Importance of Paralanguage in Multicultural Education

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Importance of Paralanguage in Multicultural
Education

• Tara Chapman
• Spring 2008

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Important because

• the diversity in todays classrooms
• educators need to understand differences in
  order to address the needs of all students

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Overview

• Background Information
• Paralanguage
• Verbal aspects that express emotions
• Body language the unspoken word
• Difference in cultures
• Difference between genders

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What is Paralanguage?

• Paralanguage is the non-verbal aspects of
  communication and is used to express emotion such
  as hand gestures, eye contact, touching, and many
  others.
• The study of paralanguage, also known as
  paralinguistics, has opened up avenues to
  understand aspects of cultures that some may have
  not understood in the past.

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How often is paralanguage used?

• Communication is essential in our classrooms
  yesterday, today, and tomorrow and consists of
  much more than speech and/or writing.
• According to ONeill, up to 70 of communication,
  face to face with others, is done through
  paralanguage.
• Paralanguage is said to be so important because
  people are less likely to lie or try to cover up
  emotions due to the difficulty in doing so.

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Importance of Paralanguage

• Expression carries more importance than what is
  actually being said.
• For example, the tone of voice a person is using.
• Non-verbal communication is very important
  however, there is a cultural attitude where we
  only listen to what is being said and not to how
  it is being delivered, meaning hear what I say,
  and dont notice the way I say it.

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Verbal Aspects of Paralanguage

• Inflection
• the rising, falling or flatness of the voice
• Pacing
• the speed of the voice whether it is rapid, slow
  or changing
• Intensity
• the strength in which something is because
  expressed whether it is loud, soft or breathy
  (which means powerfully stated)
• Tone
• whether is the voice is nasally, whining,
  growling, etc.
• Pitch
• the changes in the voice from high, medium or low
• Pauses
• means if one is disorganized, shy, hesitant, etc.

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Body Language The Unspoken Word

• Kinesics
• gestures and other movements of the body,
  including facial expressions, movements of the
  eyes, and posture
• Proxemics
• social distance
• Haptics
• arm and hand movements
• Paraverbal features
• nonlexical aspects of verbal communication, such
  as pitch, variation, the use of silence, how
  space is filled in a conversation (e.g., uh in
  English, este for many Spanish speakers)
• Chronism
• monochromic use of time in a linear mode in
  Western cultures, with sequential scheduling and
  tasks completed one at a time polychronistic use
  of time in a cyclical mode in non-Western
  cultures, with less precise time commitments

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Kinesics

• most important characteristic of paralanguage
• better known as body language
• body movements tend to speak louder than words
• interpreted different across cultures

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Kinesics African Americans

• Use eye contact more when speaking than when
  listening
• Tend to use simple and concise wording
• African American Vernacular English
• Regard manners to be affective, emotional and
  interpersonal
• Will interrupt or take a turn at speaking when
  they can

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Kinesics American-Indians

• Feel that silence is sacred
• Needed to reflect on their world
• Use an abundance of words
• Manners of expression to be understated and
  indirect
• Place a greater emphasis on community fabric and
  kinship rather than the individual
• Cherish their individual place in the entire
  natural world
• Needed in order to be validated
• Express themselves through humor
• Seldom provide cues to encourage the speaker

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Kinesics Asians

• View silence as a show of respect
• Use abundance of words
• Manners of expression to be understated and
  indirect
• Seldom provide cue to encourage the speaker
• Listen with significant nonverbal engagement
• Place a greater emphasis on community fabric and
  kinship rather than the individual

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Kinesics White Americans

• Tend to use more eye contact when spoken to then
  when they are speaking
• Tend to feel uncomfortable with silence
• Use fewer words for expression
• Are objective and task-oriented
• Nod to indicate listening or agreement
• Some emphasize individualism, competition, taking
  actions, rational linear thinking, Christian
  principles and a Protestant work ethic

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Kinesics Hispanics

• Manners of expression to be understated and
  indirect
• Place a greater emphasis on community fabric and
  kinship rather than the individual
• Less competitive not to overshadow another
• Stand close to others, touch a lot more than
  other cultures
• Make less eye-contact

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Differences between Genders

• interruptions in conversations
• vocabulary and language
• patterns of inequality in speech and conversation
• cultural images of men and women
• differences in movement and kinesics
• communication changes are needed by individuals
  who undergo a change from one gender to another
• communication patterns

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Social Distance

• Gender
• same sex tend to have less social distance
• opposite sex tend to have more social distance
• Race
• same race tend to have less social distance
• opposite race tend to have more social distance

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Useful Websites

• About Nonverbal Communications Part 1 General
  Considerations.
• http//www.blatner.com/adam/level2/nverbal1.htm
• This website gives examples of the types of
  nonverbal communication, including cultural
  differences.
• The information is useful for any profession that
  deals with people on a daily basis.
• Gender and Communication Male-Female Differences
  in Language and Nonverbal Behavior
• http//www.berkleymedia.com/resources/app/top/pdf/
  comm05.pdf
• This website is a summary of an online video that
  shows the differences in male and female
  interaction.
• The information could be used by parents,
  teachers, psychologists and youth leaders.

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Useful Websites (contd)

• Hidden Aspects of Communication
• http//anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm
• This website reported on the different verbal
  aspects of paralanguage. It gives statistics
  concerning the usage of paralanguage. There are
  also examples for the workplace.
• The information from this source can be used by
  parents, teachers, psychologists, employers and
  other community leaders.
• Paralanguage
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralanguage
• This website defines paralanguage, its different
  components and paralinguistics.
• This site could be informative for everyone,
  including the general public.

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Useful Websites (contd)

• Potential Cross-Cultural Pitfalls and Dangers
• http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/inforces
  /restorative_justice/96522-multicultural/multi6.ht
  ml
• This website informs about the different
  communication styles and how to deal with
  cross-cultural issues.
• The information could be used by parents,
  teachers, psychologists and youth leaders.

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Useful Articles

• Understanding and Counseling Hispanic American
  Children\
• Baruth, L. Manning, M.
• The article discusses the cultural differences
  between Hispanics and others.
• The information could be used by parents,
  teachers, psychologists and youth leaders.
• The use of humor as a counselor strategy with
  Native American Indian children
• Herring, R. Meggert, S.
• The article discusses the cultural differences
  between Native American Indian children and
  others.
• The information could be used by parents,
  teachers, psychologists and youth leaders.

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Useful Articles (contd)

• Childrens use of social distance The effects of
  race and gender
• Holmes, R.
• This article informs about the social distance
  used by children of different genders and
  different races.
• The information could be used by parents,
  teachers, psychologists and youth leaders.
• All Children Read, Teaching For Literacy In
  Todays Classroom (2nd edition)
• Temple, C., Ogle, D., Crawford, A., Freppon, P.
• This graduate level textbook charts the different
  types of paralanguage and explains its importance
  in todays schools.
• The information could be used by educators,
  psychologists and youth leaders.

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Conclusion

• An educator must recognize
• all culture represented in their classroom
• comprehend and grasp the fundamentals of a
  multicultural education
• understand the significance of paralanguage in
  todays society and classrooms

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References

• Baruth, L., Manning, M. (1992, December).
  Understanding and counseling Hispanic American
  children. Elementary School Guidance
  Counseling, 27(2), 113. Retrieved February 19,
  2008, from Education Research Complete database.
• Blatner, A. M.D. (2002). About Nonverbal
  Communications Part 1 General Considerations.
  Retrieved February 15, 2008, from
  http//www.blatner.com/adam/level2/nverbal1.htm
• Gender and Communication Male-Female Differences
  in Language and Nonverbal Behavior. (n.d.).
  Retrieved February 9, 2008, from
  http//www.berkleymedia.com/resources/app/top/pdf/
  comm05.pdf
• Herring, R., Meggert, S. (1994, October). The
  use of humor as a counselor strategy with Native
  American Indian children. Elementary School
  Guidance Counseling, 29(1), 67. Retrieved
  February 19, 2008, from Education Research
  Complete database.

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References (contd)

• Holmes, R. (1997). Children's use of social
  distance The effects of race and gender. Child
  Study Journal, 27(2), 129. Retrieved February 19,
  2008, from Education Research Complete database.
• ONeill, D. (2007). Hidden Aspects of
  Communication. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from
  http//anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm
• Paralanguage. (2008). Retrieved February 15,
  2008, from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralangua
  ge
• Potential Cross-Cultural Pitfalls and Dangers.
  (2007). Retrieved February 15, 2008, from
  http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/inforces
  /restorative_justice/96522-multicultural/multi6.ht
  ml
• Temple, C., Ogle, D., Crawford, A., Freppon, P.
  (2008). All Children Read, Teaching For
  Literacy In Todays Classroom (2nd ed.). Boston
  Allyn and Bacon.