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In our everyday life, we use verbal and non-verbal cues to communicate with each other. Sometimes we understand another person's cues but there are times that we are confused.

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What are the verbal cues?

A verbal cue is a prompt that can be conveyed by spoken language from one person to another. Verbal cues can be seen as the following:

• Tone and pitch in your voice.
• Stalling Techniques
• Using the wrong tense
• Using No in four different ways (Nooo, Quick no's, no with increase eyeblinks, machinegun nos
• Using but
• Changing words.
• Dropping tenses
• Using distancing language

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What are the non-verbal cues?

Non-verbal cues are those you use not by speaking, but by using body language and tone.
Non-verbal cues can be the following:

• Change in behavior
• Shoulder shrug with a definitive statement.
• Micro-expressions that don't fit within the situation.

What is the difference between verbal and non-verbal cues

Watch this video by Susan Caldwell about the difference between verbal and non-verbal cues

Video by Susan Caldwell

What is a non-verbal learning disability?

A non-verbal learning disability is characterized by a discrepancy between the higher verbal skills and the weaker motor, visual-spatial and social skills.

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There are a variety of signs and symptoms that are used to identify non-verbal learning disability:

Signs and Symptoms

• They have trouble recognizing non-verbal cues like facial expressions or body language.
• They show poor psycho-motor coordination:
  • Clumsiness
  • They seem to constantly get in the way.
  • They bump into people and objects.
• Using fine motor skills like tying shoes, writing and using scissors is a challenge to these individuals.
• These individuals need to verbally label everything that happens in order to comprehend the circumstances, spatial orientation, directional concepts, and coordination.
• They have a difficulty coping with changes in their routing and transitions.
• They have a difficulty generalizing with previously learned information.
• They struggle to follow multi-step instructions.
• When they make translations it tends to be literal.
• They tend to ask too many questions and it may appear to be repetitive and inappropriately interrupt the flow of a lesson.
• They may seem to be very competitive due to their strong verbal skills.

How to accommodate learners with a non-verbal learning disability in your classroom.

• Provide the learners with explicit instruction to pick up on social cues.
• Create daily routines and importantly stick to it.
• To assist the learners to write the class schedule on the board.
• Before you transition from an activity have certain words that will assist the learner with transitioning.
• Assign a peer buddy to the learner, in such a way they will be able to help each other.
• Let these children choose where they want to sit.
• When you teach a lesson to make sure you speak clearly and plainly. Don't speak to complicated.
• Teach them certain strategies to help and assist them within the social structures.

Just like all children these children are special but should be treated equally to others!

Resources:

1. Source 1
2. Source 2
3. Source 3

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