Intro to Communication-Intensive Teaching: Why is it important?

Learn about how we came to this method and how it can transform the teaching and learning experience

Welcome! We’re so glad you found your way here.

Let’s be honest—communication is everywhere. It’s happening constantly in our classes, often without us even thinking about it. There are conversations, lectures, presentations, writing assignments, and so much more. As we move through the semester, students naturally get better at expressing what they know and what they’re learning.

When I think back on my own time in college, this is exactly how I improved. Does this sound familiar to you, too? Over time, through assignments and feedback (which often just came in the form of grades), I started to get a sense of what was expected in my writing or presentations.

But what if we took a more intentional approach to developing communication skills? At LSU’s CxC, we’ve found that when you embed communication skills training directly into your course, you’re not just helping students improve their communication—you’re actually deepening their learning of the course content, too. We call this approach “communication-intensive teaching,” and in this post, we’d love to share a bit about how we came to this method and why we believe it’s so important.

What Is Communication-Intensive Teaching?

My introduction to C-I teaching was back in 2008. LSU’s program was new, and so was I—I’d only been an assistant professor for two years. Even back in grad school, I was always looking for ways to improve my teaching, but I had no idea how much a single workshop would change the way I approached it.

During that workshop, I learned about Communication-Intensive (C-I) pedagogy and the idea of openly teaching communication skills in college courses. It immediately clicked with me. Thinking back to my own time as a student, I remember trying to figure out the "rules" for communication in academia. It made so much sense to me to bring those rules out into the open for students.

Today, we know C-I teaching is a high-impact teaching approach. It blends subject matter with communication-based activities, helping students learn content more deeply while also building their communication skills. It’s an evolution of Writing Across/Within the Disciplines (WAC/WID), focusing on active learning, critical thinking, and student engagement. In fact, it aligns with many of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) High-Impact Practices.

The roots of C-I teaching actually go way back to 4th century BCE and Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle. The goal, both then and now, is to deepen learning through communication. And as my colleagues and I have discovered, C-I teaching doesn’t just benefit students—it makes teaching more enjoyable, too!

Want to know more about the rhetorical triangle? Check out this interactive graphic.

Why Communication Skills Matter More Than Ever

We all know communication is important. Year after year, it’s one of the top skills employers are looking for. But it’s not just about landing a job—strong communication helps students feel confident in their ideas and ready to share them.

Surveys from organizations like AACU and National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) consistently show that communication is one of the most desired skills in the workforce. And now, with AI and other tools changing the way we complete assignments, it’s more crucial than ever that we help students become effective communicators. They’ll need to navigate complex communication landscapes, adapt to different audiences, and use a range of tools—some of which haven’t even been created yet.

C-I teaching isn’t just about preparing students for the workplace; it’s about enriching their entire learning experience. When students focus on communicating about what they’re learning, they sharpen their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. We’ve seen firsthand how this approach helps students gain a deeper understanding of the material. Plus, student feedback shows they feel more confident and can better articulate their skills to future employers.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

In future posts, we’ll dive deeper into how we embed communication learning into our teaching. But for now, we’d love to hear from you—what communication skills do you think are key for students in your classes or field?