Volunteering in the Classroom: Communication Skills for STEM Volunteers

Improve your communication skills and confidence volunteering with young people

Discover the skills and techniques needed for good communication in the classroom when delivering a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activity.

Covering both verbal and non-verbal communication, this training will develop your confidence as a volunteer. You’ll learn practical communication skills and strategies to use whether you’re delivering a classroom activity for a STEM subject or volunteering with young people in another setting.

Identify good communication skills when volunteering with children

Improve both your verbal and non-verbal communication with this training which will get you thinking about what you say and how you say it.

We look at the way your communication style impacts the delivery of STEM activities and identify what good communication in the classroom looks like. You’ll consider introductions and how to make a good first impression, and look at techniques such as questioning that will help you make your lesson more engaging.

By the end of the course, you will have a better idea of how you can communicate more effectively with young people to get them interested in STEM subjects.

Become a more effective volunteer when delivering classroom activities.

Put your new-found communication skills into practice when preparing and leading STEM activities.

This course will boost your confidence and encourage you to use the new practical techniques you have learned to engage young people in STEM lessons.

It will also help you consider additional questions, such as the lasting impression you leave and what you want young people to remember from your sessions.

This course has been created for anyone volunteering with young people in STEM. You may be part of a formal volunteering scheme and be known as a STEM champion or STEM ambassador, or you may be a youth volunteering group organiser, field trip educator, working with scout groups (and similar), outdoor pursuit centres, outreach from NGOs.

You will need knowledge of STEM subjects or experience of working in a STEM environment.

To get the most out of this course, learners should complete the following two courses first:

• Resources and diversity
• Planning activities

This course is not designed for teachers. Please see other courses from STEM Learning for teacher professional development in STEM subjects.