PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATOR STYLE AND EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between the perceived communicator styles and educational environments of 1675 students from 18 New South Wales high schools. Two major communicator style profiles described as ‘animated-dominant’ and ‘supportive-attentive’ were related to actual school environments and three preferred classroom environments defined as ‘peer-conflict’, ‘individualisation’ and ‘teacher-managed’. The findings indicate a very positive association between supportive-attentive communicator style and actual school environments. In sharp contrast, students perceived as animated-dominant held rather negative views concerning teachers, affective climate and opportunity for advance..