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JOSS:
Journal of Social Science
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN THE CLASSROOM AND ITS
ROLE IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING FROM EDUCATIONAL
PROCESS
Zanyar Nathir Ghafar
1
, Hemn Mohammed Ali
2
ESP Department, National Institute of Technology, Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
1,2
KEYWORDS
Nonverbal
Communication;
Teaching; Body
Language;
Classroom
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this article is to provide background information on
nonverbal communication and to discuss its use in EFL settings. Also
provides a concise overview of the terminology, several
characteristics, and the significance of nonverbal communication. In
particular, this research offers some suggestions for the use of
nonverbal communication in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
programs in order to facilitate effective classroom management. On
the basis of this presumption, was to shed light on this field of study
by demonstrating that the nonverbal behavior of instructors plays a
very important and vital function in classrooms where students are
learning a foreign language for the purpose of regulating the behavior
of the students. The research methodology conducted on the subject
indicate that there is a positive curvilinear association between the
level of learning attained by students and the level of immediacy
shown by teachers by using a description study on the previous
studies have been done in this field. In addition, it has been shown
that perceptions of immediacy are formed across all cultures. If
cultural nonverbal immediacy standards are not met, then the
instructor will be viewed as being non-immediate. On the other hand,
the results show that in a decline in the learner's motivation, emotional
state, and perceived level of learning. Finally the paper findings
indicate that the idea of nonverbal communication plays an important
role in the classroom setting, as shown by the fact that both the
students and the instructors make use of it in this capacity.
INTRODUCTION
A teacher who uses nonverbal communication immediacy is defined by (Burroughs,
2007) as one "who seems relaxed, animated, and vocally expressive during class lectures and
discussion. In addition, this teacher smiles frequently, engages in a lot of eye contact, and is
generally perceived as friendly and approachable" (p. 456). The nonverbal communication
teacher who is lacking in skill stands in contrast to this sort of instructor. This instructor was
defined by (Burroughs, 2007) as "one who appears tense, reserved, and vocally unexpressive
during class lectures and discussions." In addition, the instructor does not smile very often,
avoids looking directly at the pupils, and is often seen as being distant, aloof, and
unapproachable" (p. 456).
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The consequences of these nonverbal communication components as they related to
students' academic success have been the subject of research (Barmaki, 2014). Students who
are interested in learning more about the lecture subject have been linked to teacher smiles,
head nods, and eye contact (Myers & Knox, 2001). According to research, students took it
upon themselves to learn outside of the classroom even if they got the same amount of
knowledge, depending on the degree of instructors' nonverbal communication (Myers &
Knox, 2001).
This section describes the connection between students' impressions of learning and
instructors' nonverbal communication. Perceptions of learning are described as what students
believe they are learning from the teacher in this research (Allen et al., 2006) (Burroughs,
2007) Chesebro, 2003; Eadie, 1996; King & Witt, 2009; Richmond, McCroskey, Plax, &
Kearney, 1986; Rodrguez, Plax, & Kearney, 1996; Teel, 2011).
Our desire to build successful robot equivalents for humans and the difficulties of
building communication strategies to allow effective and powerful collaboration are the
driving factors behind this research. We argue that coordinating coordinated action that
results from information transmission across both spoken and unspoken channels will benefit
human-robot teams, just as it would human-human teams (Breazeal et al., 2005). According
to Drucker (2005), listening to what is not spoken is essential to communication. British
comedian Eddie Izzard took the stage in San Francisco while the national anthem played.
According to Danijela Kozic's research (2013), the most common methods of
nonverbal communication include eye contact, gestures, touch, facial expressions, the tone
of one's voice, posture or movement, voice volume, and posture or movement. During the
birthing process and the early stages of childhood development, nonverbal communication
abilities often develop "automatically" in humans. This is not a talent taught explicitly;
learning "how to read people" occurs more subtly through time. Spend some time observing
newborns to discover how readily they can do the "dance" of social connection with other
people. They can swiftly get their carers' attention through body language, voice, and facial
expressions. They can also react to the facial expressions and speech tones of others, and
they may start to exercise control over their environment when they do so. They can keep
their feelings of security and happiness because they have natural communication talents that
make the world a welcome place (Bell, 2003).
METHOD RESEARCH
The method used in this study is an observation method that involves direct observation
of nonverbal communication interactions that occur in the classroom. Researchers will observe
teachers and students in real learning situations and record nonverbal communication behaviors
that occur, such as body language, facial expressions, movements, and voice intonation.
Observation can be made using direct observation-based recording techniques or by using
video recordings.
In addition to the observation method, this study involved collecting data through
questionnaires distributed to teachers and students. The questionnaire will contain questions
related to the use, perception, and impact of nonverbal communication in teaching and learning
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(Biggs & Tang, 2003). Surveys can be conducted online or through printed questionnaires,
depending on the preferences of the researcher and the accessibility of respondents.
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to (Miller, 1988), vocal communication begins after a kid has mastered the art
of nonverbal communication. According to (Pan, 2014), studies on nonverbal communication
often center on instructional practices for use in the classroom that are adaptable to any field
of study. Because of the considerable importance of these signals, a teacher who wants to
communicate with their students successfully must be aware of their pupils' body language,
gestures, gaze, facial expressions, and presentation. Effective teachers can develop a
relationship with their students by communicating with them via body language, which helps
them feel more safe and supported. In order to provide adequate education, this article will
concentrate primarily on nonverbal cues and the nonverbal communication of the instructor.
Another study conducted by (Burroughs, 2007) attempted to determine whether or not
there is a connection between the nonverbal communication of instructors and the standardized
learning metrics of pupils. His research included the participation of 564 undergraduate
students from a university in the middle Atlantic region. These students were asked to complete
a survey on their views of learning, which also contained two questions designed to evaluate
standardized metrics of learning. The findings of the research conducted by (Burroughs, 2007)
showed that instructors' nonverbal communication was connected to both students' judgments
of their own learning and to standardized assessments of their level of education.
Additionally, (Mark et al., 2011). stated that even if a singer becomes disoriented amid
a song, whether or not they speak the right words is inconsequential; instead, what counts is
how to seem as if they are singing it correctly since "all that people care about is the look"
(Izard, 1994). Along with the importance of nonverbal interpersonal communication, people
should consider what happens when the receiver needs to receive both verbal and nonverbal
cues. The receiver is more likely to accept nonverbal signals than spoken ones. Thus, human
behavior is connected to the proverbial saying, "Action speaks louder than words," which is a
saying.
According to (Kinsey & Dumas, 2008), the speechless message of nonverbal
communication is a person's desire to express hidden intentions and sentiments, such as fear,
honesty, excitement, hesitation, and unhappiness. Minor actions, like how your coworkers
stand or approach a room, may reveal a lot about their self-assurance, credibility, and worth.
The extent to which others may deduce your genuine intentions from how you position yourself
or gaze at them may also astound you. Miller said that nonverbal signals are conveyed
consciously and subconsciously, in contrast to Zoric et al., who stated that specific nonverbal
actions, like a wink, are taught while others, like a feel ashamed, are natural. (Zoric et al., 2007)
Gender and culture must also be considered in nonverbal communication since they affect both
the sender and the receiver. The students' age ranges and cultural backgrounds must also be
considered by the teacher and instructor.
The definition of culture given by Hartley and Karinch is "nothing more than accepted
social norms for a group." The way our nonverbal behaviors merge, according to Matsumoto,
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is greatly influenced by culture. Culture has an influence that we as educators must understand
and recognize. It is critical to differentiate between nonverbal signals that are considered
universal and those that have specific cultural implications when predicting behavior. The
immediately identifiable smile is a global expression of delight (Caswell & Neill, 2003), and
unintended or spontaneous facial emotions are universal (Matsumoto et al., 2006). Women
communicate nonverbally differently than males, but this does not mean one gender is more
skilled at communicating. We are urged to remember the importance of understanding
classroom dynamics. Also acceptable are gender characteristics. Women tend to touch
themselves during conversations more than men do. Women prefer to communicate via more
expressive facial expressions and energetic head, hand, and arm movements than men do.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
If a teacher can effectively and at the right time, use nonverbal communication, or if
the teacher's nonverbal communication is colorful and lively, it will be much easier for
students to retain information quickly, and it will be highly beneficial for them to understand
instructions over information during instruction. Teachers employing engaging body
language, smooth, polite gestures, and eye contact may foster stronger ties between them and
their pupils. It may help a teacher keep his class under control (Bunglowala & Bunglowala,
2015).
Despite being a crucial part of human behavior, nonverbal communication is still not
completely understood.
For instance, communication abilities were less crucial in the early phases of foreign
language education and learning. Because English professors desire to focus on English
grammar and vocabulary while being unaware of the practical applications of nonverbal
communication, students will assume and feel that the teachers and lecturers could be more
exciting and often skip on purpose (Littlewood, 2004). A mode of communication in which
no words are used is referred to as nonverbal communication. Even though nonverbal
communication is essential, instructors routinely ignore it and take it for granted in classroom
sessions. A key element of reaching the teaching objective and raising teaching effectiveness
and quality in the classroom is improving the teaching method.
Since it follows that teachers should be knowledgeable in nonverbal communication,
sometimes referred to as body language, they should also be specialists in interpersonal skills.
For two main reasons, according to (Miller, 1988), every teacher should be proficient in
nonverbal communication: first, so they can better understand the messages that students are
trying to convey to them, and second, so they can use this skill to send students signals that
will strengthen their learning while also avoiding signals that will stifle it (Miller, 1988).
Additionally, many experts and practitioners in teaching methods have shown that nonverbal
clues from each student are crucial in forming the teacher's impression, strategy, beliefs, and
bilateral behavioral expressions. Nonverbal signals like priority and mood express far more.
Instructors must know many of these subtle cues to grasp better what their students are
attempting to convey. The researcher will pay significant attention to five essential
components of nonverbal communication in the classroom. These essential components
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include the teacher's eye contact, facial expressions, motions, gestures, and touching sure
students (Hans & Hans, 2015).
1. Lecturer makes eye contact while speaking in the classroom and uses their eyes to convey
their message. When eye activity is widely studied as a subsection of kinesics, it
incorporates an area of nonverbal studies called "oculesics," which is derived from the
Latin word "oculus," which means "eye." We focus on our face and eyes during
conversation, along with our ears and eyes, and we mainly absorb communicative
information in a learning context. The eye signals, a crucial component of facial
expressions, allow one to read the student's thoughts and comprehend their behavior.
(Pease & Pease, 2004) Since the eyes are the window to the soul, eye contact as a
communication tool is quite apparent. The precision with which individuals can predict
where another person's attention will be directed has been examined in studies by
psychologists and researchers. (Zahra et al., 2008) When a student is in college, a teacher
may infer what they are looking at from where they are looking. Once the teacher knows
what a student is looking at, they might infer what he or she is interested in. As a result,
eye movements may be much more critical. In the classroom, instructors must alternate
between two different facial expressions. The first kind, glancing about, is particularly
beneficial for classroom education since it can grab students' attention, foster critical
thinking, and find students who are almost completed with an assignment so they may be
asked a question. The second rationale is the ability to be used as a tool for classroom
management. Staring intently and attentively is the second kind of eye contact. It exudes
seriousness, care, and honesty when the teacher does this. The triangular area of the
student's face should be the center of the teacher's attention when criticizing a student's
lousy conduct or treatment. Because these emotions would be transmitted to the
instructors via their pupils' eyes throughout the teacher's presentation, teachers sometimes
carefully check their students for indications of frustration, fatigue, and perplexity
(Bunglowala & Bunglowala, 2015). Even if the usage of eye contact and nonverbal
communication in the learning environment might be influenced by the socioeconomic
status of students and instructors, this is nonetheless true.
The visage of an individual is the most emotive part of the body, and the bulk of
emotional information is conveyed via the contour of the lips and brows.
2. Classroom teacher facial expressions. Toby (2002) The motions used to show happiness,
grief, impatience, astonishment, fear, and disdain are universal throughout cultures, in
contrast to other facial expressions that all people share. Without using words, the human
face can represent a wide variety of emotions since it is so expressive (Segal et al., 2018).
A peaceful and contented facial expression is a clue that a teacher is content with his
immediate surroundings, according to (Gukas et al., 2010). In the classroom, nonverbal
clues from instructors' and students' facial expressions are vital. The dynamic facial
emotions assist the successful results of the pupils by fostering a secure and supportive
learning environment in the classroom. Students may be more likely to think carefully
about their responses and actively engage when an instructor poses a question with
patience and an awareness of the response they will get. Sometimes, unintentional frowns
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may cause students to review their responses carefully. It protects the children's rightful
dignity, making it better to say "NO" or "wrong." The teacher's upbeat attitude and grin
are seen in many cultures as signals of warmth and support (Mandy, 2016).
3. The instructor's stance throughout the lecture: "Nonverbal communication spoke volumes
to viewers, and during negotiations, body talk is stronger than the rival's words." (Keen,
2004) The characteristics of someone with "good posture" include a straight back, an
elevated head, and forward-looking eyes. (Lee, 2004) These nonverbal cues are also given
from birth, even before the infant can comprehend what they signify. According to
academic studies, infants shake their heads to reject their mother's breasts and subsequent
attempts to feed them with a spoon. There are four other essential human postures besides
standing, sitting, crouching, and lying down.
(Hans & Hans, 2015) Teachers may impact student attitudes and show their
approachability by assuming a relaxed, professional sitting or standing posture.
Additionally, if you want to affect your pupils' emotions, grab their attention, or promote
a concept, you should stand or sit with your back straight, face them squarely, and
distribute your weight equally. March 8th, 2015 (Bunglowala & Bunglowala, 2015).
4. Movements made by teachers in the classroom: According to (Axtell et al., 2004), arm
signals may be used for various things. Politicians may raise their arms to excite the
audience, while believers might lift their hands to praise and honor a god in line with
(Axtell et al., 2004). Human gestures are the most often utilized nonverbal method of
communication; they are generally done with the hands and arms as an expressive motion
or movement, but they may also be made with the whole body, the brain, or even both. A
spokesperson may employ gestures to convey a message or promote a position. A teacher
may come out dull, inflexible, and lifeless if he or she does not make gestures when
instructing. Someone in the classroom has to be fully aware of their own culture, the
cultures of the other students, as well as nonverbal indications and beliefs. In addition,
teachers need to be knowledgeable about nonverbal teaching strategies. Lecturers must
choose which nonverbal communication method is most appropriate and acceptable when
they teach a range of students from different countries and cultures. Teachers should have
good facial expressions and listening abilities to encourage pupils to interact and ask
questions openly and comfortably. Nonverbal communication has advantages for teachers
and pupils; when both are employed, learning and teaching are more effective. A teacher
should arrange the classroom as a horseshoe because it makes it easier for students to
move about.
CONCLUSION
The main goal of this research was to talk about the basic ideas of nonverbal
communication, with a focus on nonverbal interactions that are important for teaching and
learning in the classroom, knowledge of nonverbal communication, different nonverbal
indicators in educational settings and how to use them properly, comprehension of fundamental
nonverbal communication signal concepts that are related to the organization of the class, and
the effectiveness of nonverbal communication. In other words, the study found. The lecturer's
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body language puts students at ease and gives them a feeling of calm, which in turn, makes
those students feel better about themselves. Because of this, the students will be more interested
in and involved in the lesson. Students are also pushed to join and talk to each other while the
teacher is talking by having them use silent signs as a way to talk.
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Copyright holders:
Zanyar Nathir Ghafar
1
, Hemn Mohammed Ali
2
(2023)
First publication right:
JoSS - Journal of Social Science
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
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