Posing Nonverbal Invitations

10/22/2004

"They gave him a sea shell: 'So you'll learn to love the water.' They opened a cage and let a bird go free: 'So you'll learn to love the air.' They gave him a geranium: 'So you'll learn to love the earth.' And they gave him a little bottle sealed up tight. 'Don't ever, ever open it. So you'll learn to love mystery." Eduardo Galeano

Posing Nonverbal Invitations

In his article included in the Exchange "InSights #2: Posing Nonverbal Invitations," George Forman describes the act of making an invitation...

"Nonverbal invitations to explore materials in different ways are just that: invitations. Successful invitations require an attitude that must be 'read' by the invitee. The child must interpret the intent of the adult as, 'He is not just twirling his spoon in the tumbler, he is inviting me to do the same.' To the degree that you are a skilled teacher and the child is ready, the child will be able to 'read' the intent of your actions and enter the nonverbal dialogue. You are helping the child learn how to communicate, how to understand that there is a 'my turn, your turn' rule, and to sometimes follow and sometimes lead. A skilled teacher will appreciate that the child has to assimilate the adult's actions as an invitation. Therefore, the teacher will use a sort of stage charisma -- exaggerating some actions -- and will make a show of giving objects to the child instead of just passing them out. The entire, elaborate invitation should be emphasized by body language that says, 'I want you to understand that this is from me to you.'"

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