Onderrigkommunikasie in die klaskamer: ’n uitnodigende onderwysperspektief

Classroom communication is essential in developing good perceptions of the self, others and the school. It is also linked to school achievement. This paper explores instructional communication from the perspective of invitational education. Ten secondary schools were selected and 50 lessons were videotaped. Episodes containing inviting and disinviting examples of communication were identified. The most important finding is that teachers tended to be more disinviting than inviting in their communication and to impart these messages more explicitly than implicitly. The study also noted a complete lack of certain verbal and non-verbal skills, for example the active listening that is conducive to inviting interpersonal relationships and developing unrealised potential. It recommends that more training in invitational communication and action research be included in basic teacher training.