Training Your Tutors in Non-Verbal Communication

Promoting students' critical thinking skills, academic achievement, and positive study habits; especially first- year students in their transition to OU.

Encouraging students to take ACTION towards their own academic success free tutoring

Offering academic assistance in over 65 subjects Multi-location, in-person or online Drop-in or by-appointment Staffed by trained, undergrad Peer Learning Assistants, GTAs, and/or Instructors

Productive tutor training sessions: 8-hour, conference-style at start of semester Weekly opportunities with various topics to get the 4 more required hours per semester

OU’s UC Action program is CRLA Level III certified!

 Non-verbal communication is described as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless cues between people. These messages can be communicated through body language, paralanguage, proximity, and silence  Most researchers purport that 65-93% of all communication is non-verbal Training Your Tutors in Non-Verbal Communication

 Researchers have identified six major functions of non- verbal communication  Accenting  e.g., A raised eyebrow might accompany an expression of surprise  Complementing  e.g., Biting my fingers while saying I’m nervous  Contradicting  e.g., Saying “I’m alright” with tears in my eyes and/or quivering voice  Regulating  e.g., When I want you to stop speaking so I can talk I put one hand out, with the palm facing forward and turn away slightly  Repeating  e.g., With car keys in hand, coat and hat on, I can announce: "I'm leaving now," as I walk toward the door.  Substituting  e.g., A head nod or shake

 Body Language: nonverbal, usually unconscious, communication through the use of postures, gestures, facial expressions, and the like. Actions come without consent or consciousness, they can indicate aggression, attentiveness, boredom, relaxation, etc.

 Kroehnert’s (2006) 5 teacher errors in body language 1. nasty personal habits 2. being too stiff 3. blocking or touching the face 4. pointless hand gestures 5. tapping or shaking legs and/or hands

 Paralanguage: the communication effect of the speech, pitch, volume, tone, and connectivity of spoken words.  Your tone should reinforce the verbal message you are conveying.  Vocal intonation is probably the most valid and understood area of non-verbal communication

 Silence: absence of any sound or noise  Silence can communicate comfort, companionship, or support; it can indicate that he listener cares enough to stay present even if words aren’t being spoken.  Silence can motivate students to answer questions.  It is also a cue to if/when a student needs help.

 (This slide is for presenter use)  Tone of Voice activity  Using the sentence “Come to the board” give 3 different ways this sentence can be said in relation to 1. Body language 2. Proximity 3. Paralanguage (tone, pitch, volume, speed). After you’ve created these three different ways to say this sentence with your partner rank body language, proximity, and paralanguage in order of importance of how you view each one in regards to getting a favorable response from a student.  This activity may be modified

 Non-verbal story response:  Using a prompt, tell a story to your partner, your partner will respond to the story non-verbally according to whichever emotion they are given. Switch.  Movie clip  In groups watch this clip without sound, come up with the dialogue for what was happening, watch again with sound.   In groups again watch another less obvious clip without sound. I will list what was said and in groups you must assign which person in the clip said what and give your justifications based on nonverbal cues, watch again with sound.

 Shy/Bashful  Angry  Enthusiastic/Joyful  Fearful  Bored  Frustrated  Skeptical  Stressed/Anxious  Sad

 Feedback from our tutoring staff? Entertaining and meaningful. Fun activities. It was good to be involved in the discussion. Learned to recognize body language. This session made me think about the cues I want to send my clients It was nice to revisit some concepts of nonverbal communication & how it can apply to tutoring.

 How did The Non- Verbal training rank on the evaluations scale of Usefulness as compared to the other sessions offered? (1=least useful – 5= very useful)