1.

Introduction
Body language is an exchange for non-verbal communication. It is a mean of
communication which involve body movements of the head, neck, eyes, arm,
hands, feet or other parts of the body to invert expressions. These body movements
convey messages to the receiver and they are firstly used to mirror our emotions or
to support the verbal message (Özüorçun , 2013: 70).
Body language is a main medium in people’s communication. It contain
facial expressions and gestures. Language is substantial in communication, but
nonverbal communication also can’t be left out, American psychologist Albert
Ellis (1913) said, people get 55% information from expressions. In classroom
teaching, nonverbal communication is more significant than verbal one. When
teachers, teaching will try their best to get the student’s interest of learning
English. Body language as a side means of teaching English is alive, it can warm
up the class mood, help students to understand the lesson, shorten the range
between teacher and students, movement interest of learning English, developing
the quality of education. So, in teaching, teachers have to learn and work hard to
achieve the means of communication in the application of classroom, repair
teaching (Yang, 2017:1333).

Non-verbal communication skills, also called sign language or silent

language, involve all behaviors performed in the existence of others or perceived
either consciously or unconsciously (Shokrpour, 2017:51).
There is a huge amount of factors in which they directly effects the teaching
of English as a foreign language. Communication in any circumstance, constituting
a complement for all of its different forms. When referring to the field of
education, one is able to realize that nonverbal communication facilitates the
teaching of English as a foreign language in different situations “teachers’
gestures’ facilitates students’ understanding ability because they capture and
preserve students focus (Sandoval and Jara, 2012: 11).

1
 Effective communication has been shown in research that it rests not only on
the verbal message, rather than on the meanings that are substituted through non-
verbal language, and is being significantly incorporated in many disciplines. In
ESL/EFL instruction a few studies show an awareness of how teaching non-verbal
language to learners is so important). However, in many classes the attention is
fixed on the acquisition of general and not that much of focus is paid to the
differences in non-verbal language among the learners’L1 and the L2, Although
these may be as unwholesome to L2 communication while the learners’ use of the
non-native lexico-grammatical structures, and probably more so. Even though that
prosody and body language are emphasized in the increasing popularity of public
speaking classes due to the importance of speech for effective communication has
had, so far, a limited impact only was on ESL/EFL teaching. As a result , non-
verbal language is yet not introduced regularly in the students’ syllabus (Busa,
2015: 83).

1.2 Definitions of Body Language (non-verbal behaviour)

Body language is defined in contrast to verbal communication: “all

phenomena that have a communicative value which are not part of verbal
communication are briefed under the term of the umbrella ‘non-verbal
communication’. The vivid less use of the expression can often be tracked back to
the fact that the term of non-verbal can refer to both visible phenomena like
gestures and facial expression as well to the audible aspects like speaking styles
and speech quality (Surkamp, 2014: 14).
Whilst Canale (1983: 4) defines communication as “the exchange and
negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of
verbal and nonverbal symbols”. As a result non-verbal communication is defined
in many ways. Richards and Schmidt (2010: 398) define it as a kind of
communication without the use of words.

2
 According to Negi (1970: 101).Non-verbal communication is “the process
of one person stimulating meaning in the mind of another person or persons by
means of non-linguistic cues, e.g. facial expressions, gestures etc.” What is great
about communication is that the verbal and the non-verbal signals can’t be
analyzed individually when decoding the message, due to these components are
linked.

In the classroom environment, non-verbal communication does an

important part, particularly with regard to teachers’ non-verbal signals.
Teachers may use non-verbal signals to
• Motivate students to participate in a lesson.
• encourage them.
• confirm expectations.
• observe and control students’ behaviour (Kałuska, 2016: 219).

Also as a vivid definition we can notice that gestures and body language can
be defined by saying that “gestures reflect and interact with cultural, linguistic,
cognitive, and more general aspects of communication, showing systematic
variation across a range of measures in each of these domains’’. Gestures are
performed to deliver meaning and structure. ie, they are used to clarify,
disambiguate, highlight messages or regulate role play. Gestures are actions which
help the individual to organize thoughts and to facilitate their expressions
(Özüorçun, 2013:70).

1.3 Significant of body language

One of the main teaching objectives in the foreign language classroom is the
development of communicative competence. As an essential part of
communication is non-verbal, communicative competence cannot consist solely of
the correct use of verbal language. The fact that non-verbal phenomena play an
essential role in conversation becomes evident when we consider the different
functions non-verbal behavior can fulfill. Non-verbal cues may have. If we leave
out the non-verbal dimension of communication in foreign language teaching, we
3
are creating artificial situations, which do not reflect real-life encounters between
speakers of the foreign language. Students do not learn to coordinate word and
action, language and gesture, neither in the reception of the foreign language nor in
its production .Non-verbal behavior is also relevant as a communicative
strategy(Surkamp,2014: 15)

Nonverbal communication can help learners both to understand the foreign

language and to express themselves in it. Lacking knowledge of vocabulary or not
being able to produce speech can be compensated for by the decoding of non-
verbal signals or by the transmission of part of the communicative intention to the
gesture modality. Similarly, the emotive function of non-verbal behavior can give
students valuable information about the emotions and the intentions of their
conversation partner in linguistic emergencies. Making use of the phatic function
of non-verbal communication, in addition, can be a strategy for speakers to use
their own facial expression and/or gestures in order to give feedback to their
conversation partner concerning their reaction to the perceived communicative
process or, inversely, to interpret whether the communication is successful or not
by decoding their conversation partner’s non-verbal behaviour. Finally, the
combination of verbal and non-verbal communication in the foreign language
classroom can make it easier for learners to remember new words or grammatical
structures. As neurological research has shown, we remember vocabulary and
language patterns for a longer period of time if language is linked with non-verbal
signs. (Surkamp, 2014: 16)

Non-verbal communication is often more subtle and more effective than

verbal communication and can convey meaning better than words. For example,
perhaps a smile conveys our feeling much easier than words. Silent speech is of
great importance in human’s daily interactions and it influences one’s chances of
failure or success in personal and professional social encounters. Also, the Holy
Quran in several cases refers to this point, for example for the tolerant and poor
people, it is stated: “You would know them by their appearance” and says about
the hypocrites: “and you will know them by the tone of their speech”. Also, Imam
Ali (AS) believed that one’s appearance is the indicator of his/ her internal state.
Whenever a person conceals something in his/her heart, it manifests itself in the
expressions of his face. “No one can hide anything in the unseen since it is evident
in his/ her thoughtless words and his/her face” (Shokrpour, 2017:53).
4
 According to the studies conducted, at each conversation only seven percent
of the concepts are expressed in the form of spoken words. Most of the information
is transferred through the complex combination of appearance, posture, limb
movement, sight, and facial expressions. On the other hand, the effect of most
body language acts lower than the addressee’s awareness, i.e. the addressee
receives the profound effects of the issue without being aware of it. So, the people
who have the ability to use these skills have the potential to guide others in a
particular direction to achieve their goals, and precisely for this reason most of the
human interactions involve non-verbal communication. Body language has the
power to transfer the attitudes and feelings of people to others and in many cases
can be even more effective than verbal messages( Shokrpour, 2017:53).
Nonverbal communication is a means that help transmit a message. In
relation to this, “Nonverbal contribute to the comprehension of messages in
three ways: 1) heightening attention, 2) providing additional context, and 3)
facilitating recall” (Quinn, 1999: 471).
Consequently, nonverbal communication benefits oral communication
since with this nonverbal factor, it is possible to retrieve extra visual information
from the oral performance. According to this, it is accurate to make reference to
the areas attained to the main concept in terms of body expressions since “The
study of body movement and gesture is at the heart of nonverbal communication
research” (Weitz, 1979: 87).
Therefore, body movements which comprehend facial expressions, eye
contact, and posture will be developed. (Sandoval and Jara, 2012: 34)

1.4 Types of non-verbal communication

Non verbal communication includes:

1.4.1 Facial Gestures

The face is a significant feature of the body, especially in terms of nonverbal
communication. Thus, one “can make and recognize nearly 250,000 distinct facial
expressions. The most common expressions are interest, enjoyment, surprise,
distress, shame, contempt, anger, and fear” (College of Marin, n.d: 6), being all of
them capable of transmitting a different message in communicative terms.

5
 Therefore, “The face is a communication center all in its own. In the midst of
conversation, even when one is just listening . . . faces do a significant amount of
talking” (Sandoval and Jara, 2012: 34).
Consequently, facial expressions convey more meaning to the words
expressed by the speakers. In general terms, facial expressions mainly serve “to
support verbal communication. The facial display is used to convey the
appropriate meaning of the verbal message and is similar to a verbal
interjection". Thus, it is appropriate to transmit coherent messages through both
verbal communication and facial expressions, and in this way, maintain a
balance that will generate clear understanding of the communicative purpose.
Therefore, the receiver will be immersed in a comprehensible communication
process (Sandoval and Jara, 2012: 34).

1.4.2 Proxemics
Is another important issue in non-verbal language. Proxemics refers to the
space between the communicators. The distance when communicating differs
according to culture and the amount of distance has different meanings in different
cultures .For example, Sree and Siawuk have found out that the Gamo (an ethnic
group in Ethiopia) females feel uncomfortable when strangers are too close to
them when communicating. proximics are divided into four main categories;
intimate, social, personal, and public space. Distance plays a great role in the
communication process. They give an example of an American diplomat and his
Arab host, where the Arab moved very close to the American but this closeness
made the American very uncomfortable that he retreated a few feet. On the other
hand this action made the Arab to feel that the American was cold and aloof. This
action transferred a non-verbal message and it was misinterpreted by the two
cultures because of the lack of knowledge they had about each culture. Americans
preserving space can also be seen when two Americans get on an empty elevator,
each one will move to opposite sides. Proxemics is defined as the amount of space
around or between us and others. They indicate that the space between two
communicating people communicates what type of relationship exists between the
two people. The meaning of space differs according to culture and people have to
be aware of this especially in intercultural communications (Ozuorcun, 2013:73).

6
1.4.3 Body Movements
All body movements, including other gestures, motions, signals and body
reactions, are also with significant importance in affecting the way we
communicate. Crossing legs can be understood as either negative way of disrespect
or a positive way of charisma prestige; however, in the course of meeting and
communicating with the other, in an interview for instance, such body movement
implication help us to figure out the viewpoint of the one addressing or listening to
us. Communicative skills are built up with abilities of communicating with the
other while we communicate with all their body movements (Hocine ,2016:15).

1.4.4 Eye Contact

Eye contact becomes a noteworthy feature of nonverbal communication

since “eyes are the most expressive element in face-to-face communication”. In
relation to this, it is estimated that “each participant in a conversation looks
intermittently at the other, for periods of 1 to 10 seconds, for 25%-75% of the
time” (Hinde,1972).
Therefore, nonverbally speaking, eye contact occupies a relevant role
when people want to convey a message. Consequently, “without eye contact . . .
people do not feel they are fully in communication” (Argyle, 1978)
Accordingly, the previous statement indicates that if in the middle of a
conversation people do not interact through visual contact, it is possible that
communication will not be accomplished because visual interaction denotes
interest. During conversation, eye contact should be established in short periods
of time. This can be related to the fact that listeners can feel uncomfortable when
facing exchange of words which implies excess of visual interaction, especially
when the participants are not close to each other (Cicalese, n.d: 9).
“The best way to maintain a successful optical relationship is to just break
away from the mutual gaze every so often”. This provides the listener with an
appropriate dialogue situation in a non-threatening atmosphere. In this sense, this
nonverbal aspect has to be incorporated within the conversation, but it is necessary
to positively orient it in order to not create an uncomfortable communicative
environment (Sandoval and Jara,2012:36).

7
1.4.5 Voice Tone
Mehrabian and Ferris (1967) declare that the voice quality plays an
important role in the signaling of speaker affect, and its effect role on the audience
during the communication process. The way we talk particularly have profound
effect on how others interpret and interact to what we are saying and how we are
feeling. Also, he discovers that 38% of our communications come across through
the tone, inflection, and speed of our voices.

Likewise, the importance of using such property of non-verbal language

represents the tone of our voices as a kind of message-delivery service. The old
people say, "It's not what you said, it's how you said it" that goes back directly to
tone of voice. Tone of voice is the way a statement is presented and it is affected
by the timbre, rhythm, loudness, breathiness and hoarseness of our voices.
(Mehrabain and Ferris, 1967)

According to Wang (1995:89) all voices can convey number of things;

namely, psychological arousal, emotion and mood. It can, moreover, reveal social
information through a variety and diversity of tones and pitch levels as to express
sarcasm, superiority or submissiveness. All is to reveal how listeners, watchers and
communicators must be acting and reacting to get the right voice heard and
interacted with.

1.4.6 Posture

Posture comprehends another related concept belonging to nonverbal

communication. Therefore, “postures . . . are used as a source of information
about a person’s characteristics, attitudes, and feelings about themselves and
others” (Mehrabian and Ferris:1967).

This becomes especially significant in communicative situations since

according to this author, this nonverbal aspect also enables people to have access
to complementary information regarding the subjects involved in a conversation.
This nonverbal aspect denotes extra meaning that is not included in the verbal
communication. In this sense, it is postulated that the posture that a person uses

8
 has the capacity to represent the way in which factors such as motivation and
interest can be present in different situations. Therefore, it is of great importance
to be aware of the posture one utilizes in order to convey the right meaning of
the message that wants to be transmitted (Sandoval and Jara,2012:36).

1.4.7 Hands Movement

Many people believe that the hand brings emphasis, energy and decoration to
their speech. It‘s said that we talk and interact with others‘ hands, when no words
appear, you go to gestures. As words stop, gesture stops as well. So if we don‘t
talk with our hands, why do we gesture?
Audience may feel that the speaker do not care about what he is talking about
if he do not use hand movements and act like no-armed person. Here, the body
talks and the brain listens; nonetheless, we can notice the overall significance and
importance of hand gestures, for instance, in watching a silent movie or in entering
a conversation with a deaf mute person. This means an importance offered by any
users of hand gestures and inferring messages in stressed than words and sounds
louder than what the ears hear (Hocine, 2016:14).

9
2. Specific Use of Body Language in Teaching
Body language can promote the sound development of teacher-student
interaction. But, body language is also a double- edged sword. If teachers use body
language improperly, body language will give a negative impact on students. On
the one hand, it can range from destruction of classroom atmosphere. And
transferring knowledge can not be correctly. On the other hand, it will damage the
professional image of teachers and mislead the behavior of students. To be worse,
it will result in harm to students in Psychology and personality. Those are adverse
consequences. Moreover, violent body language will greatly stimulate students’
psychology to revolt and lead to more serious consequences (Yang: 2017).

One of the main teaching objectives in the foreign language classroom is the
development of communicative competence. As an essential part of
communication is non-verbal, communicative competence cannot consist solely of
the correct use of verbal language. The fact that non-verbal phenomena play an
essential role in conversation becomes evident when we consider the different
functions non-verbal behavior can fulfill (Surkamp, 2014: 77).

If we leave out the non-verbal dimension of communication in foreign

language teaching, we are creating artificial situations, which do not reflect real-
life encounters between speakers of the foreign language. Students do not learn to
coordinate word and action, language and gesture, neither in the reception of the
foreign language nor in its production (Knapp: 1992).

Non-verbal behaviour is also relevant as a communicative strategy.

Nonverbal communication can help learners both to understand the foreign
language and to express themselves in it. Lacking knowledge of vocabulary or not
being able to produce speech can be compensated for by the decoding of non-
verbal signals or by the transmission of part of the communicative intention to the
gesture modality. Similarly, the emotive function of non-verbal behaviour can give
students valuable information about the emotions and the intentions of their
conversation partner in linguistic emergencies. Making use of the phatic function

10
of non-verbal communication, in addition, can be a strategy for speakers to use
their own facial expression and/or gestures in order to give feedback to their
conversation partner concerning their reaction to the perceived communicative
process or, inversely, to interpret whether the communication is successful or not
by decoding their conversation partner’s non-verbal behaviour.
Finally, the combination of verbal and non-verbal communication in the
foreign language classroom can make it easier for learners to remember new words
or grammatical structures. Research has shown, we remember vocabulary and
language patterns for a longer period of time if language is linked with non-verbal
signs (Knapp, 1992: 61).

11
 CONCLUSION

From reading this paper, one can tell that teachers can make the learning
environment active through their non-verbal communication. Whereby, students
feel alert in the classrooms and participate in the learning process, which
consequently will enhance the level of their retention and understanding.
Proper use of facial expressions, body movements, eye contact, pitch of
voice, and spatial distance helps the teachers to provide better understanding to the
students in the attainment of their learning outcomes. To the contrary the teachers
who do not properly use non-verbal communication in the classroom may not be
able to motivate the students for effective learning.
And, not only college English teachers should be equipped with knowledge
of nonverbal communication, but also the students in colleges should be
encouraged to improve their nonverbal communicative competence.

12
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