Why use nonverbal classroom management techniques?

We talk and talk and talk … and very often we are frustrated by the feeling that our students simply aren’t listening or aren’t taking our verbal instructions seriously.

Professor Albert Mehrabian, a pioneer since the 60s in communication research, determined during a communications project for the University of California that there are 3 factors that influence the effect a conversation has. These are:

7% verbal      =     the words which are spoken
38% vocal      =     how these words sound, and
55% visual     =     how you look when you say them.

That comes to 7% verbal and 93% nonverbal!

Other more conservative studies estimate that the nonverbal part of communication comes to about 82%. An impressive percentage - one which teachers, who want to have success while teaching, should definitely take into account!

The goal of this article as well as my books on nonverbal classroom management techniques is to show teachers ways to manage the classroom with nonverbal techniques and to save their breath for teaching content rather than wasting it on process. In addition to being much more effective, nonverbal techniques also contribute vastly to a peaceful and harmonious learning atmosphere in the classroom.

Very often we are not aware of the nonverbal signals we send. We are sending messages that do not conform to our own expectations or that result in incorrect expectations in our students. Then we are surprised or disappointed when our students do not follow our directions or react in expected ways.

How often we overhear statements in the teachers’ room such as, “I’ve told him so many times. He just doesn’t listen!”

Very often the reason behind such complaints is that nonverbal messages are much stronger than verbal ones. Our students tend to “listen” and to react to our nonverbal “statements” and not to hear our words. These nonverbal messages, which are being expressed on an unconscious level, are much “louder” than our words.

One of the basic premises of nonverbal classroom management is that if a verbal and a nonverbal message are in conflict, the student will ALWAYS react to the nonverbal message.

Our objective here is to make the unconscious conscious.

Each of us knows intuitively how to teach effectively. And we generally do that, too. But because we are teaching according to the way it “feels right,” we often do not use this intuitive knowledge systematically. The result: Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. We leave our success up to chance.

It is only when we understand WHY it works – when our unconscious behavior becomes conscious – that we have gained a dependable tool that we can use consciously and systematically in the classroom.

CONGRUENCY vs. INCONGRUENCY

Just imagine that I am standing before you.
My posture is tense.
My arms are crossed in front of my chest.
I have a grim frown upon my face.
My voice is dripping with sarcasm
as I say the following words:

“I’m glad that you are reading this book.”

Do you believe my words?
Probably not!

And now imagine that I am standing in front of you and my posture is relaxed and open. My hands are stretched out in front of me. They are held parallel to the floor and the palms are facing upward.

I am smiling at you and I say in a warm and friendly voice,
“I’m glad that you are reading this book.“

That was better, wasn’t it?

The first time I wasincongruent.

My nonverbal message contradicted my verbal one. Therefore, my words, although well-meant, were not credible. The communication – for which I, as the sender, am responsible- was not successful. The result: the exact opposite of what I actually wanted to express!

The second time I wascongruent.

My verbal and my nonverbal messages corresponded. Therefore I got my message across and you believed my words.

Imagine that I want my students to write an essay. We have discussed all the details and I have listed them on the board. All of the important questions have been answered and I would like my students to start writing.

My verbal message:
“Now we will begin.
No more questions, please.”

Quite clear, isn’t it? Or perhaps it isn’t?

The words are unambiguous.
But whether my directions are followed or not is a question of my nonverbal messages and whether my words and my nonverbals correspond. It is a question of congruency.

How is my posture? My facial expression? What does my voice sound like? Those are important factors that determine whether my directions will be followed or not, how others react or interpret my intentions. Incongruency is a major source of misunderstandings at school (and elsewhere!).

So the next time you have the feeling that your students aren’t getting your message, take a step back and observe yourself. Ask yourself if your verbal and your nonverbal messages match. If they conflict, you can be sure, that the verbal message will be ignored and the nonverbal one followed.

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If you would like to know more, I have written several books on this subject: “Talk less. Teach more! Nonverbal Classroom Management. Group Strategies that Work.” (free preview at )  The same title is available in German: “Nonverbales Klassenzimmermanagement. Strategien aus der Praxis für die Gruppe” (free preview at ) as well as my newest book: “Nonverbale Intelligenz im Klassenzimmer. We have to reach them to teach them!“ mailto:pearl.nitsche@chello.at" pearl.nitsche@chello.at