Adapting communication with adults for 'social differences'.

[WilburIsSomePig]

I'm sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place, I don't even know if there is a section for this kind of thing, but I'm desperate!

I am banging my head off a brick wall here. I have to complete an assignment for a college course and I have to show how to do this.

How the hell do I evidence this in an observation? I would so appreciate some guidance please.

[WilburIsSomePig]

Desperate bump?!

[ThatsWotSheSaid]

What type of social difference? What context?

[WilburIsSomePig]

That's the problem Wot, it doesn't specify. The question is just 'adapt communication with adults for social differences'. I'm completely stumped and my tutor has been no help at all.

[Smeddum]

Could they be referring to disabilities which are associated with processing/social interaction/social etiquette?

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

I don't think anyone can usefully answer without more context. "Social differences" could be literally anything. What's your course on?

[WilburIsSomePig]

It's on Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning.

It literally doesn't give any more information than that; I've answered one about context, one about cultural differences and one about language differences. I feel like crying!

[Smeddum]

It seems very unfair to base a question on “social differences” if they’re not prepared to define “social differences”!

[insancerre]

Could it be hinting at not expecting everyone to have internet access or a smartphone?
Or even not being able to read

[bloomsburyer]

Hi there, social differences just means things such as age, class, ability, gender, race etc... so it should be quite straight forward really. Good luck

[spanky2]

Is it a social difference like autism/learning difficulties or social as in class/education/economic?

[WilburIsSomePig]

How do you think I can evidence that blooms, I have to 'show' I can do this with an observation with my mentor at school overseeing.

I spoke to her about it too and her exact words were 'fucks sake what a load of bloody shite!'.

[Blueemeraldagain]

I would suggest a meeting with a parent who is of a different social background to yourself?

[JoanFrenulum]

It's about recognizing how you reference life experiences in your teaching, and understanding how that can sometimes be unhelpful in various ways.

Example. Say you assign a roleplay about talking to your kids' teacher. That's great for people who have kids in school, not much use for people who don't have kids, and downright unpleasant for someone whose kid just died. If you discover that your planned roleplay is pitched to a group with different social experiences, it's much better pedagogically if you can adapt.

Or say you're using a comparison to make a point, you say "It's like the first week at college," and that's fine IF everyone in the room went to college. If they didn't, you need to adapt your example.

This isn't just about being PC, it's about how assumptions based on social circumstances can affect your pedagogy.

[JoanFrenulum]

Or another example, if I'm teaching a workshop on paintbrush types to a group of middle-class-ish women, a super analogy is with different types of shoes and how learning to walk in heels is different to walking in flats. This is a rubbish analogy when I'm teaching in a mixed-gender group because half the group have no idea what I mean.

[newtlover]

I would interpret this as meaning adapting your vocabulary and the examples you give to your audience
I am often told I 'talk posh' (partly accent)
so I have tp make a conscioue effort with some groups
eg not- how would you differentiate...
but- how would you tell the difference...

[WilburIsSomePig]

This is all massively helpful, thank you so much. I KNOW how to actually DO this stuff, it's just that 'setting up' a situation like this to be observed feel so forced!

Stupid bloody question. Anyway, thank you all SO much, you've really helped me and I'm very grateful.

[oldbirdy]

Well, it might be my training and background but I would have assumed they were talking about "social differences" to mean people who are autistic. Mostly because autistic people benefit from an adapted communication style which could be observed in an observation.
Fwiw when you have autistic learners in class it helps to be very clear with instructions (eg specify what needs noting down and what does not), provide visual reinforcement of information (rather than just speaking), explain exactly what a question means (academic language eg describe, explain, discuss, compare, consider, is often really hard for autistic people to work out exactly what is being asked), and provide a worked example (to reduce the ambiguity of a task) and/ or a writing frame.

[spanky2]

I wonder if it means talking more slowly and leaving a thinking place if someone has a language processing disorder?

[Smeddum]

@oldbirdy I’m autistic and a mum of 3 autistic kids and it’s how I would interpret it too. Probably because of my own experiences. It’s very ambiguous though which isn’t helpful to OP.

[oldbirdy]

smeddum yes, if it is about autistic learners the question is a brilliant example of what not to do, lol 😂

[Smeddum]

@oldbirdy haha it really is! I had a conversation on another thread about how ambiguity is my biggest problem in daily life. I just wish people would say what they meant!

[JellySlice]

Teaching phonics to a group of people who come from different English-speaking regions or countries?

If you're teaching RP, how do you teach, say 'a' path, 'ough' rough, 'u' duck, etc, without telling a Northerner or an Irish person that they are wrong?

[BonnieF]

Consciously avoiding inappropriate utilisation of terminological complexity or ambiguity in circumstances where it is unlikely to contribute to comprehension by educationally disadvantaged individuals.

Vs

Not using long words when thickos won’t understand them.

[GlittercheeksOakleaf]

Have you had a look at the silkysteps forum? I'm also doing the Specialist Support course too (online through Stonebridge Associated Colleges) and have found that forum really helpful even though its mainly aimed at the EYFS and CYPW courses and staff.

[WilburIsSomePig]

I have Oakleaf and you're right, it is really helpful and I've found loads of info on there for other modules. Writing down what to do wasn't so much of the problem, it's showing it that melted my head.