A Description of Teacher Behavior: Verbal and Nonverbal.

Abstract

Because of the need to describe and analyze nonverbal as well as verbal classroom interaction, an attempt has been made to develop an observational system of complete behavioral analysis using the Flanders system as a base. Each of the 10 Flanders verbal categories (based on direct and indirect teacher influence) is combined with relevant dimensions of nonverbal behavior on a continuum ranging from encouraging to restricting interaction. The categories are: (1) accepts student feeling; (2) praises and encourages (congruent-incongruent); (3) uses student idea (implement-perfunctory); (4) asks questions (personal-impersonal); (5) lectures or gives information (responsive-unresponsive); (6) gives directions (involve-dismiss); (7) criticizes or justifies authority (firm-harsh); (8) student talk. response (receptive-inattentive); (9) student talk. initiated (receptive-inattentive); (10) silence or confusion (comfort-distress). The Indirect-Direct/Encouraging-Restrictive (IDER) system encompasses instances in which only nonverbal behavior influences interaction and those in which nonverbal cues accompany verbal communication. By marking a slash (encouraging) or dash (restrictive) to the right of the recorded tallies, an observer can record both verbal and nonverbal dimensions within the three-second time intervals. wcl data Can b e plotted on an IDER matrix (four 10x10 quadrants) providing four areas of study. (4) SP 002 377