A study investigated whether exercises that teach and alert students to nonverbal communication aided them, particularly those students who needed more support in achieving academic success in written expression. Subjects were students in two classes of a basic composition course required in an electronic technician program. One class was given instruction and exercises in nonverbal communication, while the other class did not receive this instruction. The Diagnostic Test for Writers was used as a pre- and post-test to determine students' abilities in written composition. Comparison of test scores found no significant differences in the means between the two groups. However, the students in the lowest sector of the experimental group appeared to benefit from the exercises by improving in their academic achievement. (Three tables of data are included. Two appendixes--containing samples of some of the exercises used in class, and two tables of data--are attached.) (Contains 15 references.) (SR)