Pinagpala Publishing Services - THE FUNCTIONS AND EFFECTS OF VERBAL SILENCE IN CONFRONTATIONAL CLASSROOM DI

Pinagpala Publishing Services

World Education Connect Multidisciplinary e-Publication, Vol. VI, Issue VII (July 2026), pp.34-54

THE FUNCTIONS AND EFFECTS OF VERBAL SILENCE IN CONFRONTATIONAL CLASSROOM DISCOURSE: A STUDY OF PRAGMATICS

MA. THERESA O. MERCENE
CHRIS L. KABILING1 Chris Kabiling (0009-0000-8035-9424) - My ORCID

*Pampanga State University-Lubao Campus, Research Coordinator

- Sta. Catalina, Lubao, Pampanga

1 Pampanga State University-Lubao Campus, BEED Program Coordinator

- Sta. Catalina, Lubao, Pampanga

Abstract. In Philippine higher education, silence in classroom participation is frequently understood as an absence of verbal participation; nonetheless, it is a culturally embedded and pedagogically meaningful type of communication. This paper is a descriptive qualitative investigation of the role of silence in graded recitations, presentations and group discussions adopting Neumann’s Spiral of Silence (1993) and Kurzon’s Socio-Pragmatic Model (1995). It examines the function of silence in key classroom interactions and its influence on students’ cognitive, emotional and participative reactions and the gendered and cultural assumptions that shape perceptions of quiet. Silence is a dynamic communicative device that assists in cognitive structure, contemplative pondering, emotional regulation and interaction management. Within the culturally rich and community-oriented classroom contexts in Philippine higher education, quiet frequently implies cooperation with authority, dignity preservation, and strategic self-restraint, not lack of engagement or lack of preparation. Teachers and students analyze silence from a variety of cultural and gender perspectives. The findings of this study add to our knowledge of silence as a more effective mode of communication. The study’s findings highlight the importance of putting into practice culturally responsive instructional methods that acknowledge silence as a viable way of participating in academic tasks.

Keywords: Verbal Silence; Spiral of Silence; Socio-Pragmatic Model; Confrontational Classroom Discourse

https://zenodo.org/records/21286672

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