Teaching principles

The basic principles of teaching relate to effective communication and should be visible within a lesson plan. By communication is meant the whole environment of effective teaching as well as simplyverbal speaking and listening (each by student and teacher). Here is outlined the basics of teaching and communication, the barriers to communication and overcoming them, their application withinteaching methods and how this might look in an imaginary lesson plan.
The first consideration is the room environment, which is part of the preparation. There are a number of room seating preparationspossible, and I have experimented with several. In IT teaching I have been limited to the terminals type teaching, but have never used it elsewhere (except exam invigilating, illustrated below)because it inhibits conversation between students.
One problem area is verbal. A teacher who mumbles to the board, who swallows words, who speaks in a monotone manner, who says unexplained technical andspecialist terms, who does not repeat points and speaks too quickly, is less effective, no matter how well the tables and chairs are arranged. My training in preaching liberal religion involvedexercises in capturing and not losing the ends of sentences, in keeping words simple, in extending gaps between points but speaking at a reasonable pace (it can be too slow), and in repetition. Thisoverlaps with the teacher's need to be clear.
There are non-verbal barriers to communication too. A teacher needs to have the right physical appearance. For myself, as a cognitive co-learner, I prefer amore informal dress style but if I was too scruffy then it might look as if I did not care or was not professional. Poor eye contact shows a lack of interest, but, the other way, touching is excessiveand a student would not do this to me! I notice when a student is copying my gestures so it can be irritating if I did this, however it can indicate that a student is "in tune" or is comfortable...