Ask students to work with someone whose primary communication method is different from their own. The communication difference could be with someone who speaks another language, someone who is deaf, someone who is blind or someone young with a limited vocabulary. Students can either find the individual on their own or be assigned a partner through a community center or online pen pal system.
Ask the student to have a series of four to five 30-minute conversations with this person over the course of a month. The student should try conversations where discussion topics are prepared and where conversation has to come naturally. The student should have at least two instances of verbal -- in person or on the phone -- communication and nonverbal communication, such as email, letter or signing.
Ask the students to prepare a verbal and nonverbal report about what they learned about communicating with their partner. This report should cover how they had to adapt to relate with someone who communicates differently than themselves. Did they adopt or try any interesting approaches? What have they learned about their own communication through exploring this different type? Did the communication get easier as the exercise progressed?
After all students have given their reports, open a discussion about other types of communication in society. Possibilities include slang, symbols in different societies, noises, scents and facial expressions.