs rather than expecting all students to conform to a single pace of learning.
Patience in teaching manifests in several ways. Firstly, you should be willing to explain concepts multiple times and in different ways if students are struggling to understand. What seems obvious to you as someone who has already mastered the material may be genuinely difficult for students encountering these ideas for the first time. You should never make students feel inadequate or foolish for asking questions or needing additional explanation.
Secondly, you should give students time to think and formulate their responses when you ask them questions. Resist the temptation to fill silences immediately or to rush in with answers before students have had adequate time to process the question and think through their response. This "wait time" is crucial for deep learning and demonstrates respect for students' thinking processes.
Thirdly, you should recognise that students come from diverse backgrounds and may have different levels of prior knowledge, different learning styles, and different levels of confidence. Some students may be international students for whom English is not their first language, which may affect both their understanding of explanations and their ability to express their questions clearly. Others may have learning differences or disabilities that affect how they process information. Your role is to be patient and supportive with all students, adapting your communication approach to meet their individual needs.
As specified in your GTA guidance, you must be fair to each of the students and not act in a biased manner to any of the students. This principle of fairness requires patience and conscious effort to ensure that you give equal attention and support to all students, regardless of their background, ability level, or how quickly they grasp concepts.
Patience also means managing your own frustration when students make repeated errors or seem to struggle with concepts that you find straightforward. It is important to remember that your expertise in the subject matter developed over time through your own learning journey, and that students are at an earlier stage of that journey. Your role is to support and guide them, not to judge them for being at a different point in their learning.
If you find yourself becoming frustrated or impatient during teaching sessions, this may be a sign that you need additional support or guidance. As noted in the GTA guidance, if you were struggling with a session, you should raise this with the unit academic staff and ask for advice and assistance. There is always support available, and seeking help is a professional response to challenges rather than a weakness.
Your patience should also extend to your communication with fellow GTAs and academic staff. Collaborative teaching environments work best when all participants communicate with patience, understanding, and mutual respect. If you have concerns about student welfare or other issues, you should raise them appropriately with unit leads or other appropriate staff members, and you should be patient with the processes that may need to be followed to address these concerns.
Creating a Positive Communication Environment
Beyond the specific communication skills outlined above, your overall approach to communication should aim to create a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and taking intellectual risks. This environment is built through consistent, patient, and professional communication over time.
You should be approachable, empathetic, and friendly to students, as specified in the GTA guidance. This does not mean being informal or unprofessional, but rather demonstrating through your communication that you are interested in students' learning and wellbeing and that you are available to support them. Students should feel that they can approach you with questions without fear of being judged or dismissed.
Effective communication also involves being aware of and responding to non-verbal cues from students. If students appear confused, frustrated, or disengaged, these are communication signals that you should respond to, even if students have not explicitly asked for help. Sometimes the most important teaching moments come from noticing and responding to these subtle communication cues.
Your communication should also model the professional standards expected in academic and professional contexts. As noted in Clause 42 of your contract, you must at all times adhere to any rules, policies, and procedures, including the Equality and Diversity Policy. Your communication should be inclusive and respectful of diversity in all its forms, and you should be conscious of avoiding language or behaviour that could be perceived as discriminatory or offensive.
If you have any concerns about your communication skills or would like guidance on how to communicate more effectively with students, you should speak with your GTA Lead, Simon Harper, or seek advice from more experienced GTAs. The unit leads are expected to be approachable, professional, and unbiased, and to offer help when requested, so you should not hesitate to seek their support in developing your communication skills.
Additional resources and guidance on effective communication in teaching contexts may be available through the FSE GTA Hub and the broader GTA resources on StaffNet. These resources can provide valuable insights into pedagogical approaches and communication strategies that support effective learning.
Communication in Challenging Situations
Whilst most of your communication with students will be straightforward and positive, you should also be prepared to communicate effectively in more challenging situations. If you notice signs of student distress or welfare concerns, you should raise these concerns to the unit lead or another appropriate staff member and not deal with those issues by yourself, as specified in the GTA guidance.
If you think a student is being bullied, either in the real world or online, then you must report this to the unit's academic staff. Similarly, if you should raise any concerns about cheating or plagiarism with unit leads but please do not try to deal with it yourself, as the University has set procedures for this. In these situations, your communication role is to observe, report appropriately, and follow the guidance of more experienced staff members.
If you feel unsafe and require assistance during a teaching session, you should go into the corridor and shout 'I need some help here', and use the SafeZone app, as outlined in the safety guidance. Clear, direct communication in emergency situations is essential for ensuring that help arrives quickly.
You should also be prepared to communicate boundaries appropriately with students. Whilst you should be friendly and approachable, you should maintain professional boundaries and not enter into inappropriate relationships or communications with students outside your professional role. If a student makes you uncomfortable or if you receive inappropriate communications from a student, you should report this to the unit lead or your GTA Lead immediately.
Further information about campus safety, student support services, and University policies can be found through the Health and Safety website and campus safety pages.
By developing strong communication skills across all these dimensions – verbal and written, individual and group, patient and professional – you will be well-equipped to fulfil your role as a GTA and to contribute positively to students' learning experiences in the School of Computer Science.