The ability to communicate is what connects us with the world around us. Being able to ask for help, express our thoughts and desires, and to initiate play and conversation are all great reasons to communicate with one another. But have you ever considered what it would be like to communicate solely through the use of non-verbal communication? Show While there are plenty of familiar examples of non-verbal communication, like waving to a friend across the street or pointing to something you’d like from the restaurant menu, there’s other examples that may surprise you. In this article, we’re going to share examples of non-verbal communication that we as Speech Therapists can work with clients to establish and improve. Let’s get to it! A Brief Overview of AACBefore we get started, here’s a brief overview of AAC. If this is the first time you’ve come across the term, AAC is an acronym for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It’s a group of non-verbal communication options that allow individuals who cannot talk or can be difficult to understand. According to recent estimates by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), there are well over 2 million people making use of AAC in their daily lives. AAC can help individuals with autism and can even assist with developing spoken communication. There are two main types of AAC: unaided and aided. Unaided AAC systems use hand signs and gestures. Hand signing, such as Key Word Sign, is a form of sign language that can be used to assist with speech. Aided AAC systems can be low or high-tech, such as a PODD book or digital picture/word system. 6 Examples of Non-Verbal Communication#1: Sign LanguageSign language is a non-verbal language that is based on visual cues through the hands, eyes, face, mouth, and body. The gestures or symbols that make up sign language are organised in a linguistic manner. If you ever see someone using Sign Language, you’ll notice the rich combination of hand gestures, body language, facial expressions, timing, and touch that allow the person to communicate their thoughts or ideas without the use of verbal speech. It truly is an incredible example of non-verbal communication! As mentioned earlier, Key Word Sign is a form of sign language that can be used to assist with speech. There are also national sign language variations, such as AUSLAN – Australian Sign Language. You can learn more about the different forms of sign language here. #2: GesturesOutside of sign language, there are other examples of non-verbal communication that involve movement of the hands. You’ve probably communicated non-verbally in this way in the last month without even noticing it! Waving to a friend, pointing to a restaurant menu item, and indicating how many apples you want by holding up three fingers are all examples of gestural non-verbal communication. Other types of gestures that you may recognise are the ‘ok’ hand gesture, the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’, or putting your finger to your mouth to tell someone to be quiet. Gestures are a useful communication tool to have at your disposal, and they’re a great example of non-verbal communication that you can look out for in your favourite TV shows and movies! #3: Written WordsWriting is an example of non-verbal communication that can allow us to express complex thoughts, requests, and ideas. The written word can also be helpful when communicating between two people. As an example, you may see someone write down two options on a piece of paper and the other person will point to which option they’d prefer. That’s how the written word and gestures can be used together to form a rich non-verbal discussion.
Learning Objectives
Verbal communication is perhaps the most obvious and understood mode of communication, and it is certainly a powerful tool in your communication toolbox. Put simply, verbal communication is the sharing of information between two individuals using words. Spoken versus Written CommunicationWhile we typically focus on speech while talking about verbal communication, it’s important to remember that writing is also a form of verbal communication. After all, writing uses words too! Imagine for a moment that you’re a college student who is struggling with material in a class. Rather than simply giving up, you decide that you’re going to ask your instructor for the guidance you need to make it through the end of the semester. Now, you have a few choices for using verbal communication to do this. You might choose to call your instructor, if they’ve provided contact information, or talk to them in person after class or during office hours. You may take a different approach and send them an email. You can probably identify your own list of pros and cons for each of these approaches. But really, what’s the difference between writing and talking in these situations? Let’s look at four of the major differences between the two:
Benefits of Spoken CommunicationSpoken communication can be a conversation, a meeting, or even a speech. Spoken communication is powerful in that it allows for input from every part of the social communication model. You encode your thoughts into the spoken word and look to your audience to decode and take the message in. You can ask for feedback directly to confirm understanding of your message. In a world where we do most of our talking by email and text, spoken communication is a breath of fresh air. Leverage the power of spoken communication to create relationships—you can establish a rapport and a sense of trust with your audience when you speak with them. Spoken communication allows you to bond on a more emotional level with your listeners. Spoken communication also makes it easier to ensure understanding by addressing objections and clearing up misunderstandings: you can adjust your message as you communicate it, based on the feedback you’re getting from your audience. Spoken communication allows you to walk away from a conversation with a higher degree of certainty that your message was received. Verbal communication is a powerful tool, and it’s made even more powerful when paired with listening and nonverbal communication. Nonverbal CommunicationWe’ve already employed a little bit of nonverbal communication with the active listening skills we’ve previously discussed: nodding, facial expressions, leaning toward the speaker to show interest—all of those are forms of nonverbal communication. Body language can reinforce your spoken message or it can contradict it entirely. There’s a myth that says that when you speak, only 35 percent of your communication is verbal and 65 percent of it is nonverbal. That’s not entirely true because so much depends on the context and situation. It is, however, absolutely true that nonverbal communication can make or break your message. Here are some types of nonverbal communication and the effects they can have on the success of your communication:
Nonverbal communication reveals a lot about you as a communicator and how you relate to other people. It pays to be aware of the elements of your nonverbal communication so you can maximize the impact of your message. Contribute!Did you have an idea for improving this content? We’d love your input. Improve this pageLearn More |