More than words it is through her body language that a teacher communicates with her students. A nod, a smile, warmth on the face and a friendly gesture communicate that she is approachable and that she is there for them. A positive body language affirms the faith of students in their teacher and helps her win their confidence. A hug which communicates - I understand your fears, smile which communicates - I always knew you could do it, pat on the back which communicates - come on I am there for you, a nod that says - yes, I am listening and a look into the eyes that acknowledge's the student's presence. All this goes a long way in building lasting relationships with children.
"Don't worry that children never listen to you, worry that they are always watching you."
We are always communicating, communication which as an ongoing process of sending and receiving messages – enables us to share knowledge, express attitudes and demonstrate skills. Implementation of the lesson plan in classroom depends on effective communication. Body language or nonverbal communication includes : Facial Expressions, eye contact, touching, posture, body movements and gestures, tone of voice and spatial distance.
The most effective and persuasive communication occurs when verbal and nonverbal messages are in sync, there is synergy in the communication. Verbal communication permits instant feedback, nonverbal acts do not. Teachers must therefore rely on their instinct, understanding of nonverbal communication and feedback from others also from students. I remember during one of the parent teacher meetings my son, eight years then, looked straight in the eyes of his teacher sitting across the desk and said, "We want you to smile a little more often in the class." We often hear children share remarks such as "This teacher has a very rude tone of voice", "I am very scared of the Math teacher, there is a permanent frown on her face."
Teachers express enthusiasm, warmth, assertiveness, confidence or displeasure through their facial expressions, vocal intonation, gestures and use of space. Teachers reinforce or modify student behavior by their use of smiles, frowns and scowls. When teachers exhibit verbal messages that conflict with nonverbal messages, students become confused. This confusion often affects their attitudes and their learning. Positive expectations bring positive achievements. Negative expectations bring loss of self-confidence and failure.
Facial expressions include: muscle movements in the forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips and chin which signal emotions.
Eye movements - the eyes are the most dominant and reliable features of the face and provide a constant channel of communication. Unlike other parts of the face, eyes can both send and receive messages. Teachers usually maintain eye contact and flash visual signals when they want to emphasize particular points. Students' eyes often signal listening and non-listening behavior. Lack of student-teacher eye-contact will often indicate disinterest, inattention, or even dislike for the teacher. Direct teacher eye contact can also express support, disapproval, or neutrality. Teachers can have an individual connection with every student in the classroom by using eye contact.
Vocal Intonation – includes a multitude of components: rhythm, pitch, intensity, projection. Vocal intonation influences how others perceive us and provides evidence about our self-confidence and enthusiasm.
Body movements and gestures – we communicate by the way we walk, stand, sit, what we do with our shoulders, hands, arms, and legs, how we hold our heads, and the manner in which we position our bodies toward or away from others. Posture often indicates mood and attitude. The body tends to move in harmony with words. We lean forward when we like someone or if the topic being discussed is interesting. On the other hand, we lean away from individuals we have negative attitudes towards, or from topics that do not interest us. In the classroom, students receive nonverbal messages of enthusiasm or boredom communicated through a teacher's body orientation. An observant teacher can also tell when students understand material presented or when students have trouble grasping major concepts. Inappropriate postures and gestures of a teacher will diminish a lesson's delivery. All body movements should be used to accentuate and confirm verbal messages.
Use of space – Classroom layout and aesthetics can directly impact students' learning. Classroom environments can create moods and establish how much communication takes place. The position of a teacher's desk may serve as a barrier to prevent students from entering his/her space and thus inhibits interaction.
"They may forget what you said but will never forget how you made them feel."
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