Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Effects Of Student Nonverbal And Verbal Immediacy Behaviors On Teachers' Behaviors And Perceptions, Nina C. Persi

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In the education profession, teachers are often hired, retained, or terminated based on their effectiveness at teaching and moreover, their skill in engaging students to learn. Effective teachers promote student learning which involves cognitive, affective and behavioral changes (Bloom, 1956). As Comstock, Rowell, and Bowers (1995) state, “In other words, teachers who communicate positive regard to their students promote student learning” (p. 251).

Numerous studies have sought to identify the particular communication behaviors that a teacher can employ to increase his or her effectiveness in the classroom. Additionally, researchers have been interested in explaining how teachers communicate this positive regard …