Classroom Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal signals are less easily controlled than words and thus, potentially, offer reliable information to both teachers and children on each other's true intentions. But such signals are also more ambiguous than words, and this makes them valuable when teachers or children wish to send a message they do not want challenged. Even so, misunderstandings can occur, for example, between different ethnic groups. This study explores how children's skill in using and understanding non-verbal signals increases with age. A detailed coverage of teachers' and children's signals leads on to a survey of how teachers acquire non-verbal skills and gain effective training. "Classroom Non-Verbal Communication" aims to provide a comprehensive survey of these areas for staff involved in the initial and in-service training of teachers and in staff development.