2.3: Communicating with Classmates and Professors

How can I effectively communicate with classmates and professors?

Many communication norms are universal: no matter where you go to college, you already know it's important to respect cultural differences and be mindful of diverse perspectives in the classroom. Students everywhere are expected to use polite language, avoid interrupting others, and wait for their turn to speak. Part of participating in college is treating your classmates and professors with respect, even if you disagree with their opinions. However, a few U.S. customs might be slightly different from your previous academic experiences.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): "Positive multiethnic students celebrating success in project with teacher." by Kampus Production from Pexels. CC-0)

In the classroom

You will probably be expected - and even required as part of your grades - to contribute to small-group and whole-class discussions, sharing your opinions and ideas, not just repeating facts. You also need to listen carefully to your classmates and connect what you are saying to what has already been said. You may also need to respectfully disagree. U.S. college culture is known for being very interactive - some of your classes are likely to feel more like the situation in Figure 2.3.1 than one with the professor lecturing to students in rows silently taking notes. 

Trusting your voice

Professors and classmates expect you to speak like you are in a conversation, rather than reciting something you've memorized or reading from your notes. It's OK to make a few grammar or pronunciation mistakes; the most important thing is that people can understand your ideas. When you are speaking to the whole class, remember that you are not only speaking to the professor; find the person farthest away from you in the classroom and pretend you are talking to them so your voice will be loud enough. Emphasize keywords and pause after important points so your listeners catch your meaning. 

This may vary by situation, but in a small class, students can usually ask questions at any time during the class, or at least between activities - you don't need to wait until the end. Most professors will not see this as a rude interruption, but rather as a polite sign of engagement and dedication to learning. If you are in a small group, it's often expected that you will ask other students your question before you ask the professor.

Body language

Students often raise their hands to be called on, but in some classes, students may talk without being called on - you can wait and see what the other students are doing. It's rare in the U.S. to stand up before speaking, unless you are giving a presentation from the front of the class. As in other U.S. English situations, eye contact is considered respectful, even to elders. If eye contact is uncomfortable for you, here's a trick: try focusing on the other person's forehead. When speaking to a group, find a friendly face in each section of the room and move your eyes between those people.

As far as personal space, according to an article from The Leaf Project, U.S. English speakers need at least one meter (about three feet) of space between people to feel comfortable. The U.S. ranked 13th out of 42 countries in a 2017 study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology measuring how close people can stand to each other in casual situations and still feel comfortable. This puts the average U.S. distance between speakers closer than speakers from many countries such as Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and China, but farther away than speakers from countries such as Argentina, Peru, and Ukraine. 

See: 2.7: Participating in Class Discussions for useful language.

Outside the classroom

Most professors hold office hours in their office, in the classroom, or another space on campus. Office hours are regular times professors are available to help students.Try to visit each of your professors early in the semester to say hello and ask a question, even if you are not having a problem. You are not bothering them - it's part of their job to see students outside of class, and they will remember you better and see that you are interested and engaged. Many U.S. students form study groups to work together outside of class - this is a great way to make friends and improve your English as well as learning the course material.

Emailing a professor

Most professors (unless it's a large lecture course) expect you to email them in these situations:

• you are going to miss or be late to class 
• you have a disability that needs accommodation 
• you are having trouble with assignments
• you plan to drop the class
• you have any other kind of problem or question about the class

Use your official student email or the course messaging system, or at least an email address that sounds professional (not something like [e-mail]). You can typically expect a response within 1-2 days except on weekends and holidays. That means if you email your professor on Friday evening, expect a reply by Monday or Tuesday evening. In the email,

• Tell the professor your full name and the class - they may have other students with your same first name, or other sections of the same class you are in ("This is xxxx xxxx from your T/Th morning COMM 52 class")
• Make the subject line say exactly what you are writing about, e.g. “Question about 2nd draft revision of paper #3” - not something like “homework” or “I have a question”)
• Start a new email for a new topic - don’t reply to a thread or class announcement about something else.
• Some professors (like this author) are very casual with email and will even write back to you in "text speak." However, some are quite formal, and will take offense if you do not carefully edit your email as if you are writing a polished paper. 

Compare these example emails to professors

Notice this!

Compare these three emails for three different situations. Which elements are the same, and which are different? You can use these patterns as a template for writing your own emails to professors.

---

1.

Subject: Firstname Lastname absence Wednesday, October 4

Dear Professor X, 

This is Firstname Lastname from your MW GEOG 50 class. I am sorry that I have to miss class tomorrow because [I am not feeling well/I have a family emergency/my child is home sick/a sudden work situation came up that I need to take care of/etc.]  I will check [Canvas/the class website] and ask...[name of classmate] if I need help with assignments and other class information. 

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Name

---

2.

Subject: Firstname Lastname office hours appointment?

Dear Professor X, 

This is Firstname Lastname from your MW GEOG 50 class. I saw in the syllabus that you have office hours on Wednesdays from 2-3 pm. I have a question about this week's assignment. Should I just stop by room 326 anytime during that hour, or should I make an appointment? If so, can I arrive at 2:30?

Thanks for your advice.

Name

---

3.

Subject: Firstname Lastname extension request

Dear Professor X, 

This is Firstname Lastname from your MW GEOG 50 class. I am writing to respectfully request an extension on the final draft of Research Paper #2. My progress was delayed when my family was sick last week, and I would like to work more on the paper in the tutoring center before I turn it in. May I please have a few more days? I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Name

Check your knowledge

Try this!

1. What should you do if you have a question in a small group activity?

A. Shout out your question

B. Raise your hand

C. Keep your question to yourself

D. Ask group members before asking the professor

Click here to see the answer

D. Ask group members before asking the professor

2. When is a good time to visit your professors during their office hours?

A. Early in the semester

B. At the end of the semester

C. Only when I have a question

D. Never

Click here to see the answer

A. Early in the semester

3. What do you think is considered a respectful way to express disagreement in class discussions?

A. Interrupting the speaker to state your opinion

B. Listening carefully and then respectfully sharing your differing viewpoint

C. Ignoring the speaker's point and changing the subject

Click here to see the answer

B. Listening carefully and then respectfully sharing your differing viewpoint.

See 2.7: Participating in Class Discussions for language suggestions for disagreeing.

Now use these skills

Apply this!

1. Find out when one of your professors has an office hour at a time you can attend, and draft an email to set up a meeting. Make sure to include your full name, class, and a specific subject line. Then go visit them!

2. Talk to a classmate who has lived in a different country from you about personal space customs (proxemics). Look at Figure 2.3.2 together, and discuss: what country do you think these measurements are based on? Are they similar in your home countries? 

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): "Personal Spaces in Proxemics." CC BY-SA 3.0. Jean-Louis Grall via Wikimedia Commons)

Works Cited

“Folium: What ‘Personal Space’ Means to the Rest of World via Lifehacker" The LEAF Project, 8 July 2020, www.leaflanguages.org/folium-what-personal-space-means-to-the-rest-of-world-via-lifehacker/. Licensed under  CC-BY-NC 4.0 International.

Sorokowska, Agnieszka, et al. “Preferred Interpersonal Distances: A Global Comparison.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 48, no. 4, Mar. 2017, pp. 577–92, https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022117698039.