This discussion of the development of children's competency in nonverbal communication is divided into three major sections; (1) review of literature, (2) methodological concerns, (3) implications for teachers. The review of literature focuses on post-1970 studies using non-institutionalized children. Findings are organized according to developmental changes in kinesics, physical characteristics, proemics, touching, paralanguage, artifacts, and environmental factors. The methodology section lists the following concerns: using adult standards rather than child standards to interpret children's behavior; using age as a variable to guide research about nonverbal development; using retrospective speculation about childhood behavior to explain adult behavior; and adopting terms from other disciplines to describe the behavior of children. The section on implications for teachers provides discussion of the following: engaging in more systematic research into the development of nonverbal communication; avoiding an underestimation of the young child's communication capabilities; complementing the developmental stage of the child with communication curriculum; using nonverbal instruction for all levels of education, including preschool; recognizing that the development of nonverbal competency occurs covertly as well as overtly; and recognizing that all teachers, regardless of subject matter, influence a child's communication development. (Author/DB)