Effective Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication - Summary

Three of the main types of verbal communication used in the classroom are:
• Content Talk
• Procedural Talk
• Control Talk
Three of the main types of non-verbal communication used in the classroom are:
• Eye Contact
• Wait Time
• Social Distance

Some ways in which students communicate about content are:
• Inquiry learning
• Cooperative learning
Some ways in which teachers communicate about content are:
• Relating new material to prior knowledge
• Elaborating and extending new information

Some issues may arise with non-verbal communication, because different people have different:
• Patterns of eye contact
• Wait times that they are comfortable with
• Preferences for social distance
Due to these issues, teachers should pay close attention to the preferences for eye contact, social distance and wait times of their students.