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Sensory Language

We experience the world through our five senses or what are called representational systems in NLP. Using our thought processes we recreate these experiences to ourselves internally. The five systems are called VAKOG for short - Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Olfactory and Gustatory. There are some subdivisions with the the systems. Auditory includes hearing words and sounds as well as the internal dialogue we have with ourselves (called Auditory Digital). Kinaesthetic includes bodily feelings, touch and emotions.

The language that we use can often give us a clue about how we like to think and interpret the world. Most of us seem to express a preference for one or possibly two of the representational systems. This whole area of VAKOG gives rise to a lot of very interesting language based on the senses. Words that link to a particular representational system are called 'predicates' in NLP. As you listen to other people's language or 'predicates', you will soon begin to notice what these preferences are.

Noticing the sensory language that other people use and matching them be a very powerful way of gaining rapport, communicating sensitively and being influential. Let's say you are discussing a new project with a colleague and as you work to get point across, you want to check that the other person understands. You might decide to use one of the following linguistic options based on what you have seen/heard/picked up!

• What I want to share with you will get you closer to that vision you have for you and you team, can you see what I'm saying?
• This will help to get your team singing from the same page. Does it sound like we are talking the same language?
• I think this idea will raise the bar and really knock you over. Are you really catching where we can go with this?
  

Explore, play, give it a go and see what happens.

Here are some examples of a variety of sensory language.

Visual	Auditory	Kinaesthetic	Gustatory	Olfactory
It appears that ….	The place was buzzing.	I can’t put my finger on it.	It’s a piece of cake.	To sniff something out
It's her blind spot.	It’s all Greek to me.	To cover the same ground.	It was a bitter pill to swallow.	It all smells a bit fishy.
Get a bird’s eye view!	I hear you loud and clear.	Seize the moment.	He's got a taste for the good life.	He has a nose for business.
Let’s look closely at this issue.	I’m all ears!	To meet someone halfway.	He had to eat humble pie.	The sweet smell of success.
She’s a sight for sore eyes.	That strikes a cord.	I can feel it in my bones.	She is such a sweet person.	That's a fresh idea!
His view is a bit coloured.	That was unheard of!	Tread carefully.	It's a matter of taste	I smell a rat.
Turn a blind eye.	That’s music to my ears.	She pushes his buttons.	Let's chew it over.	The relationship went stale.

My best

Séamus

Making Your Words Work

"Words differently arranged have a different meaning and meanings differently arranged have a different effect."
Blaise Pascal

“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.”
Budda

"Proper words in proper places, make the true definition of style."
Jonathan Swift


Making Your Words Work - Using NLP to Improve Communication, Learning & Behaviour
Terry Mahony

One of the few books to focus on the application of language models for classroom management, 'Making Your Words Work' offers a large repertoire of linguistic approaches to improve communication between teacher and learner.

The book is divided into four parts.

• Part 1 focuses on the so what? of the book and contains the ideas and concepts underpinning NLP as well as recent thinking in brain research applied in the classroom.
• Part 2 explores the for what? or the why you will want to read and learn about these ideas and explores the implications they may have for your learners' and behaviour.
• Part 3 covers the how do I do it? and the different techniques and how they are used to gain different goals with the same outcome - better behaviour.
• Part 4 concerns the what next? and what you can do with the techniques in different situations.

'Making Your Words Word' certainly provides teachers with a good balance of theory and practice and will certainly support them in the development of the skills and strategies needed to move their teaching from ordinary to highly effective and from there on to extraordinary.

Buy the book from Amazon using the links below.

'Making Your Words Work' - Amazon UK

'Making Your Words Work' - Amazon US

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Anonymous

Reluctant/Difficult Learners or Inflexible Teachers?

This is another of the basic presuppositions of NLP and which has plenty of applications outside the classroom as well. 'Reluctant or difficult' learners are none other than those that the teacher has decided to give up. Reluctance and resistance is not so much an attribute of them but much more so a measure of your inability to be responsible for what is happening in your classroom. Remember 'responsibility' is no more than your ability to respond. OK so, yes this can be a challenge to accept or believe but that isn't really the point. As soon as you leave your preconceptions aside, experiment and act as if it were 100% true, you increase your flexibility ten-fold. This freedom allows you to increase your repertoire and you soon notice the differences in the responses you get.

"If the child is not learning the way you are teaching, then you must teach in the way the child learns" - Rita Dunn

" A teacher who is attempting to teach, without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn, is hammering on a cold iron." - Horace Mann (1796-1859)

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus