Teaching Prepared by Caroline W. Ndirangu

particularly when the misbehaviors are not because of ignorance of procedures.  
Control talk is obviously important for managing class effectively.
Another way to understand classroom communication is to distinguish verbal from 
nonverbal communication, and intended both unintended forms of communi-
cation. As the name suggests, verbal communication is a message or information 
expressed in words, either orally or in writing. Classrooms obviously have lots of 
verbal communication; it happens every time a teacher explains a bit of content, 
asks a question, or writes information or instructions on the chalkboard. 

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 Non-verbal
 communication is any gesture or behavior that conveys information, 
often simultaneously with spoken words. It happens, for example, when a teacher 
looks directly at students to emphasize a point or to assert her/his authority, or 
when the teacher raises her/his eyebrows to convey disapproval or disagreement. 
Non-verbal  communications  are  just  as  plentiful  as  verbal  communications, 
and while they usually add to a current verbal message, they sometimes can also 
contradict it.  
Reading # 8
  Classroom Communication
  http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Contemporary_Educational_Psychology/
Chapter_12:_The_Nature_of_Classroom_Communication/Communi-
cation_in_Class_vs._Elsewhere
Read the article above and focus on non-verbal and unintended communication 
to answer the questions below. Also refer to your unit on communication for 
more information and apply it in this module on teaching methodology.
i)  Enumerate examples of non- verbal communication and unintended com-
munication and explain what each of them implies in 100-150 words.
Reading # 9
  Classroom Talk to Stimulate Thinking.
  http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Contemporary_Educational_Psychology/
Chapter_12:_The_Nature_of_Classroom_Communication/Classroom_
Talk_to_Stimulate_Thinking
Read the article above on classroom talk to stimulate thinking pay attention to 
the questioning technique to answer the question below.
i)  Discuss how class room communication can stimulate the learners thinking 
in 300- 350 words.
Learning Tip
Classroom communication can be verbal or non-verbal. Classroom talk is a com-
bination of three purposes at once content, procedure and behaviour control. It is 
also important in stimulating the learner’s thinking by asking probing questions, 
articulating ideas and problem solving.

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