Part A: Identify and

interpret three nonverbal behaviour of

students.

According to psychological research, each individual always send information about

himself through his expression, gestures and the way he distances himself from other
people. Therefore, non-verbal behaviour plays important role in communication process.
Normally, the meaning acquired from non-verbal language is more accurate compared to
what is being said.
i.

From your past practicum experiences and your readings, identify and interpret three
non-verbal behaviour that shows the pupils are having problems during your teaching
and learning in the classroom.
Nonverbal behaviour regularly happens in our day by day lives, particularly for teachers

who faced pupils with different personalities and behaviours. According to Miller (2005a),
non verbal behaviour can be defined as provides a rather simplistic view of nonverbal
communication as communication without words. Whereas, Zoric, Smid et al. (2007) state
that nonverbal (sic) communication refers to all aspects of message exchange without the
use of words(pg. 161) and goes on to say that it includes all expressive signs, signals and
cues (audio, visual, etc.) (pg. 161). Therefore, nonverbal behaviour, that implies a course of
behaviour that being expressed without saying words but can be uncovered through the
actions, facial expressions, eye contact, and body language.
From my past and current experiences during my practicum, I find that most of my pupils
were still unable to express their thoughts using words. Thus, most of them use non verbal
sign to express themselves in the classroom such as yawning, lying their head on the table if
they feel bored or did not understand the lesson smiling when they were being praised by
the teacher. The first non verbal behaviour that shows my pupils are having problems during
my teaching and learning in the classroom was one of my pupils shows that he was not
interested with my lesson by lying down his head on the table and have a sign of depression.
Pupil A did not participate during the lesson while his classmates were actively participating
in the lesson. This somehow had affected my teaching lesson for that day as I keep
wondering what I did was wrong or did my lesson not interested enough from him that he
does not want to participate in the lesson. He also looked tired, disturbed and seems that he
did not have enough sleep. In the class also he will seat at the back of the class where he
seems does not want the teacher to look at him. According to Brooks and Woolfolk (1987),
teacher perceive students who sit closer to them as being willing to participate and those
who sit farther away as avoiding classroom participation. In class, he constantly avoid eye
contacts and lower his head when I ask questions so that I do not notice him. He rarely

participate during discussions or class activities but when he participate I will try to give
praises or encouragements to him so that he will feel appreciated by others.

Pictures above shown Pupil A is not interested or focusing in class.

The second non verbal behaviour problems that I found out was one of my pupils will
sulk when I did not call her name to answer questions during whole class activities.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary Online, sulking can be defined as to be silent and
refuse to smile or be pleasant to people because you are angry about something that they
have done. Pupil B will not participate in any of the activities that had been carried where
she will seat at her own place ignoring me when she is sulking. She also will show an
annoying facial expressions that sometimes will make me feel mad and being threatened
by her behaviour. If I scold her she will look at other place and starts to yawn indicating that
she was not interested with what I am telling her. This had affected my mood to teach that
day as I will feel angry and dissatisfied but I did not want to scold her every time she made
that kind of facial expression but this will lead to the impression that it is okay if she did it.
When I scolded her she will cry. This had taken some of my time as I have to reconcile with
her so that she will pay attention and finished the homework that had been given. Pupil B is
a good pupils and she excel in her studies but she is very sensitive and want attentions from
the teachers. When she wants attention, she will go out and enter the class as she please
until I mention her name. She is like a boss to her friends as in class she is one of the pupils
that both of her parents are working and able to provide good environment and all her needs
such a proper pencils, colour pencils and a lot more that other pupils did not have. Most of
the time her friends will follow what she want to do so when I did not call her name means
that she did not get what she want and starts to create a scene but if I call her name she will
behave well that day.

Picture shown Pupil B refuse to join and do the

tasks that I had given to them.

The third non verbal behaviour problems was one of my pupils have a very low selfesteem. Dr. Sorensen, defined low self -esteem is the view or belief that one has of oneself
as inadequate, unlovable, unworthy and/or incompetent. From his physical appearance, he
looks messy with his long hair and his shirt looks like not being washed for days. Some
pupils did mention that he did not take bath at home that had cause not many people want to
be friend with him. Most of the time he is being isolated by his peers. According to Paulhus &
Morgan, 1997 studies of adults show that quietness can lead to initial impressions that a
shy individual is less intelligent and the shy frequently complain about being perceived by
others as rude, conceited or lacking in effort or interest in others. Pupil C had a slow
response or sometimes he will not respond no matter how many times u had asked him the
same question. When I asked him questions he is always playing with his fingers and lower
his head. He also often avoid having eye contact and keep on ignoring my questions
although I asked in his mother tongue. Sometimes, I give up when I asked him simple
question since I did not received any answers from him as I feel like I am talking to the wall.
It was really frustrating since I am teaching them an English subject which required them to
speak but he will sit there and reluctant to speak to anyone. I was being informed by their
English teacher that he is one of the special needs pupils and being categorised in a low
proficiency group in the class as his development is very slow. In order from him to write a
word it will took him about 5 to 10 minutes. As a result, I have to minimise the number of
questions of the exercise so that he will not be left behind by his peers. I will prepare a
special worksheet for him such as filling in blanks or underline the correct answers so that he
4

will be able to complete his exercise. His handwriting is also poor and untidy. When he
copied, he will copy wrongly because he does not dare to look at the blackboard. When I
give him exercise I have to keep track of his progress or he will not do his work. Hence, I had
to give extra attentions towards his until I neglected some of my pupils that need my
guidance when completing the exercise that I had gave to them. This also cause jealousy
among other pupils because they did not received the attention that he had received.

Pupil C is playing with his fingers and pretend

he did not hear me when I asked him questions
today.

In a nutshell, although this behaviour does not look like it is going to create a big
problems in the classroom but it has a massive impact towards the smoothness and
effectiveness of teaching and also impede the learning of other pupils and their classmates
as I will always have to spend some time to manage their behaviour. This non verbal
behaviour also makes me having a hard time to teach as no matter what I teach they just do
not want to learn and as we all know action speaks louder than words.

Part B: Choose one pupil in Part A as

your client. Apply one of the therapies as
your intervention approach in counselling.
You need to do few counselling sessions
to evaluate the effectiveness of the
therapy chosen.

Based on the observations that I had done, I had chosen to do an Art therapy for pupil A.
According to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, art therapy can be
define as a form of psychotherapy that uses a creative medium like art or music to help
people explore and articulate their feelings rather than speaking about them. Arts therapies
may be useful for individuals who find it difficult to express themselves in words as they
does not need to talk about their feelings and experiences unless they want to do so.
Treatment consolidates visual craftsmanship and psychotherapy in an imaginative procedure
utilizing the made picture as an establishment for self-investigation and under-standing.
Considerations and emotions frequently achieve expression in pictures as opposed to in
words. Using art therapy, feelings and inward clashes can be anticipated into visual
structure. In the inventive demonstration, strife is re-experienced, determined and
coordinated. Thus, this therapy is suitable with my pupils since during my introduction
session he was very secretive and it is hard for me to get to know him better. I have to take
some time to make him feel comfortable so that he will open up. During the second therapy
session, I asked him to draw his house. From the house drawing I asked about his family
members. He mention that he did not talk much with his family members and when I asked
about his father occupation he was unsure about it as his father is seldom at home. I asked
him to draw his family members using his favourite colour to represent each of them and
draw their feeling towards him either a smiling or a sad face. He also draw it according to the
one that he love the most to the one that he love the least. Only his brother has an unhappy
face. He mention that he did not have a good relationship with his brother at home that he is
always get scolded for everything that he did. This is due to the 5 years of age gap that they
have. They have different understanding as his brother is now in a secondary school. His
mother also only gives more attention towards his little sister. He also mention that he did not
feel happy being at home and most of his time was being spent at his neighbour house this
had cause him to be distracted when he is at school. He mention that he wants his brother to
be his friend thus I asked him to tell his brother that he love him and let him know if he made
mistake so that he will not repeat the same mistake. After the therapy, he seems to be
happier at class and participate more in the discussion. He also the first pupils finished the
task given. Although he had shown a good improvement but I will keep doing the therapy to
make sure the same problem do not occur in the future.
7

Appendices

The therapy sessions with the

pupil. Pupils draw about his family
members.

The

pupils

become

happier after he is able to talk

about his problems.

Pupil A participate actively in class and

he completed his work on time after
few sessions of therapy had been
done.

References :
Brock E. (2011). Student Nonverbal Communication in the Classroom. Retrieved on
February 17, 2016 from: http://www.westpoint.edu/cfe/Literature/Barry_11.pdf

Joanne M. Finnegan, (2009). The Effect of Art Therapy on Depression. Retrieved on

February

25,

2016

from:

http://alfredadler.edu/sites/default/files/Finnegan%20MP

%202009.pdf

N.A. (2015). Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Art Therapies. Retrieved
on February 20, 2016 from: http://www.mentalhealthcare.org.uk/arts_therapies

N.A. (2012). Art Therapy To Threat Depression. Retrieved on February 22, 2016 from:
https://www.recoveryranch.com/articles/art-therapy-to-treat-depression/

Ray Crozier, W. (2003). Shyness In The Classroom. Retrieved on February 15, 2016 from
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00003366.htm

Sorensen, (n.d). Cognitive Symptoms & Consequences of Low Self-Esteem. Retrieved on

February 17, 2016 from http://www.getesteem.com/lse-symptoms/cognitive.html

Timothy P. Mottet and Virginia P. Richmond. (n.d). Students Nonverbal Communication And
Its

Influence

On

Teachers

And

Teaching.

Retrieved

on

February

from :http://www.as.wvu.edu/~richmond/articles/ch5-mottet-student.pdf

17,

2016