VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
المؤلف:
ALAN RANDLE
المصدر:
Caring for People with Learning Disabilities
الجزء والصفحة:
P26-C2
2025-10-06
266
VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
The importance of verbal and non-verbal communication will be explored here. There will also be an explanation of language. However, the emphasis within this section will be with regard to non-verbal communication and adults with significant disabilities, i.e. the importance of ‘levelling’ when working with adults who use wheelchairs and listening (observationally) with the eyes as well as the ears. This is often referred to as ‘active listening’ (Thompson 2003). This section aims to highlight that communication is much broader than just talking or verbal speech.
It is important to acknowledge that communication is both verbal (language) and non-verbal (body language). To proceed with our discussion about these issues, we need first to defi ne ‘language’:
‘Language can be defined as the use of an organized system of codes’.
(McLaughlin 1998)
This code is a system of rules for arranging random symbols in an ordered and recognized manner that enables someone who understands the code to draw out the meaning of the code. If the arbitrary codes of language are not produced in the order familiar between the people interacting, understanding and communication are inhibited. For example, if some of the random symbols contained within the alphabet were presented in the manner of ‘nruFtireu’, you may be able to recognize the individual symbols but they would not be in an order that you are familiar with. However, if they were rearranged to ‘Furniture’, you would recognize the symbols and the order. This is because you and I have a shared understanding of the code. Therefore, language can be described as an organized system of codes, used by humans to communicate. There are inherent difficulties with the issues contained within the concept of language and adults with learning disabilities, such as basic understanding, the use of language and the difference between vocalizations and verbal language – these will have meaning for individuals. However, the above information about language is only a brief summary of a vast area of study; we need to move on and defi ne non-verbal communication and its importance for adults with learning disabilities.
Very broadly, non-verbal communication can be described as any use of communication that does not involve or excludes speech. More commonly, non-verbal communication is often referred to as body language. This simple definition can be broken down into separate components that make up nonverbal communication. These are what are known as proxemics and kinesics (Lishman 1994). Proxemics includes the distance and closeness that individuals prefer to be to one another. Kinesics involves the movements, gestures, expression and eye contact (Kadushin & Kadushin 1997).
There are several skills that need to be developed when considering nonverbal forms of communication. The main one is learning to notice them in the first instance. Adults with learning disabilities may be unable to complete the full range of non-verbal activities to express themselves in a manner that is always familiar or perceived as correct. A very basic example would be someone who uses a wheelchair that is maneuvered by care staff. In terms of proxemics, she or he would not be in a position to move further away or nearer to someone if she or he so wished. Imagine being positioned near to someone whom you would have preferred not to be close to. Also, consider being positioned far away from a friend whom you wanted to be closer to and were powerless to change your position. This could be made worse if you were also unable to communicate this desire to someone. These issues need to be considered sensitively.
On a more complex level, adults who have learning and physical disabilities may be further restricted in their expression of non-verbal communication. Literally, their physical disabilities would prevent them from being able to carry out certain gestures. For example, pay attention the next time you wish to fold your arms across your chest to protect yourself, defend yourself or just keep yourself warm on a cold day. Adults with learning disabilities and physical disabilities would be unable to do this if, for example, their physical dis ability involved limited arm movement. Therefore, they may not only have difficulty defending themselves if they felt the need to, but they may not even be able to communicate that they are feeling cold.
You should aim to be observant to indirect or minute non-verbal communication; this is sometimes referred to as ‘listening’ with your eyes as well as your ears. Those with limited arm movement, for example, who wished to express that they were feeling self-conscious or vulnerable may execute some non-verbal communicative gesture in an almost unnoticeable manner. They may turn their bodies very slightly – if possible, looking in the other direction or away from the person they were communicating with, or close their eyes. There is a danger with this approach. You may begin to develop the tendency to notice every little gesture that people make when you are communicating with them. Although, this is a good skill to develop, all non-verbal communication does not have to be commented upon and interpreted to mean something. This could lead to someone feeling exposed, misunderstood and persecuted. The skill that needs to be developed is to notice the non-verbal communication in relation to the context of the interaction or conversation and the surrounding environment.
Much of the psychological (Gross 2001) material regarding non-verbal communication highlights that approximately two-thirds of information is passed between people interacting on a non-verbal level. The other third would account for the verbal message being sent. Some adults with learning disabilities may rely more on non-verbal means of communicating. Therefore, your distance and gestures will also be important. If you are standing above or higher than someone who uses a wheelchair, you may miss important information that is being expressed non-verbally (Hartland-Rowe 2004). It is, therefore, important that you maintain an appropriate level in order that you are able to observe these communications. This is sometimes referred to as ‘appropriate levelling’. You need to move, sit next to, kneel or crouch in order that the person has a better chance of communicating with you, as she or he is unable to move up to meet you at your height, position or level. In addition, it is important that you do not make assumptions about your understanding of someone’s non-verbal communication. It can provide you with further information about what an individual may be conveying. However, you need to also be open to the fact that you may get it wrong and you may misunderstand something that was being expressed in a non-verbal manner. The value of this discussion on non-verbal communication highlights for us that non-verbal communication has a function and that it is important to always consider that individuals may be attempting to communicate something about themselves to us as well as wishing to communicate with us (Stenfert-Kroese et al. 1997). For example, service users with learning disabilities may become frustrated that you are misunderstanding what they are communicating and may become angry and upset. Behavior that can be described as challenging is sometimes a form of non-verbal communication and expression and also has a function for the individual; these issues will now be explored in the next section.
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