ABSTRACT
Non-verbal modes of communicating are as important, if not more important, than verbal messages. Experiments have demonstrated that if a verbal message conflicts with a non-verbal message then it is the non-verbal message which is more likely to be believed. This chapter illustrates the importance of non-verbal communication in a classroom setting. The account is derived from an observation of an experienced teacher recorded on video-tape: The teacher had set work on fractions for a class. When they experienced problems the students came up to her desk for help. After the lesson the teacher thought that she had treated all the children in the same way. After the lesson the teacher thought that she had treated all the children in the same way. This was true in terms of her verbal interaction, but her non-verbal behaviour (recorded on the videotape) told a different story.
