One of the most important tools for a successfully managed classroom is the abil ity to communicate.

There are two ways a teacher can communicate, verbally and n onverbally. According to the National Education Association, 82 percent of a tea cher's communication with students is nonverbal. However, good verbal communicat ion is important, too, so that teachers can impart rules and classroom lessons. Verbal Communication Verbal communication is important to the education students receive. For instanc e, students should be aware of what is expected of them. When you assign a proje ct and hand out a test, ask the students whether they understand the instruction s. Let the students know that they can approach you during and after class to sh ow you which part of the assignment was confusing. Reinforce the fact that you a re available to speak with the students. In addition, if you are having trouble managing your classroom, you may want to consider vocal lessons. The way you enu nciate and pronounce words might influence whether students take your words seri ously. Nonverbal Communication Body language is important to the way students read you. As an example, students may be on the defensive if you cross your arms often. If you do not know what t o do with your hands, try pressing your fingers against each other in front of y our chest. In addition, you can utilize hand gestures to make a point. Another w ay you can improve your nonverbal communication skills is by making eye contact with the students. When you look around your classroom, you secure the trust of your students while you also get their attention. The Importance Of Classroom Communication Verbal and nonverbal communication strategies are important to the development o f an effective educational system. When you pay attention to the cues you give y our students, you can help lead them in the right direction (see references 3). You can strengthen the effectiveness of your lecture by thinking ahead of time a bout the nonverbal cues that should accompany your discussion. In addition, cons ider whether verbal and nonverbal cues can help curb inappropriate classroom beh avior. Sometimes a student who causes trouble might not understand the instructi ons, while he also might need you to appear increasingly assertive.

INTRODUCTION IN NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION Communication in general is process of sending and receiving messages that enabl es humans to share knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Although we usually identif y communication with speech, communication is composed of two dimensions - verba l and nonverbal. Nonverbal communication has been defined as communication without words. It incl udes apparent behaviors such as facial expressions, eyes, touching, and tone of voice, as well as less obvious messages such as dress, posture and spatial dista nce between two or more people. Everything communicates, including material objects, physical space, and time syst ems. Although verbal output can be turned off, nonverbal cannot. Even silence s peaks. No matter how one can try, one cannot not communicate. Activity or inactivity, w ords or silence all have message value: they influence others and these others, in turn, cannot not respond to these communications and are thus themselves comm unicating. He who has eye to see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can k

eep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore. Commonly, nonverbal communication is learned shortly after birth and practiced a nd refined throughout a persons lifetime. Children first learn nonverbal expressi ons by watching and imitating, much as they learn verbal skills. Young children know far more than they can verbalize and are generally more adep t at reading nonverbal cues than adults are because of their limited verbal skil ls and their recent reliance on the nonverbal to communicate. As children develo p verbal skills, nonverbal channels of communication do not cease to exist altho ugh become entwined in the total communication process. Humans use nonverbal communication because: 1. Words have limitations: There are numerous areas where nonverbal communi cation is more effective than verbal (when explain the shape, directions, person alities are expressed nonverbally) 2. Nonverbal signal are powerful: Nonverbal cues primary express inner feel ings (verbal messages deal basically with outside world). 3. Nonverbal message are likely to be more genuine: because nonverbal behav iors cannot be controlled as easily as spoken words. 4. Nonverbal signals can express feelings inappropriate to state: Social et iquette limits what can be said, but nonverbal cues can communicate thoughts. 5. A separate communication channel is necessary to help send complex messa ges: A speaker can add enormously to the complexity of the verbal message throug h simple nonverbal signals.

Researches in communication suggest that many more feelings and intentions are s ent and received nonverbally than verbally. Mehrabian and Wienerfollowing sugges ted that only 7% of message is sent through words, with remaining 93% sent nonve rbal expressions (depending on author, verbal part goes up to 35%).

Nonverbal communication in classroom Nonverbal communication is also a critical aspect of interpersonal communication in the classroom. The most credible messages teachers generate, as communicatio n sources are nonverbal. Galloway views educators as multi-sensory organisms who only occasionally talk. Balzer reported that approximately 75% of classroom management behavior was non verbal. Smith noted that teachers nonverbal behaviors are for students signs of the psych ological state of the teacher. Rosenthal and Jacobsons Teacher Expectations for the Disadvantaged suggested that, through nonverbal behavior, teachers expectations for the progress of their stude nts become self-fulfilling prophecies. Many of the cues students use to make judgments about teachers competence or char acters are obtained by observing the teachers nonverbal behavior. From my own experience, as a student and as a teacher, I know that there is vari

ety of nonverbal signals emitted from teacher in classroom which to deepest leve ls influence classroom atmosphere, students moods, perception, learning and even tually attitudes towards knowledge and school generally. On the other hand teacher has powerful tool to identify what is actually going o n with his class in general and each individual per se, without any word being s aid. This is extremely important in lecture like classes when teacher is primarily su pposed to talk. Verbal signals (in direct communication) are never so powerful. Yet, nonverbal signals are much more difficult to capture, describe and rational ly explain because we necessarily have to use words to do that and words are not enough fine and precise tool for this (similar as they are not for describing p ictures). So one who wants to learn how to control nonverbal signals and behavior in order to teach more effectively finds many difficulties on this way. Besides problem with describing those behaviors, there is cultural problem with interpreting them, can be amazingly quick and subtle, most often are unconscious , but most importantly - they are valid only if genuine. Here we have blessing and curse of nonverbal signalization. We cannot pretend it but we can really change our attitudes and feelings in the way we would like th em to be. This is real developing challenge. But certainly there are things, which can be described and analyzed in this sens e, and which can greatly add to our understanding of NVS. Nonverbal communication in the classroom occurs with distance, physical environm ent, facial expression, vocal cues, body movements and gestures, touch, time, ph ysical attractiveness, and dress. Each will be separately discussed.

BODY MOVEMENTS, GESTURES AND POSTURES Movements and gestures by the hands, arms, legs, and other parts of the body and face are the most pervasive types of nonverbal messages and the most difficult to control. It is estimated that there are over 200.000 physical signs capable o f stimulating meaning in another person (some social scientists state even 700.0 00). For example, there are 23 distinct eyebrow movements, each capable of stimu lating a different meaning. Humans express attitudes toward themselves and vividly through body motions and posture. Bodies movements elucidate true messages about feeling that cannot be m asked. Because such avenues of communication are visual, they travel much farthe r than spoken words and are unaffected by the presence of noise that interrupt, or cancels out speech. People communicate by the way they walk, stand, and sit. We tend to be more rela xed with friends or when addressing those of lower status. Body orientation also indicates status or liking of the other individual. More d irect orientation is related to a more positive attitude. Body movements and postures alone have no exact meaning, but they can greatly su pport or reject the spoken word. It these two means of communication are dichoto mized and contradict each other, some result will be a disordered image and most often the nonverbal will dominate. Body movement and gesture in the classroom The variety of ways in which teacher and students walk, stand, or sit can all af

fect interpersonal perception. The teacher who slouches or twitches when talking to students is not likely to be perceived as a composed person. Conversely, the teacher who always appears unruffled regardless of the circumstances is likely to be perceived as cold and withdrawn. Body postures and movements are frequently indicators of self-confidence, energy , fatigue, or status. In the classroom, students keen to receive body message of enthusiasm or boredom about the subject matter being taught can sense confidenc e or frustration from the unconscious behaviors of teachers.

Observant teachers can also tell when students understand the content presented or when they have trouble grasping the major concepts. A student who is slouchin g in his seat sends a very different message than the student who learns forward or sits erect. Gestures Cognitively, gestures operate to clarify, contradict, or replace verbal messages . Gestures also serve an important function with regard to regulating the flow o f conversation. For example, if a student is talking in class, single nods of th e head from the teacher will likely cause that student to continue and perhaps e laborate. I hope he would make up something good now What a ! And I have to stand behind him?!?

No, no. You misunderstood. Posture Postures as well as gestures are used to indicate attitudes, status, affective m oods, approval, deception, warmth, and other variables related to classroom inte raction. Ekman and Friesen (1967) have suggested that posture conveys gross or overall af fect (liking), while specific emotions are communicated by more discreet, facial and body movements. FACIAL EXPRESSION The saying A picture is worth a thousand words well describes the meaning of facia l expression. Facial appearance - including wrinkles, muscle tone, skin colorati on, and eye color-offers enduring cues that reveal information about age, sex, r ace, ethnic origin, and status.

Varieties of expressions A less permanent second set of facial cues-including length of hair, hairstyle, cleanliness, and facial hair-relate to an individuals idea of beauty. A third group of facial markers are momentary expressions that signal that cause

changes in the forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips, and chin, such as raising the eyebrows, wrinkling the brow, curling the lip. Some facial expressions are readily visible, while others are fleeting. Both typ es can positively or negatively reinforce the spoken word and convey cues concer ning emotions and attitude. Next to words the human face is the primary source of information for determinin g an individuals internal feelings.

Face talks Facial expressions may be unintentional or intentional. The facial expression for fear is an example of an involuntary gesture - people generally do not think of how to move facial muscles when truly frightened. Facial expressions can also be voluntary, as when an individual wants deliberate ly to hide feelings for different reasons . Often people try to hide feelings and emotions behind masks. The frown, jutting chin, raise eyebrow, open mouth, and sneer are facial expressions that can betr ay and ultimately broadcast deception. All humans are capable of faking a happy or a sad face, a smile or a frown. I found interesting statement that the timing gives them away. They cannot determine how long to keep it or how quickly to le t it go. Makes sense.

How much can we fake? Facial expression in the classroom All people and thus certainly teachers and students use facial expressions to fo rm impressions of another. A cold hard stare has long been in the repertoire of teachers weapons. Similarly, a smile can be useful tool in reinforcing desired st udent behaviors (this time in affirmative way). A teacher can also use students facial expressions as valuable sources of feedbac k. When, for example, delivering a lecture, a teacher should use students expres sions to determine whether or not to slow down, speed up, or in some other way m odify his presentation. Facial expression involves some of the smallest body movements, but its impact i n the classroom may be greater than any other body language the teacher exhibits . The teacher probably communicates more accidentally by his or her facial expre ssion than by any other means. Scientists who study facial expression refer to micro-momentary movements, changes in expression that constantly occur in all human communicators and are usually so fleeting that it requires highly technical photography to be able to isolate them for study. However, as quickly as they pass across a persons face, they are picked up by other people and produce responses. This is the reason why, soon after taking nonverbal communication for final proj ect I realized that I am in trouble J. When teachers are responding to students, these changes in facial expression can serve as reinforces to the student or as non-reinforcers. Unfortunately, the t

eacher normaly has very little control over such micro-momentary movements, but should be able to control more long-lasting expressions, such as smiles or frown s. How many birds in seven soft-boiled eggs? Smiles and grimace can therefore still be very effectively used in the classroom . But according researches, more commonly, teachers simply respond to the studen t without thinking what their nonverbal physical response may be communicating. Often a teacher does not want to communicate what he or she is thinking to the s tudent. While the teacher may not say that, his or her facial expression may com municate it very clearly. EYES The most dominant and reliable features of the face, the eyes, provide a constan t channel of communication. They can be shifty and evasive; convey hate, fear, a nd guilt; or express confidence, love, and support.

Referred to as mirrors of the soul, the eye serve as the major decision factor in interpreting the spoken words. The eyes of the man converse as much as their tongues, with the advantage that t he ocular dialect needs no dictionary, but is understood, all the world over. Wh en the eye say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on eye. Except for extremely shy individuals, most people look for social acceptance by studying the eyes of others. Eyes also can accurately indicate a positive or a negative relationship. People tend to look longer and more often at those, whom they trust, respect and care a bout than at those whom they doubt or dislike. Researches show that a speaker who looks at an audience is perceived as Much more Favorable Confident Credible Qualified Honest

And less Formal Ne

than the same person delivering the identical message while avoiding eye contact . Normal eye dilation is not under control of the individual. But when looking at something pleasing, an individuals pupil will measurably dilate; when viewing som ething displeasing, the pupils will constrict. Personally characteristics such as introversion and extroversion also influence

eye behavior. Eye behavior in the classroom Eye behavior seems to be particular importance and is generally used to indicate whether one is open to communication. This can be observed when a teacher asks the class a question: students who think they know the answer will generally loo k the teacher, while students who do not will usually try to avoid eye contact. Visual contact with the instructor appears related to students comprehension. Jec ker, Maccoby, and Breitrose isolated visual cues given by students which seemed associated with comprehension of lecture content and reported that teachers trai ned to recognize such cues became more accurate in their judgment of student com prehension that did untrained teachers. The results of a study by Breed, Christiansen, and Larson suggest that visual co ntact with the instructor increases attentiveness, which in turn makes for bette r grades. Students in group who were looked at almost continuously by lecturer r eceived higher quiz scores. Exline (1971) reports that, in responses to a questionnaire, college students sa id they thought that they would be more comfortable with another who, when speak ing, listening, and sharing mutual silence, looked at them 50% of time as oppose d to 100% of the time or not at all. I believe that only very self-confident, knowledgeable and attentive students wi ll prefer 100% of eye contact time. Nobody is in this mood all the time and many are never. On the other hand 0% of time of eye contact would mean that speaker has great deal of trouble with self-confidence, knowledge or care for students. This explains this result of 50% and it is the valuable information for teacher. Eye contact is often used to control an interpersonal interaction. When people d o not wish to be interrupted, they will often glance away and continue talking. When they wish the other person to speak, they will pause, making direct eye con tact. Teachers often use eye contact in the classroom to decide who is prepared to ans wer a question, or who was completed a homework assignment. One interesting information to be aware of. Eye contact is often used as an indicant of whether or not a person is laying. T he stereotype is that a dishonest person will not look you in the eye. Many teachers who suspect a student is cheating on a test may, in the absence of other evidence, decide a student is lying because the student fails to look the m in the eye when answering a direct question about the test. Unfortunately, the re seems to be little validity to this theory. Research has actually found the r everse to be true-people who are lying are more likely to look the other person directly the eye, probably as a conscious response to the stereotype. Teachers can have individual eye contact with every student in the classroom thr ough eye contact. Attitudes of intimacy, aloofness, concern, or indifference can be inferred by the way a teacher looks or avoids looking at a student. Most experienced teachers are aware when students are bored with the subject mat ter being presented. Students eyes often signal listening and nonlistening behavi ors, thus transmitting subtle messages about their lack of attentiveness. Students who are constantly looking at the wall clock rather than watching and li stening to the teacher may be indicating the need for a break, the dullness of t he content, or a lack of teacher motivation and preparation. In any case, observation of eye behavior can be used in evaluating teacher and s tudent performance.

DISTANCE Horizontal distance Schwebal and Cherlin found that elementary school children seated in the front r ow were attentive and were evaluated more positively by their teachers than were students who sat in the middle and back rows. Edward T. Halls categories can lend insight. Hall (1966) specifies four distance zones which are commonly observed by North Americans. 1. Intimate distance - from actual touching to eighteen inches. This zone i s reserved for those with whom one is intimate. At this distance the physical pr esence of another is overwhelming. Teachers who violate students intimate space a re likely to be perceived as intruders. 2. Personal distance from eighteen inches to four feet. This is the distanc e of interaction of good friends. This would also seem to be most appropriate di stance for teacher and student to discuss personal affairs such as grades, condu ct, private problems, etc.

Appropriate distance depends on many factors 3. Social distance exists from four to twelve feet. It seems to be an appro priate distance for casual friends and acquaintances to interact. 4. Public distance outward from twelve feet a speaker becomes formal. Class es of teachers who maintain this distance between themselves and their students are generally formal, and some students may feel that the teacher is cold and di stant. Halls system for the categorization of distance can constructively be used to len d insight into the nature of various student-teacher interactions. It should be noted, however, that appropriate distance is determined by a myriad of variables including the situation, the nature of the relationship, the topic of conversat ion, and the physical constraints which are present. Vertical distance The vertical distance between communicators is often indicative of the degree of dominance a sub ordinance in the relationship. People are affected by literally looking up at or looking down on another person. The implications are that vertical distance can be used by teachers both as a to ol and as a weapon. Teachers, and especially those who work with small children, should realize that students will interact more comfortably with a teacher when they are in same vertical plane. Used in this way, an understanding of vertical distance can become a tool for improved teacher-student communication. On the o ther hand, the disciplinarian can put this information to use in order to gain p sychological advantage over an unruly student.

TOUCH Even a handshake tells much about an individuals character. The human skin has hu ndreds of thousands of submicroscopic nerve endings, serving as tactual receptor s and detecting pressure, temperature, texture, pain, stroking, tickling. Parents transmit feelings to an infant physically, not verbally.

In most human relationships, touching cab give encouragement, express tenderness , and show emotional support. In general, the meaning of touching depends of the situation, culture, sex, and age. Workers in hospitals and nursing homes have long been aware of the therapeutic v alue of a sympathetic touch. There are empirical supports for this. Tactile communication can serve useful function in the classroom situation but i t also becomes a delicate matter. Since teachers are considered superiors in the classroom, they often initiate to uching behaviors. Teacher judgment is the best indicator. A teacher who grabs th e arm or shoulder of an unruly student enters the students space uninvited. Aside from embarrassment, the student may develop other negative feelings toward the teacher. More positively, however, touching can also be used as a reinforcer. At times, a teacher can develop a close relationship with students by invading t heir space. A simple pat on the back for a job well done is a much used and usua lly accepted from praise. There is also some limited evidence that touching behaviors can actually increas e learning. One recent investigation (Kleinfeld) has shown that teachers employe d such behaviors as smiling, touching, and close body distance, small children te nded to learn significantly more. As children grow older, however, these touching behaviors become less appropriat e. Touch has different impacts in the classroom depending on the age and sex of the students. Still, with older students, hand shaking and an occasional pat on the back could prove effective. Four younger children in the lower primary grades, touch plays an important deve lopment role. It can communicate a sense of belonging, security, and understandi ng to the child. Conversely, when a teacher withholds touch, a child may feel is olated and rejected, which can lead to the acquisition of negative attitudes tow ard school. Children in the lower elementary grades also have a strong need to touch things around them. They learn this way about environment. It is not uncommon for small children to wish to touch the teachers clothing or hair. They will also touch on e another a lot. The teacher must be very careful to interpret childrens touching behavior on the basis of adult touching norms. While certain general norms govern touching behavior in the North American cultu re, considerable differences exist among ethnic groups. The teacher must recogn ize that these are set cultural variations and should be viewed in that light. Although the use of touch as a reward is appropriate in the elementary school as children move into junior and senior high school, changes occur that require an alteration of teacher behavior. Awakening sexual interest in adolescents result s in adaptation to adult to touch terms. The use of the touch as a reward at this stage may be greatly misinterpreted, pa rticularly by other people who observe the touch. Most male teachers of junior a nd high school students soon recognize that it is highly inappropriate to touch female students under almost any circumstance.

VOCAL INTONATION AND CUES

The proverb It is not what we say that counts, but how we say it reflect the meani ng of vocal intonation. An unconscious bias of the listening public is a widespread positive prejudice i n favor of man with low, deep voices with resonant tones, such as those qualitie s possessed by most male newscasters. Studies have also reported the use of voca l cues as accurate indicators of overall appearance, body type, height, and race , education, and dialect region. Paralinguistic cues often reveal emotional conditions. Difference in loudness, p itch, timbre, rate, inflection, rhythm, and enunciation all relate to the expres sion of various emotions. Experimental findings suggest that active feelings, such as rage, are exemplifie d vocally by high pitch, fast pace, and blaring sound. The more passive feelings , such as despair, ate portrayed by low pitch, retarded pace, and resonant sound . In addition, stress is often vocalized by higher pitch and words uttered at a greater rate than normal. The reverse (lower pitch, slower word pace) is likely during depression. We are generally aware of some of the common uses of vocal cues. People indicate the ends of declarative sentences by lowering voice pitch and the ends of quest ions by raising it. The vocal message can contradict the verbal one and, when do ne consciously, is considered an indication of sarcasm. Vocal cues play a promin ent part in peoples determination of whether or not someone is laying to them. Mehrabian in his research concluded that listeners perception of the attitude of a speaker were influenced 7% by the verbal message and 38% by the vocal tones wh ich were used. Same words or phases can have many different meanings, depending on how they are said. For example, analyze the phrase Thank you. If uttered sincerely, it general ly means an expression of gratitude; if intoned sarcastically, it can insinuate an entirely opposite intention. Vocal cues in classroom This powerful nonverbal tool can readily affect student participation. Generally , to correct answers the teacher respond with positive verbal reinforcement enha nced by vocal pitch or tone, expressing the acceptance and liking of the student s answer (often accompanied by a smile or other forms of nonverbal approval). Opposite is the case when teacher do not like the response (or behavior in the s ame way). Some early studies, found that large variations of rate, force, pitch, and quali ty produced higher levels of retention than did messages delivered without these variations. For example mono-pitch reduces comprehension for both prose and poetry when compar ed with good intonation. There is distinction between a childs and adults response to nonverbal behavior, p articularly in terms of nonverbal vocal behavior. While the adult will almost un iversally accept the nonverbal vocal behavior as the correct cue when vocal beha vior and verbal behavior are in conflict, young children often operate in the re verse manner. Therefore for the small child, conflicting verbal and nonverbal messages will ca use considerable trouble. One of the best examples of this is the use of satire,

which is for this reason generally inappropriate means of communication with sm all children. Vocal behavior is also capable of arousing stereotypes about either a teacher or a student. For example, a teacher who has a very nasal speaking voice is often perceived as having a variety of undesirable personal and physical characteristi cs. Female teachers with very tense voices are often perceived as being younger, feminine, more emotional, easily upset, and less intelligent. Male teachers wit h the same vocal characteristics are often perceived as being older, more unyiel ding, and cantankerous. Of course vocal characteristics affect teachers perception of students as well, a nd the stereotypes noted above can be applied again. Fortunately, as students an d teachers get to know each other better, they are able to overcome some of thes e stereotypes. However, in the upper grades and secondary schools, students and teachers my nev er interact frequently enough to overcome stereotypic responses based on vocal b ehavior. Many teachers would be shocked at students imitations of them, often imi tation mimicking the teachers vocal pattern. While teachers may be somewhat not a lways that different. When teacher does not speak the same accent or dialect as children in his or her classroom, a conscious or unconscious prejudice may develop from both sides. While it is certainly true that children who leave their ethnic or regional back ground in order to gain employment and acceptance in other areas of the communit y will have difficulty because of their accent or dialect, it is also true that most importantly, a childs speech pattern is an intrinsic part of the childs perso nality and self-image. Children learn their spec from their parents and the other people in their envir onment. Their assumption is that the accent or dialect they have learned is the c orrect one. To fin that accent or dialect rejected by a teacher and/or the school is usually interpreted by the child as a personal rejection. Frequently this le ads to rejection of self and a lowered self-image and/or a rejection to teacher and school. SPACE AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Research in the area of proxemics, the study of the ways how people use space wh ile communicating, indicates that the use of space in the classroom can have a m ajor impact on communication. To understand the impact of space on classroom com munication we need to distinguish between territoriality and personal space. Territoriality, a trait shared by human beings and lower forms of animal life, i s the instinct to secure space for oneself and to defend that space against pote ntial intruders. Violations of territory, depending how serious are, will produce different react ions on the part of the person invaded. From tension and nervousness to, (especi ally if the situation persists), verbal or physical aggressive response. Personal space, unlike territory, has no fixed or semi-fixed geographical positi on. Personal space has been likened to an invisible bubble that moves with the i ndividual and may expand in size or become smaller depending on the given situat ion. As human being grow and mature, they increasingly learn to control their respons es to invasion of their personal space. However, small children have not yet lea rned to do so. They may respond very negatively to one another, with both verbal and physical aggression, without being aware of what exactly has produced their

behavior. Teachers must be particularly conscious of this phenomenon, both in the classroo m and in other school environments. The classroom itself has limited amount of space and the way that space is emplo yed will certainly affect the kind of communication. We will here see some advan tages and disadvantages of most usual classroom arrangements.

Circles represent students seats. People occupying the dark seats will account fo r a very large proportion of the total interaction between teacher and the stude nts in this type of arrangement. People seating in the gray seats interact some , but much less frequently than those in the darkened areas and people in the wh ite seats will participate very infrequently, if at all. Most common explanations for this variance in participation are that students si tting in the dark seats have the best visual contact with the teacher and they a re in comparatively closer proximity to the teacher. But is seems that this is not all. Some students are quite anxious about communi cating with other people, particularly teachers, while other students look forwa rd to such experiences and seek them. Shy students generally attempt to avoid interaction in the classroom and thus wi ll gravitate to the seats depicted in above picture as white areas. Outgoing stu dents, on the other hand, will tend to take dark seats. Students with moderate communication apprehension are likely to select gray seats. Each of these different types of students, therefore, employs space in the class room differently if they are given free choice. The question thus arises as to w hether the teacher should permit the students to have free choice. Research shows that rearranging students (alphabetically or by some other arbitr ary method) does not change anything in terms of participation of particular stu dents Verbal, low communication - apprehensive students will continue to participate, no matter where they are seated in such a system and vice versa. This suggests f ree choice as better solution. If the teacher wishes to dominate the interaction in the classroom, the traditio nal arrangement is probably the best because students are seated side by side an d the primary focal point is the teacher; thus, most interaction will go from te acher to student and form student to teacher.

Variations of traditional arrangement Horseshoe classroom arrangement (Different colors of seats have same meaning as above) Classes with fairly small enrollments are often arranged in this fashion. When s tudents are given free choice of arranging the classroom, this is one of the mos t popular option. Such an arrangement provides for each student equivalent visua l access to most other students and the teacher. Some research suggests that there is more participation in classes arranged in t

his way. Students who are at the opposite end of the horseshoe from the teacher, however, are those most likely to interact, while those at the right and left h and of the teacher are those least likely to interact. If the teacher desires that the full-class interaction occur, the horseshoe arra ngement may be the most desirable. This will encourage interaction both among th e students and between students and teacher. According some research, this arrangement results not only in greater participat ion, but also in wider participation than the traditional arrangement. It also seems safe to say that a teacher is perceived as less intimidating when he is seated in a circle with the students rather than behind the formal and imp osing symbol of his large desk. Modular classroom arrangement

This arrangement is particularly desirable for classes requiring interaction amo ng smaller groups of students. Modular arrangements such as this one tend to inc rease the amount of student interaction, but at the same time make interaction w ith the teacher more difficult. If very important part of the learning in the class is dependent on student inte raction with other students, the modular arrangement may be preferable. This arr angement permits many students to be interacting at the same time without interr upting on one another.

Preparing for future While many other elements will determine the nature of communication in a given teachers classroom, the arrangements of classroom space may have the largest impa ct. How can this information be of use to a teacher? A teacher may assume that a stu dent who sits himself in dark areas wants to be involved. Teachers should be careful, however, not to play to these students at the expens e of the rest of the class. Students who seat themselves at the back of the room want to maintain maximum distance between themselves and the teacher. The exten t to which a teacher will seek to involve these students is likely to be the res ult of an individuals own pedagogical decision. Some teachers will be content with minimal disruption from the rear, while other s will assume that these are the students who need the most help. Some teachers may want to arrange students desks in a circle or open square confi guration.

OBJECTS Environmental research has clearly indicated that communication differs greatly from one physical environment to another.

The physical environment of the classroom is determined in the large measure by the objects in that classroom. Some of them are intrinsic for the classroom itse lf, while others are objects that the inhabitants bring with them. Such objects may have a significant (either negative or positive) effect on classroom communi cation.

Certainly, there is difference In an interesting study of the impact of environment on communication, students were randomly assigned to one of two different rooms. One room, known as the beau tiful room, was well decorated, and had sufficient but subdued lighting. The room was clean and attractive. The other room, known as ugly room, was devoid of carpe ting, was painted in a drab color, and had brilliant lighting. The room was dirt y and cobwebs were noticeable in the corners. The students were engaged in an in teraction task for about a half hour. Subsequently, they were removed to a third room that was moderately attractive. They than competed questionnaires indicati ng how pleasant they found their interaction to have been, whether they would li ke to continue interaction with the same people with whom they had been interact ing, and whether they would like to return to the same room for future discussio ns. The difference between the two groups were dramatic. The people in the beautiful room, enjoyed their experience, liked the people with they interacted with, and looked forward to interacting in that environment furt her. The students who had been in the ugly room, however, did not like the people with whom they interacted, did not enjoy the task, and did not want to return to that place for future discussions. We can walk through almost any school at random and find some classrooms that ap pear much more conductive to learning and positive communication between teacher s and students than to other classrooms. Unfortunately, many of the classroom with which teachers must cope more closely fit the description of the ugly room. And to change this we do not have to build a new school!

Would anybody mind if I add one picture on the wall? The teacher can do a great deal to overcome the negative elements of the environ ment, which can adversely affect communication. However, many teachers seem to b e totally unaware of the problem, or have simply given up to it. If the room have movable chairs, it is easy to arrange them so that students do not have to cope with excessive glare from outside windows. It is often possible to adjust the lighting in the room. Brilliant lightning may make it easier to the children to see the paper on their desks, but over a peri od of time it tends to increase the irritability of both the teacher and the stu dent. It every classroom, it is possible for the teacher to add decorations (general o r even better educational) to make the room more pleasant environment. Many teac hers employ bulletin boards for this purpose and display students work around the room.

Besides inexpensive photographs, paintings can also greatly alter the appearance of the room. In addition to characteristic objects of the classroom, both - students and teac her may wish to bring it more personal objects to enhance their classroom. All t oo often, teachers discourage such contributions. In doing so, they limit the st udents attempts to express their individuality. When possible, teacher should allow students to alter and decorate the small par t of the room, which is theirs, whether that to be their desks or whatever. Usua lly this is not a problem. Some teachers even allow students to alter areas outs ide of their own small desk area. Some encourage the children to bring their fav orite poster, photograph, or painting to be displayed in the room. This created a more intimate atmosphere for young people and made school seem more a part of them rather then something imposed on them. Regarding students individual wearing apparel and adornment the best policy for t he individual teacher is to not interfere with individuality of the student in t his area unless forced to by the administration or because an individuals extreme behavior is proving to be a disturbance to the other students. Limiting a young person freedom of expression almost ensures rebelliousness on his or hers part, and consequently interferes in the communication between teacher and student, b ut, if sufficient tolerance for this devotion is permitted, there is usually mov ement toward more restraint fairly soon.

Notice me!

DRESS Although most people are only superficially aware of the wear of others, clothin g does communicate. Often dictated by societal norms, clothing indicates a great amount of information about self. It identifies sex, age, socioeconomic class, status, role, group membership, per sonality or mood, physical climate, and time in history. In addition, attitudes most often associated with clothing relate to 1) A desire to conform 2) A desire for self-expression 3) A desire for aesthetic satisfaction 4) Prestige values 5) The desire for social participation 6) Physical comfort, and 7) Economy Much empirical evidence supports the view that one who is well dressed is likely to be much better accepted by not known people than if not well dressed thus in creasing interpersonal effectiveness. Some research suggests also that a relationship exists between success of studen t and the acceptability of their dress. Clothing also affects self-confidence. In one early investigation (Hurlock, 1929 ) all of the men studied believed that their estimate of a person was affected b y his clothing, and 97% of all subjects reported feelings of increased self-conf idence when they were well dressed. I believe that this is the case also today but definition of being well dressed is

surely somewhat changed. But some authors contradict the opinion that a person should always strive to be well-dressed. Gandhi is offered as an example of a leader who understands this po int and who would successfully dress down in order to better, relate to the masses he sought to influence. Clothing and classroom Because clothing affects others perception, people often dress to fit the part. The se clothing cues, however have little effect on those with whom one is familiar. But opposite is true when regarding students impression of teacher especially fi rst one. In order to establish credibility, the teacher should strive to appear comfortab le and at ease in the role, thus removing some of the typical teacher/student ba rriers. Although outward appearance does not, of course, indicate a persons knowl edge, values, or philosophy, dress can communicate; but, in most cases, it is on ly a outward show. Students see instructors based on their motivation, sincerity, and fairness; the y will be fooled only momentarily by clothing. A Savile Row suit or a Givenchy d ress cannot turn a grouch into a lively, dynamic teacher. A smile is worth many times whatever the teacher might pay for clothes. Another aspect of this situation is that it seems that students form some lastin g impressions of their instructors during the first few moments (around 30 secon ds) of their contact. Gordon Allport has written: With briefest visual perception, a complex mental pr ocess is aroused, resulting within a very short time in judgment of the sex, age , size, nationality, profession and social caste of the stranger, together with some estimate with his temperament, his ascendance, friendliness, neatness, and even his trustworthiness and integrity.

Your first estimation. How much can you say? Personal artifacts The personal artifacts (makeup, jewelry, glasses) with which people choose to ad orn themselves also communicate a message to others. Horn also argues that the process of inferring characteristics based on personal appearance, is based on a sort of logic although often erroneous. For example, she writes, a person who wears glasses probably suffered from eye s train; eye strain is often caused from too much reading; a person who reads a lo t is apt to be very intelligent; consequently, it is logical to assume that people who wear glasses are intelligent. It is interesting to note that some older research found that college students r ated people who wore glasses higher in intelligence and industriousness. Today g lasses are more often connected with closed nature, clumsiness and religiousness . What will prevail in teachers cases depends on others (again nonverbal) clues we emit. PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS Body type communicates a variety of meanings, particularly as it relates to phys

ical attractiveness. Three general types, each capable of arousing several stere otypes about personality, can be identified. The first of these is the ectomorph. Ectomorphs are tall, thin, and fragile look ing and are thought of as being tense, anxious, reticent, and self-conscious. Mesomorphs are bony, muscular, and athletic and are thought es being dominant, e nergetic, and talkative. Endomorphs are described as soft, round, and fat and are thought of as complacen t, warm, and sociable. Whether these adjectives are accurate is irrelevant; they represent and arouse t he real stereotypes.

In our world attractiveness plays a role The reason we stress various body types is that teachers, like other people, ten d to stereotype students based on their physical characteristics. The body type considered most physically attractive to most people in this culture is mesomorp h. Mesomorphs tend to get higher grades, not because they are more intelligent, but because they are more attractive and are likely to be targets of interaction . They are more popular with other students and teachers and often are the opini on leaders among their peers. Various studies have explored the effects of personal attractiveness and showed positive relationship between physical attractiveness and: ess and Effectiveness in influencing audience opinions Speakers success In an educational context, a positive relationship was found between attractiven grade-point average

The physical attractiveness of students and teachers does serve to influence cla ssroom interaction. This variable, however, is probably less deserving of attent ion than some others, since communicators do not easily manipulate it. Teachers must be very careful about the stereotypes. Intelligent students dont al l look alike, they dont all wear glasses, and they are not all thin. Plump children are not all happy and contented and easy-going. Athletically buil t young people are not all jocks. Perhaps the most practical use of this research for educators lies in the admoni tion that they need to be aware of these tendencies and should strive to avoid f avoring attractive students.

TIME Though this has not been adequately studied, per se, it seems safe to say that t eachers use of time has nonverbal communicative value. Consider an elementary tea cher who tells his students that math is as important as history, yet devote muc h more classroom time to history. His students can probably tell which subject h e really thinks is more important. A college teacher may tell , but if he schedules only uenced by latter message. A teacher also communicate y formality or informality his students that he wants to get to know then better one office hour per week, they likely to be more infl by the extent to which he is punctual for class and b of the way in which he schedules appointments.

Statement usual in the North American culture, such as, Time is money or Weve out of time. Reflects that time is viewed as commodity. Teachers tell students not to waste time, or to use their time more efficiently. Classes are scheduled to meet at certain times during the day and lateness is p unishable offense.

Watch it! Colleges and universities have carried time considerations to their absurd extre me; undergraduate degrees are awarded partially on the basis of a minimum number of credits which are computed in terms of the number of contact hours a week st udents spend in classes. In many states, pay increases for public school teache rs are based on a thirty hours plus, model. There are also a non written norms related to how long students are expected to wait for late instructors, and it varies according to rank. Since students ate accustomed to classes running for a certain amount of time, t hey tend to expose nervousness when their expectancies are violated. If reading is scheduled to end at 9:50 A.M. and arithmetic to begin at 10:00 A.M., student s will start to engage in some nonverbal leave-talking behaviors around 9:45, such as putting away pens ad pencils, closing notebooks, shuffling feet, and looking at a clock. Some authors suggests that it is probably not good to introduce new material nea r the end of a class period, since the time for attentiveness has in all likelih ood passed its peak. On the other hand some research suggests that attention rises before the end of the class. Solution could be to be consistent in ending class at the time so tha t students know that their time will not be violated and there is no need for no nverbal warnings. One of the more important uses of time on the part of the teacher is the use of the pause. Pausing while presenting information usually emphasizes the content t hat has just preceded or will immediately follow. Most classrooms involve interactions between teachers and students, with the tea cher asking questions to which the student is expected to respond. One of the ha rdest things for teachers to learn is to take sufficient time between asking the question and expecting an answer. Very often, the teacher expects an instant re sponse. Frequently, no such response is forthcoming. The teacher may then give t he answer, or may call on some poor student who is not ready to answer. Voluntar y responses to questions in the classroom almost always occur if the teacher is willing to wait long enough. It is not suggestion, of course, to wait a 10 min. waiting period, but if we exa mine teacher behavior, we find that teachers seldom wait as long as 5 seconds! In addition, children have different response rates. Some children can process q uestion and determine what their answer will be quickly, while other children ta ke two or times time as long to determine their response. This does not indicate a difference in intelligence or preparation on the part of the children, only a difference in response pattern. Children who respond quickly, of course, tend to become favorites of the teacher . Those who wait a long time probably participate much below average in most tea chers classrooms. So advice to teacher is to learn how to wait for a response and do not always ca ll on the first student who is ready to respond. An interesting thing can be added here. It is well known that most children, as

well as most adults, can be placed into one of two categories relating to their bodily time: sparrows and owls. Sparrows are early risers and are at their best in the morning. Conversely, owls, like their namesakes, do not function well in the morning, but begin functioning better as the day proceeds and are at their best in the evening. While the largest percentage of both children and adults fall into the owl categ ory, elementary and secondary schools in the United States almost exclusively fo llow a sparrow pattern. This is still strong cultural norm and it is probably not going to be drasticall y changed in foreseeable future, so that it is valuable for teacher to keep this in mind. . CONCLUSION Words are accented and punctuated by body movements and gestures, while the face shows a myriad of expressions. Men are like Geneva watches with crystal faces w hich express the whole movement. It is important to be aware of the dominance of the nonverbal message. If there is disagreement between the verbal and nonverbal message, the nonverbal will win . Also, the validity and reliability of verbal messages are checked by nonverbal actions. Again, if discrepancy exists, the nonverbal will dictate. Therefore students see the teachers nonverbal messages as more honest reflections of what he is really thinking or feeling. Based on this, and all other stated findings, we can reasonably conclude that fu rther serious investigation of the effects of nonverbal signalization in the cla ssroom could result in extremely useful pedagogical information. Effective teaching depends on successful communication and successful communicat ion - on successful. By definition of NVC (non-verbal communication), without ut tering a single word, teachers and students constantly send messages to each oth er. In this paper, I highlight certain aspects of nonverbal classroom communication. There is certainly much more to explore in this area, and this discussion encou raged me to pursue the topic further. In writing this paper my primary interest was to gather useful knowledge for my own later reference. Wonderful books I found on this topic were real discovery b ecause this is the first time I am dealing with this with topic in this way. Before this, I just knew from experience that there is extremely powerful nonver bal communication going on in every classroom all the time and. Being aware of this, I thought it could be useful to find out more about it - a nd I was right. At first I tried to describe my observations in real classrooms but it was too subtle for describing and without any experimental or other objec tive evidence (I could not interview students or teacher after class and ask the m if they really felt like I thought in some particular moment). So I took this approach with intention to benefit from already known resources i nstead of discovering new knowledge.