Page 171 - Effective Communication Soft Skills Strategies For Success by Nitin Bhatnagar, Mamta Bhatnagar

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Pedagogy and Communication | 159

supportive. The supportive intention of the pedagogue has to be clear as the
variation in the quality of the pedagogues’ intentions that affect the pupil. Most
of the time, the intentions are ‘read off’ or inferred from the behaviour of the
pedagogue. However, pedagogues need to make their supportive intentions
explicit through overt statements of availability, for example, when the peda-
gogue says, ‘I am here for you’, or ‘I really want to help however I can’, or ‘Don’t
worry I am with you’, and so on; these overt statements enhance the pupil’s
perceptions of the clarity, intensity, purity, and sincerity of the pedagogue’s
intention, and is, thus, comforted, and opens up for further communication.
It creates affiliation because of the pedagogue’s empathy, as well as develops the
motivation, interest, and involvement in solving the problem. The pupil may
also feel that the pedagogue likes him or her and, thus, value the relationship.
In supportive communication, the pedagogue has to be careful that the
supportive intention does not make the pupil feel that he or she cannot man-
age the problem on his or her own. This implication can negatively affect the
target’s self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy. Once the pedagogue keeps this
in mind, supportive communication is very effective in building interper-
sonal relationship and a sense of belonging among the pupils.

Face Work or Politeness Strategies

As mentioned, a pedagogue has to be careful in showing his or her support-
ive intention. Supportive intentions may imply that the pupil needs help, and
is unable or is incompetent to solve his or her problem, or acted unwisely in
creating (or failing to avoid) a problematic situation. At times, supportive
communication can be threatening. Asking questions can challenge privacy,
offering advice may undermine autonomy, and making suggestions can
imply criticism.
To offset this possibility, the pedagogue has to use certain devices. Face
work or politeness strategies are communicative devices for redressing the
face threats inherent in supportive messages. Positive face work aims to pro-
tect the pupil’s desire to be evaluated positively. It includes verbal devices
that express positive regard for the pupil, admiration for the courage or effort
shown by the pupil, respect for the pupil’s own understanding of difficulty
and confidence in the pupil’s capacities and qualities to overcome problems.
Positive face work when used by the pedagogue, results in the follow-
ing favourable outcomes: (a) increase in the pupil’s willingness to consider
the substance of the helpers message (b) interest in interacting with the
helper, revealing potentially sensitive thoughts and feelings; and (c) liking
for the pedagogue. Face work achieves these and regard outcomes through
the mechanism of conveying the pedagogues positive regard and respect
for the pupil. Supportive intentions, along with sensitive face work helps to
cultivate ‘Supportive conversational environment’.

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