Telephone Communication Skills?

[Jamauk]

I was reading Language and Thinking for Young Children by Ruth Beechick and Jeannie Nelson earlier today and marking down ideas and things to cover with my K'er and I came to the chapter on Telephone Language Skills. It covers things like how to properly answer the phone, how to speak clearly, how to identify the dial tone/busy tone, phone manners (not to pick up an extension and interupt a conversation), how to keep the conversation short so as not to tie up the phone lines, etc...

 

This book was published in 1987 and I realize this entire chapter is now obsolete, but I got to thinking, what is the best way/age to teach telephone communication skills?

 

My boys know how to work my phone (some of the apps better than I do!) and they are allowed to answer it only when my husband calls (special ring tone). We do have a home phone because our internet is DSL, but we rarely use it for calls.

 

My inlaws call occasionally, specifically to speak to the kids. Both of my kids know how to dial 911 and we're working on address memorization.

 

I don't know, I guess I'm doing enough. I never really thought about it until today when I read that chapter. To me, this is all just part of *living* ~ I hadn't considered it part of our language learning....

 

(Just thinking out loud here)

[Blueridge]

I used that sweet book years ago. The girls and I have had fun from time to time playing phone with plastic toy phones. We would get in different rooms that were close enough to hear, and practice them answering my calls. I would be a different person/personality every time. Oh, the conversations we had! Fun, maybe we'll do that on Tuesday. :D

[JoyfulMama]

I teach my children how to answer the phone, how to call someone, how to end a call, how to call 911, and also how not to interrupt when someone is on a call. They also learn how to use a phone book, both paper and on-line. I work PT, and carry my work phone daily. When that phone rings, all must be quiet, so that it doesn't SOUND like I'm with my kids. It doesn't ring often, and that helps.

Having a land line offers more opportunity to teach telephone etiquette, but not having one doesn't eliminate the need, as at some point in time they may have their own cell phone.