Examples of Nonverbal Communication and its uses in the Classroom

Each form of nonverbal communication has an affect on student’s ability to learn and the teacher’s ability to teach. Therefore knowledge of how to use these properly will enhance the teacher’s class performance. One way in which nonverbal communication does this is by increasing the immediacy between the teacher and students. Anderson (1979) research revealed that 50% of the variance of students liking of their teacher was due to nonverbal communication. The research also suggests that the more immediacy in the classroom the better the learning of the students. The advantages of knowing the different forms of nonverbal communication are clear but how to do use them in the classroom needs to be explained. There are 8 main areas some of which have many forms, first they will be explained and then will follow a way to apply this knowledge to the classroom.

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Proxemics:

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 Is the use of interpersonal space and distance, when people communicate the varying distance between and angel of the communicators convey varying levels of warmth and immediacy. The teacher must avoid being isolated in the classroom and move close to students and keep their body angle open to the person they are communicating in order to improve classroom communication and relationships.

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Haptics:

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 Is the use of physical touch between people, touch is one of the more intimate forms of communication so caution is needed in its use. There are cultural and gender differences when it comes to touch which should be known before applying its uses. It can be used as a reinforcer in the classroom such as a pat on the back or a handshake.

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Vocalics:

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Is the use of paralinguistic communication, these are the non-verbal elements of the human vice such as tone, pitch, speed, emotion etc…Teachers should be aware that it is not just what they say that conveys meaning to the class but also the way they say it.

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Kinesics:

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Is communication through bodily movements, all movements carry meaning as long as they make sense to the recipient. Some areas of importance are head-nodding, smiling, body position, body relaxation and gestures. Head-nodding can be used to give reinforcement and feedback to students while smiling can be used to make students more relaxed and closer to the teacher (Gutsell & Anderson, 1980).

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Oculesics:

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Is the study of messages sent by the eyes, eye contact is an invitation to communicate. Teachers that have high levels of eye contact are actively monitoring their class and are available for questions and can give feedback to student’s as well as keep their attention for longer than teachers who avoid eye contact.

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Above are the five main areas of nonverbal communication that can be applied to the classroom when used properly they can enhance the amount of information that students retain and make teaching a more rewarding experience. One such advantage of possessing an awareness of the power of nonverbal communication is its ability to curb discipline problem without disrupting the rest of the class (Shirley, 1985).

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