ERIC Number: ED179621
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1979-Apr
Pages: 10
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Hawaiian Nonverbal Communication: Two Classroom Applications.
Anthony, Alberta Pualani
Although there are only about 2,000 active speakers of the Hawaiian language, there exists a coherent system of nonverbal behavior which can be identified as Hawaiian and which contrasts sharply with middle class white American behavior. Teachers of Hawaiian children should be aware of this in order to avoid potential misunderstandings in the classroom. Differences in bodily contact, proximity or spatial division of personal territory, relative positions of heads according to social status, personal appearance, posture, the meaning of head nods and facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and nonverbal aspects of speech (intonation, style, etc.) all can cause miscommunication between Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians. The major barrier encountered by Hawaiian children in their daily school lives is the failure of the educational establishment to recognize the validity of those aspects of nonverbal communication which conflict with Western expectations and values. Therefore, it is very important for teachers to learn to recognize and accept these behaviors and incorporate them into the educational curriculum. (Author/GC)
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher; Opinion Papers; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Hawaii
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A