What does your child reply when you ask them how their day was? Do they just give a one-word answer, or do they actually communicate how things went at school that particular day?
This is where parents need to ask themselves an important question: Is your child’s school actively teaching them to communicate? While one-worded answers might feel fine sometimes, having nothing to say hints either at difficulty in adjusting to school or an underlying communication barrier.
According to a 2023 McKinsey Global Institute report, communication tops the list of skill gaps in young professionals. And yet, for most Indian school children, structured communication practice still happens only during a debate competition or a once-a-year school play.
This is why schools today need to shift their focus. In fact, some of the best schools in Bangalore, like New Oxford School, are already encouraging active communication in students through interactive learning spaces, public speaking opportunities, collaborative classrooms, and student-focused activities.
But, how do we ensure that children are effectively engaged and learning the principles of effective communication? Read on to find out!
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Why Children Struggle to Communicate Today
Modern childhood looks very different from what earlier generations experienced. Children spend more time with screens and less time in open conversations. Many families also live fast-paced lives where long discussions rarely happen during weekdays. Even classrooms sometimes become too focused on scores and deadlines.
As a result, many children know answers but hesitate to speak. Some children fear judgment. Some struggle with confidence. Some simply do not get enough opportunities.
While parents tend to notice the signs gradually, here’s what you should usually watch out for:
- The child avoids eye contact.
- They hesitate during presentations.
- They struggle to express emotions.
- They become quiet in social gatherings.
- They depend heavily on parents to speak for them.
Communication problems during childhood can affect adulthood, too. Poor communication often impacts friendships, teamwork, interviews, leadership, and emotional well-being.
That is why experts now believe communication should be treated as an everyday life skill rather than an optional personality trait.
Communication ≠ Only Good English
There is a common misconception that good communication means good hold on English vocabulary and speaking skills. Even children were expected to absorb communication through English lessons, morning assemblies, and the occasional elocution contest. However, that is not enough.
Here’s what communication actually involves:
- Listening to understand, not just waiting for a turn to speak
- Organising thoughts before opening the mouth
- Adjusting tone based on who is in the room
- Reading non-verbal cues like eye contact and posture
- Writing with structure and a point in mind
Harvard researchers found that children who build these skills before the age of 10 are significantly more likely to participate in class, form friendships more easily, and ask for help when they need it rather than sit quietly with a problem they cannot solve.
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How Can Schools Encourage Active Communication in Children?
Children spend nearly six to seven hours daily in school environments. That makes schools one of the strongest influences on communication habits.
Here are a few practices that schools can adopt to help build communication skills in students:
- Drama and Role Play: Children step into a character and learn expressiveness and empathy at the same time. Research shows that drama-based learning can improve verbal communication by up to 30% within a single academic year.
- Storytelling Sessions: Narrating a story from start to finish teaches children to organise thoughts in sequence. That ability transfers directly to essays, presentations, and oral exams.
- Phonetics and Pronunciation Practice: Especially valuable in multilingual classrooms, where children may be confident in their mother tongue but hesitant in English or Hindi.
- Dialogue Writing: Learning to write a real conversation teaches children that communication is always two-sided.
- Discussion Circles and Debate: These build the ability to hear a different opinion, sit with it, and respond without aggression. Not just a classroom skill. A life skill.
New Oxford School, Bangalore: Encouraging Communication Every Day
Established in the year 2012, New Oxford School’s vision centres on developing well-rounded, competent, and responsible individuals who are encouraged to reach their full potential. Its mission focuses on delivering high-quality education within a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment, where each child is supported to grow with independence and a sense of responsibility toward others.
New Oxford School is known for its firm stand on encouraging communication skills in children. The school has a well-equipped Communication Lab, which uses audio and visual media to help students develop pronunciation, vocabulary, and the semantics of speech. The school also actively conducts activities such as phonetic practice, dialogue writing, storytelling, drama, and role play to help students develop more fluency.
One of the best CBSE schools in Bangalore, NOS also gives importance to public participation and co-curricular involvement. Activities related to debate, arts, theatre, cultural programs, leadership, and sports help students learn teamwork and expression naturally. The Activity Lab extends this further as students get to work on team-based projects, creative puppet shows, and experiential simulations that strengthen both verbal and non-verbal communication.
Fun Fact: New Oxford School is part of the wider New Oxford Group of Institutions, which includes CBSE, ICSE, and international schools across Bangalore. This gives students the benefit of shared academic practices, resources, and partnerships with organisations like BeyondSkool and Next Education.
The Most Important Key: Parental Involvement
Parental involvement is the key to developing crucial skills in children, including active communication. When you actively engage with your child, help them express themselves, ask them questions, and answer their curious questions, then you are helping them be good communicators.
When children grow in environments where their thoughts matter, they slowly become adults who can think clearly, speak honestly, and connect meaningfully with others. And perhaps that is one of the most valuable gifts that parents and school can together offer.
For more information on this and similar other schools, check out this list of the best schools in Bangalore.
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