8 Tips To Use Gestures Effectively And Make The Most Of Non-Verbal Communication

1st March 2024

It has been demonstrated that nonverbal cues like body language play a crucial role in behavior control and student learning. Since students are unlikely to comprehend everything given to them in the target language, it is especially crucial for EFL professors. Certain educators appear to possess an innate ability to efficiently convey information via both spoken and nonverbal methods. If you are not one of those who can fluently use gestures in an EFL classroom, here are some ways to master the art of non-verbal communication.

Why Do Teachers Use Non-Verbal Communication?

Here are some ways teachers use non-verbal communication to teach and manage their classrooms:
 

• To reinforce and demonstrate the meaning
• To signal student responses
• To manage student behavior
• To indicate how you want students to organize themselves for an activity
• To indicate transitions between different phases of a lesson
• To provide approval or disapproval

Additionally, it may be utilized to identify your job as an educator, organizer, confidante, disciplinarian, etc. at a certain point in the lesson. If you're new to teaching, make an effort to pay attention to how you communicate using gestures, body language, facial emotions, and eye contact. Additionally, consider your location concerning your students, your proximity to them, and your authority within the room. Observe how students respond and determine what works best for you.

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8 Tips To Use Gestures Effectively In The Classroom

Here are a few ways you can use non-verbal gestures in a classroom to manage your students and make learning productive:

1. Maintain Eye Contact

When a student answers a question, look at them and indicate that you are paying attention by nodding or making other non-verbal or vocal cues. Nonverbal communication involves the eyes, and eye movements like gazing and blinking are crucial indicators. Eyes may convey a wide range of emotions, such as attraction, intrigue, and hatred.

Eye gazing indicators are another common way that people assess someone's honesty. It's common to interpret normal, steady eye contact as an indication of honesty and reliability. On the other side, weak eyes and an inability to keep eye contact are often interpreted as signs of dishonesty or deception.

2. Facial Expressions

A significant amount of nonverbal communication is conveyed through facial expressions.3. Think about how much information a grin or a frown can communicate. Even before we hear what someone has to say, we frequently judge someone by their expression.

While nonverbal cues and behavior might differ greatly throughout cultures, there are universal facial expressions for grief, fear, anger, and enjoyment.

3. Behavior Management

Making eye contact with EFL kids is another excellent strategy for handling little behavioral problems. You'll discover that a single glance may convey a lot.

It lets your kids know that you are aware of what they are doing and that there will be repercussions if they don't stop. You can also include loudness, voice, inflection, and pitch to make your stance clear.

4. Words And Gestures

When we communicate, gestures come easily to us. They may be used to highlight certain elements of the physical world and serve to emphasize and reinforce meaning. Consider the variety of gestures we employ to convey information or provide guidance.

One major method of conveying a message without using words is through deliberate gestures and movements. Typical motions include pointing, waving, and giving the ‘thumbs up’. Other gestures are culturally specific and arbitrary.
 

5. Body Language And Posture

Movement and posture can also provide a lot of information. Although nonverbal cues can convey emotions and attitudes, body language is frequently more nuanced and less conclusive than previously thought.

Certain gestures need to be used with caution since their meanings vary depending on the society in which they are used. When used improperly, they have the potential to startle, humiliate, and even offend.

6. Appearance

We also view our choice of attire, haircut, and other physical attributes as forms of nonverbal communication. Various hues can elicit various feelings, according to color psychology research. Judgments, perceptions, and physiological responses can all be influenced by appearance.

Just consider all the snap decisions you have made about people based just on their appearance. Because of the significance of first impressions, experts advise job seekers to present themselves correctly in interviews with possible employers.

7. Let Your Students Know How You Are Feeling

Students must possess the ability to understand the classroom environment through the interpretation of their body language and facial expressions. Is this part of the lesson a time for play and games or for calm, focused work? Do you think a student's response is impressive, or do you think they should elaborate?

Do you require them to rephrase their response because you're unclear or taken aback by it? Are you implying that a specific action is improper? Make an effort to communicate clearly with your body language and facial expressions. Misinterpreting the teacher's attitude might lead to issues and stress.

Convey Meaning With Subtle Communication

When it comes to communicating meaning and information to others and interpreting the behavior of people around us, nonverbal communication is crucial. If you are unsure about how to deal with your students’ consider TESOL Course India. When examining nonverbal behaviors, it's crucial to keep in mind that group activities matter. You may learn a lot about someone's true intentions by observing their facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language in addition to their spoken words.