A communications teacher’s main responsibilities include introducing students to various aspects of mass media and communication methods, as well as guiding individual students to find their niche in the industry. A big part of the job is teaching students how to write and communicate effectively for specific types of media, such as web-based media, television, radio, advertising, and even public speaking. Grammar and usage in English are essential tools in all aspects of communication and media. Any communications curriculum should include a component that introduces students to various aspects of current media technology.
One of the foundational types of coursework taught a communications teacher is effective communication. The overall effectiveness of various types of communication varies. An e-mail, for example, is unlikely to have the same impact as a live speaker broadcast over visual media such as television or the Internet. Students may be taught the finer points of using specific communication methods for specific types of media a communications teacher. Teachers of communications assist students in honing their speaking skills as well as their written communication skills for business, desktop publishing, and various forms of media.
Any communications teacher must ensure that students develop a working knowledge of the English language’s grammar and usage. Knowing everything there is to know about media and communications is useless unless students can master the fundamentals of language and grammar. Writing a press release for a major corporation, for example, may appear to be a simple task, but improper grammar and even spelling errors may send the wrong message to the release’s recipients.
Media technology is a rapidly evolving field, and one of the main responsibilities of a communications teacher is to keep students informed about the ever-changing technology in the field of communications. The introduction, operation, and maintenance of various types of media technology is an important part of any communications curriculum. A news camera operator, for example, must be aware of the functions and limitations of the technology in his camera. He must also understand how his equipment connects to and communicates with other communication technology, such as web phones, PCs, and editing equipment.
A communications teacher might give students a writing assignment for a local news broadcast, radio program, or advertisement as an example of typical work. Designing, building, and maintaining websites for specific clients or businesses can provide valuable experience. Students can use desktop publishing assignments to improve specific writing or communication skills, and a field trip to a local radio station can help them observe the copywriting techniques, working styles, talent, and technology needed to operate in a specific market.