Communication plays a very important role in our lives. It is through communication that we are able to express ourselves clearly and confidently in all aspects of our lives. Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important of all life skills. As a child develops, parents or guardians play a huge role in nurturing these communication skills in them. It is a fundamental urge in the baby to communicate and can be observed in the behaviours of the baby when they are intently listening to their mothers and trying to repeat those sounds. This is widely known as imitation, which is when a child copies others’ actions, gestures, body movements, sounds or words. So, the more you communicate with your child, the more they will be able to mimic those behaviours (by watching and listening to you).
Making them learn communication skills, it is very important to teach them the perfect ways of self-introduction which will make them feel comfortable in striking a conversation when they walk into a new environment. It will help them in making new friends and will also enhance their other social skills. You want your child to feel confident, build new relationships and be able to express themselves for which self-introduction is an essential step. So, I would like to introduce a few ways in which we can teach our children how to introduce themselves.
Why should we teach our children to introduce themselves to others?
By teaching our children simple introduction skills, we will empower them with confidence and good manners. It will also bring a sense of connectedness and community in them when they interact with other people through this skill.
What is the best way to teach them the skill of introducing oneself?
The best way to teach a child anything is to make them practice it with you! The same is with the task of self-introduction. Helping the child to learn behaviours like: having a firm handshake, making an eye-contact can be very helpful. Praising them for right behaviours and making them practice in the areas they struggle will make them more comfortable.
How should a child introduce herself/himself?
The first thing we teach children about introductions is to make eye contact with the other person. We also need to emphasize the importance of smiling when meeting someone new. If the introduction includes a handshake, we teach children that a firm handshake portrays confidence and makes a favourable first impression.
At what age should a child be made to learn about self-introductions?
To put it simply, it is never too early to teach them how to introduce themselves but it is ideal for them to learn these basic things before joining school. Introducing themselves to new people in that new environment will give them a good start and will help them in becoming better with introductions.
What to do if your child is very shy?
Avoid shaming your child by empathising with his or her actions. For instance, consider recalling a period when you were shy as a child and explaining the emotions that accompanied those sentiments. Encourage your youngster to express his or her emotions in their own words. Be receptive to their requirements.
Should children be taught only to introduce themselves formally to adults, or also their peers?
Children should be taught to appropriately introduce themselves to adults, their peers depending on the situation and the environment. However, a warm smile and good eye contact is always appropriate. It is important to teach them some polite response phrases after meeting someone such as, “It is very nice to meet you” or saying “good morning”. We can also encourage the child to compliment or say something nice to others when she/he meets them which can be a good start to the conversation.
