Dialogue and effective communication for harmonious gender relations:dealing with school children in Uganda

Abstract

This chapter deals with the language which communicates violence other than peace and its impact on the school children in Uganda. It focuses on examining the nature of language used for communication in school and the impact it has on girls’ schooling. It analyses the verbal and non-verbal communication that takes place in the school, the nature of language used for communication outside the classroom, and the way communication is done inside the classroom. It views language as a social phenomenon and argues that language has symbolic power which goes beyond the spoken word to the meaning resulting from interpretation. It argues that language, which is a tool for dialogue, has a big impact on the schooling of girls and its power can lead to their dropping out of school. The major conclusion of this chapter is that the language used for communication in the school environment is violent and hinders their academic progress. It recommends non-violent communication which involves dialogue i.e. the language which will lead to harmony in the school life of children