NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES IN A SOCIAL CONTEXT

Abstract

As a specific communication context, teaching process is significantly determined by the character and quality of communication which takes place during teaching. The link between the specifics of teaching certain subjects and of the communication that occurs during the teaching process is complex and reciprocal. Thus, physical education classes due to their peculiarity ask for quality nonverbal communication in order to strengthen, supplement and often compensate for the lack of verbal communication. Given the importance nonverbal communication has during physical education classes, this paper aims to establish the theoretical grounds of this problem and to further investigate it empirically. The empirical research is focused on the study of representation and the role of nonverbal communication in physical education classes and the way it is achieved. The sample is intentional and consists of 110 high school students from the city of Nis. Sample validity was ensured by choosing students who are successful athletes in individual and team sports. The research results show a highly developed awareness of the role and importance of nonverbal communication, its representation, and common ways how it is achieved in real life practice (body language, paralanguage and personal space). However, the results indicate that there is a need to improve the existing teaching practices in this area in terms of pedagogical, didactic and methodological support for the development of nonverbal communication competences of all the participants in the teaching process.