Posturology, proxemics
Educational Communication
SZ6612 EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION
SZ6638 EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Categories of Communication
 There are a wide range of ways in which we communicate and more than one may be occurring at any
given time.
•Verbal communication
 - face-to-face, telephone, radio or television and other media.
 - written communication: letters, e-mails, social media, books, magazines, the Internet and other
media.
 - visualizations: graphs and charts, maps, logos and other visualizations can all communicate
messages.
•
•Non-verbal communication
 -  body language, gestures, mimics,
•
•Communication through action

Non-verbal Communication
 ‚Talking without words' is a kinetic behaviour, whose expressional tools are for example:
gestures, facial expressions, body postures and others.
 These are mutually interconnected into meaningful unintentional or intentional messages. Thanks to
this communication it is easier to share emotions, attitudes towards the student, class or subject.
 Very young learners are not capable of accurate verbal communication like adults. Therefore, they
are more sensitive to non-verbal information signals.

Types of non-verbal communication – posturology 1
 Posturology - communication via 'body postures'
 It is a function linked to the body posture and configuration of each part of the body.
 Position, in which the student is, actually expresses the overall attitude. In most cases, the
student strikes a pose that is a part of an act that the student puts on to show his or hers
unfriendly attitude towards the teacher.
 At the same time, this pose is a cover up for students feeling of uncertainty and stage fright.

Types of non-verbal communication – posturology 2
 From the communication point of view it is an important human ability.
 It is possible to express some message using particular body postures, hands, feet and head.
 Body postures communicate to other people, how one feels, if her/his attitude is friendly or
hostile, if she/he wants further negotiations or discussions is terminated.

Types of non-verbal communication- proxemics 1
 Proxemics -communication via 'use of space' - approximation or pulling away from each other
(proxemics)
 Mutual interpersonal relations between people in a certain group. In a particular space we tend to
move closer to people that are sympathetic, and move away from people that are unpleasant.
  While in class, the teacher is associating in the public, social, and personal sphere;
exceptionally in the intimate sphere.
 The area (of the front desk) in the class is more frequent in interaction and is marked as so
called 'action zone'.
 The teacher usually communicates more often with students in this area and they are also more
active.
 Additionally, an' eye-to eye' communication  is very suitable - feelings of dominance or
inferiority.

Types of non-verbal communication- proxemics 2
 In social communication happens that persons communicating together keep certain distance, and
chooce different distance places.
 These distances vary according to circumstances.
 When meeting people may even cause misunderstandings, when one person considers to také part in
the official meetings, while the other not, and find a reasonable distance from each other is
difficult.
 Especially in a school environment where teachers meet with students, there is a mutual to zoom in
and out constantly.

Types of non-verbal communication- proxemics 3
 When communicating the two groups form called likeable distance in which they both feel good. This
distance depends on:
 extrovert and introvert character;
 emotional relation in communicating;
 formal position of boss and subordinate;
 culture and ethnic.

Types of non-verbal communication- proxemics 4
 Proxemics distinguishs horizontal and vertical distance between communicating.
 (1) Horizontal
 Intimate Zone - the body contact over a distance 30-60 cm - in this zone may enter only people
very close. If you enter the intimate zone of other people, it can cause discomfort for the
individual.
 Personal Zone - a distance of 30-60 cm to 1.2-2 m - this distance is common for both personal and
business communication. The choice of distance depends on the noise environment, the time limit,
the topic of conversation etc. We can  follow other aspects of nonverbal communication. For example
facial expressions and glances.
 Social, group zone - usually from 1.2 m to 3,6-10 m - at this distance ongoing business, teaching
in schools, etc. People usually know, they see the whole body and it makes them feel safe.
 Public zone - a distance of 3.6 meters - this distance maintains anonymity. People remain alien
and they do not know each other.

Types of non-verbal communication- proxemics 5
 (2) Vertical communication
 It happens when people communicating have different height.
 The balanced communication includes the same eye height.
 Smaller person may feel uncomfortable and inferior.
 Higher person tends to some superiority.
 An example is the teachers´ desk increased, a higher chair than other senior employees like. It
evokes a feeling of attention.

Resources
 https://virtualspeech.com/blog/effective-ways-use-pauses-in-speech