Haim Ginott

Theories Of
Congruent
Communication

About Haim Ginott

He was born in Israel in 1922.

He studied clinical psychology at Columbia University in New York.

He was a clinical psychologist, parent educator and author of three books; Parent & Child, Parent &
Teenager, and Teenager & Child.

He worked with troubled youth in guidance clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

He believed there was no such thing as an unacceptable child, only unacceptable behaviours.

What is congruent communication?

Congruent = suitable or appropriate in a particular situation (Oxford Advanced Learners

Dictionary)

Congruent communication is defined as harmonious communication between a teacher and student.

Congruent communication sends sane messages about a situation that involves a pupil, but not
the personality or character of the pupil. These messages are used to guide pupils away from
inappropriate behaviour.
Theory Overview:
In order to create an environment with congruent communication,
Ginott stated 3 things:
1. The teacher must model communication that is congruent
with students emotion and surroundings
2. The teacher must include cooperative learning.
3. Teacher should always be respectful of students needs and
they should never experience any teacher belittling them.

Techer demonstrate harmonious

communication with students
about their feelings and
situations .
Demonstrate behaviour that
invite and encourage student to
cooperate.

Promote discipline as an
alternative to punishment

Theo
ries
of
Cong
ruen
t
Com
muni
catio
n
Basic
Tene
ts

It is believed that the teacher is a decisive element in

the classroom, who can shape students in anyway
depending on the teachers behaviour.

Ginott promotes the use of congruent messages and to

respect students as they are for effective classroom
management

Congruent communication sends sane messages about

a situation that involves a pupil, but not the personality
or character of the pupil. These messages are used to
guide pupils away from inappropriate behaviour.

These messages are used to guide pupils away from

inappropriate behaviour. Teachers should avoid using
evaluative praise as it is destructive to the pupils
character. Instead, teachers should resort to use
appreciative praise as it shows appreciation for what
the pupil has done and the effort taken.

Ginott emphasized that teachers at their best, using

congruent communication

Do not preach, moralize, impose guilt, or demand promises.

They confer dignity on their students by treating them as social
equals capable of making good decisions.

Practical Application

Express anger appropriately.

Use sane message.

Invite cooperation.

Pupils can annoy and irritate teachers making

them angry.
Anger is genuine feeling and teacher should
express their anger in reasonable and appropriate
ways that do not jeopardize the self esteem of
their pupils
Address a pupils behaviour rather than the pupils
character.
Use appropriate tone and show sincerity.
Control your emotion, never let the problem
becomes a teacher versus pupils situation
Provide opportunities for pupils to experience
independence, accepting their capabilities.
Give pupils a choice in matters that effect life in
the classroom ( seating arrangement, classroom
procedures )

Accept and acknowledge pupils feeling.

When a problem occurs, listen to pupils and

accept the feelings they are expressing as real.
Serve as sounding board to help pupils clarify
their feelings and let them know their feelings
are common.

Avoid labelling the pupils.

Pupils who is labelled or called names begin to

feel resentment and to think that the teachers
negative opinion is true.
Teacher should not label pupils under any
circumstances

Use direction as a means of correction.

Avoid asking harmful questions.

Instead of criticizing pupils when a problem occur,

teacher should describe the situation to the pupils
and offer guidance about what they should be
doing
Avoid asking questions that might incite
resentment and invite resistance. Point out that
there is a problem and invite pupils to discuss ways
to solve the problem

Accepts pupils comments.

Do not use sarcasm.

Avoid hurried help

Be brief when dealing with minor mishaps

Pupils may asks questions and make statements

that are unrelated to the topic at hand.
Show respect and give credit for the question or
comment because it may be important to the
pupils in some way.
The use of sarcasm in the classroom, though it may
sound witty to you, may leave pupils with hurt
feelings and damaged self esteem
In this way, you provide pupils with an opportunity
to acquire competence in themselves
Long logical explanations are not needed when
there is a lost assignment or broken supplies
Brief statements should be solution oriented

Congruent communication can be achieved when teachers:

Promote self-discipline for both teachers and pupils;

Believe the essence of discipline is finding

alternatives to discipline

effective

Accept and acknowledge pupils without

arguing, disputing, or belittling the individual;

labelling,

Avoid evaluative praise and use appreciative

instead;

Avoid saying you and I messages to pupils;

Demonstrate their best behaviours, and

Invite rather than demand pupil cooperation.

praise

Congruent Communication Theory.

Disadvantages
Fosters

positive
communication

Fosters
Advantages
positive

behaviors
Fosters

positive
relationships

Absolutely

does
not work in violent
situations

Theory

not molded
into a model of its
own