How to Use Body Language to Make your Lessons a Success. Postures, Gestures and Mimics that Make you a Better Teacher

Structure

What is body language and why is it important?

As without, so within

Reading the signs correctly

How to use body language to make your lessons a success
The four chapters
Motivation
Trust
Respect
Effective Teaching

Structure of this thesis

Chapter One: Motivation

Body language that indicates demotivation

How to use body language to motivate your class

Body language that indicates motivation

Summary

Chapter Two: Trust

Body language that indicates distrust

How to use body language to make the class trust you

Mirroring: The key to someone’s trust

Body language that indicates trust

Summary

Chapter Three: Respect

Social Hierarchies

Body language that indicates disrespect

How to use body language to make the class respect you

Body language that indicates respect

Summary

Chapter Four: Effective Teaching

Body language that indicates disinterest

How to use body language to teach your students effectively

Body language that indicates interest

Summary

Closing thoughts

Sources

List of Figures

Deutsche Zusammenfassung der Thesis

What is body language and why is it important?

The body is the glove of our soul.

(Molcho, Körpersprache 20)

These words from Samy Molcho hold a lot of truth to it. Body language is the language everyone speaks. Regardless of nationality, race, looks or cultural background. Everybody speaks it, literally. But what exactly is it, and why is it important? Allan and Barbara Pease defined body language as following:

Body language is an outwards reflection of a person´s emotional condition. Each gesture or movement can be a valuable key to an emotion a person may be feeling at the time (Pease and Pease 11).

It is with our bodies that we express our innermost desires, and it is with our bodies that we communicate what we feel in the moment. As a matter of fact, the language of our body is more important than the voice of our tongue. It speaks louder than the verbal messages that are communicated and without it our words and sentences sound meaningless. The famous Psychologist Albert Mehrabian, which established the 7-38-55 Rule, proved this. The rule states the meaning in human communication is conveyed by 7% with our verbal content (words, sentences), by 38% with our tonality and by 55% with our body language (Mehrabian and Wiener 109-114). Over 50% of the meaning in our communication is being communicated by the language of our body. In fact, research shows that verbal communication is mainly used to carry information and data, whereas nonverbal communication is used to exchange the inner attitudes of the speakers (Pease and Pease 10). Not only does body language reveal the communicators feelings and thoughts, but it also has an influence on the person who receives the nonverbal messages, affecting how the receiver will act in the future. This can be clearly seen when comparing negotiations on phone and negotiations that are from person to person, both visible to each other, when communicating. Negotiations on phone are almost always won by the person with the better argument, but this is not the case when negotiating face-to-face (Pease and Pease 10), showing how much influence nonverbal signals can have in human communication.

For this reason alone, it is indispensable for teachers to know this language, because the knowledge of it gives deeper insight into the intentions and the meaning of verbal communication. For a teacher who wants to successfully lead the class, it is essential to communicate clearly and to listen and analyze the reactions and responses from your students correctly.

Of course, it could be said that the knowledge in this thesis can be exploited to manipulate your students into doing what you want from them. This thesis, however, should be used to gain greater insight into the communication between students and teachers, so that both sides can be successful in both learning and teaching.

As without, so within

Body language positions and emotions are linked to each other. The gestures you use have a direct influence on how you feel and how you might act. The crossed arms gesture is considered being a defensive position, taken on by people who do not want to be disturbed or approached. To engage in this gesture will cause the gesturer to feel defensive as well (Pease and Pease 36). Amy Cuddy, a leading social psychologist in the US, proved this theory with several experiments involving so-called Power Poses. The Power Poses were split in two groups, the high-power poses, and the low-power poses. High-power poses were expansive postures that took up a lot of space, whereas the low-power poses were postures that constricted the gesturer, taking as little space as possible. The Poses were held for two minutes by the subjects. Not only did the subjects, which engaged in the high-power poses, experience a 19% increase of their higher testosterone levels, no, their cortisol levels (stress hormone) dropped by 25% as well. Low-power pose subjects showed the opposite results, an 17% increase in cortisol and a 10% decrease in testosterone levels (Cuddy 205). In her book Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges, Cuddy came to the following conclusion:

Perhaps the most important and robust finding is that, as we showed in our experiments, by adopting expansive, open postures, we make ourselves feel better and more effective in several ways. We feel more powerful, confident, and assertive, less stressed and anxious, and happier and more optimistic (Cuddy 207).

Allan and Barbara Pease termed this relationship between body and mind the “Law of Cause and Effect” (Pease and Pease 305) and it is not only limited to postures. A simple smile, for example, held for a few minutes, activates parts of our brain that are responsible for happiness and joy (Pease and Pease 80), which makes us happy. Knowing about this effect gives the information following in the pages ahead, a new meaning. As you read about different postures, that signal different nonverbal messages, know, that they not only signal those messages, but that the gesturer feels these messages as well. If one of your students engages for example in a body position that signals aggression, the Law of Cause and Effect lets you know, that he also feels this signaled aggression he communicates with his body. Not only applies this to your students, no, it applies to you as a teacher as well. Knowing this, you can apply different body language positions in this thesis to motivate yourself, become more confident and mentally focused, and thus develop into a better teacher.

Reading the signs correctly

To analyze the body language of your students correctly, you can´t rely on only one body language signal. Crossed arms are almost always interpreted as a defensive gesture, but what is the rest of the body saying? Are the legs crossed too, and what about his face? Does the gesturer engage in mimics that signal sentiment, anger, or does it signal joy and happiness? In her book, You say more than you think Janine Driver describes how to analyze body language correctly.

All messages come in clusters that include posture, gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and more. Only by taking them all in and considering them as a unit, a single message cluster, will you get an accurate gauge of the person´s potential feelings and thoughts (Driver 23-24).

To make a correct interpretation of one’s inner attitude and feelings, you need at least three body language signs, that either followed each other or were done simultaneously (Pease and Pease 21). Doing this will prevent misinterpretations based on only one isolated gesture.

How to use body language to make your lessons a success

The aim of this thesis is to give teachers the right and applicable knowledge about body language to make their lessons a success. But what exactly is a successful lesson?

In this thesis, success and therefore a successful lesson is defined as following:

To communicate the subject matter in the most efficient and the most understandable way possible.

To ensure that the subject matter is presented in the most understandable way possible is mostly up to the teacher. He needs to know what he is talking about and must be able to communicate it in a way to make it understandable for everyone in the class. Besides the verbal communication, the nonverbal communication is also of importance in this aspect. Effective Teaching is the last body language chapter in this thesis, which is all about postures, mimics and gestures that make the verbal message more understandable and interesting.

To communicate the subject matter in the most efficient way possible is dependable on the teacher and the students. Both sides need to work together to make this happen. The students should engage in following behaviors:

They should be…

- engaged.
- interested.
- attentive.
- quiet.
- ready to put their hands up if a question gets asked.
- respectful towards you and their classmates.
- ready to ask for help.
- following your instructions and orders.
- productive (doing the best they can).
- ready to communicate if they have a problem with your behavior, teaching style, instruction etc.

There are many more actions the students should engage in, but all those behaviors could be summed up into three main ones. They should be motivated, they should trust the educator, and they should respect him. All other actions listed above derive from those three main behaviors. For this reason, Motivation, Trust and Respect are the other three body language chapters, which include postures, mimics, and gestures that the educator should use, so that the students respond with those three main behaviors or other positive behaviors deriving from them.

By using the information contained in the following chapters, the teacher can analyze, based on the student’s body language, if they engage in the desired behavior. If this is not the case, this thesis provides body language signs for the educator to use, that will cause students to respond with the desired behavior.

This is the reason why this thesis is split up into the four big chapters Motivation, Trust, Respect and Effective Teaching. The didactical purpose of each chapter will be explained in the following segment.

The four chapters

Motivation

Why a teacher would want a motivated class should be self-explanatory. Extrinsically motivated or intrinsically motivated, both carry various benefits with them for the educator and the students. Those who are more motivated, learn more intensely, produce higher quality work, and perform better on standardized tests and in classes (Hulleman and Hulleman). All this makes it understandably easier for the teacher to educate the class, in addition to experience more satisfaction, seeing the students accomplish their learning goals in an enthusiastic manner.

Oftentimes, however, it seems to be the topic or the activities at hand, that causes the class to be motivated and engaging. Some subjects and tasks appear to have the special ability to spark interest and to catch the student’s attention. The absence of those special topics makes it therefore easier for the teacher to formulate excuses, if the lesson didn’t go well, leaving the educator with a group of unmotivated students. This believe, however, is not true. In her book Motivating Students To Learn Kathryn R. Wentzel had following to say about this:

In reality, people generate intrinsic motivation; it is not somehow built into topics or tasks. When we are intrinsically motivated, we do something not for its sake but for our sake- because doing so provides us with enjoyable stimulation or satisfaction (Wentzel 121).

Consequently, it is not the subject matter at hand, or the activities, planned for the lesson, that cause students to be engaging and motivated. Nevertheless, the students are not the only ones to blame for unmotivated behavior. It is mainly the educator who is responsible for student engagement. The more motivated and enthusiastic a teacher is, the more motivated and enthusiastic the students become. This was highlighted by a study conducted under the supervision of Professor Qin Zhang, teaching at Fairfield University. In this study students were asked to rate their teachers’ level of enthusiasm followed by an assessment of their own motivation during the lesson. Results showed a clear correlation between the educator´s and the students’ level of enthusiasm, thus proofing the teachers behavioral influence on the class (Zhang). This behavioral influence did not limit itself to correlating behavior from the students, but even affected the students cognitive and emotional activity. Another result coming from this study, was the teachers influence on the student´s intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation, being behavior driven from internal rewards, originating from the individual (Wentzel 6) and extrinsic motivation being behavior driven from external rewards, originating from the external world (Wentzel 5). Interestingly the educators motivated behavior sparked and increased the student’s intrinsic motivation. Their extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, did not increase, indicating that external rewards are not necessary for student motivation if the educator models enthusiastic and motivated behavior.

Observing how much influence the educator has with his/her motivated behavior, gives an earnest purpose to the appropriation of a body language that communicates an enthusiastic and energetic attitude. Motivation is therefore one of the four main behaviors aimed at, to ensure a successful lesson, with the application of the postures, mimics, and gestures, included in the Motivation chapter.

Trust

To be trustworthy as a teacher is one of the few characteristics that promote a positive teacher-student relationship besides friendliness, humor, patience, kindness, caring, understanding, compassion and fairness (Bear 25). It not only encourages a positive relationship with your students, but it also promotes behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement, so the students develop positive feelings towards school (Bear 12).

When trust is formed between teacher and students, the teacher finds himself/herself to have an easier experience when teaching. Students that have a sense of security through their relationship with the teacher, show higher levels of self-efficacy, self-confidence, are more engaged in the lesson and are less likely to break the rules that have been established by the educator (Bear 17).

If, however, trust between the teacher and students is absent and the students don’t feel safe nor supported in the educator's presence, they are reluctant to take learning opportunities and are not as capable to deal with the challenges that come with the school environment (Bear 22).

Another reason to prioritize the development of trust between teacher and students is the premise of the Attachment theory. This theory states, that children and even teenagers build internal working models of attachment, according to the behavior that has been enacted upon them by their parents and caregivers (Bear 17). These models of attachment establish how the students will relate to other people, how dependent or independent they are from them, and how safe they feel while interacting with them. This implies that the relationship the teacher has with his/her students has a long-term impact on the quality of the students’ relationships that follow later in life (Bear 17).

Even though this theory was originally intended to underline the impact of the parent’s behavior towards their children in infancy, it now also includes the behavior educators have towards their students and not only young students but students of all ages (Bear 17).

Seeing how much of an impact the development of trust between the teacher and his/her students can have, should not only be an incentive, but an urging reason to establish a connection to the class that includes trust and security. This development is not only bound to verbal communication, but to the nonverbal communication as well. Therefore, trust is one of the four main behaviors, this thesis is aiming at through the application of the postures, mimics, and gestures described in the pages ahead.

Respect

Respect and Trust are both incredibly important, even when they seem to conflict with each other. Trust demands a friendly and positive relationship between teachers and students (Craig), whereas respect results in establishing a clear social hierarchy in the classroom, with the teacher placed on top of it. Still, both are needed to make a teacher not only a good teacher, but also a good leader. This need for trust and respect in a leader was described as following in the book Leadership Presence:

When we judge others -especially our leaders- we look first at two characteristics: how lovable they are (their warmth, communion, or trustworthiness) and how fearsome they are (their strength, agency, or competence) …. Why are these traits so important? Because they answer two critical questions. “What are this person´s intensions towards me?” and “Is he or she capable of acting on those intensions?” (Beeson, Su and Rebecca 37-38).

Whereas this paragraph is rather aimed at leaders in the business world, research has shown that this applies to educators as well. However, to establish a relationship that demands respect is not only benefiting the educator, no, it is also benefits the class. Students want a teacher that enforces clear limits and norms of behavior in the classroom (Wentzel 201). Not only do students view this as a duty, the teacher must fulfill, but they also regard this behavior as a sign that the teacher cares for them (Wentzel 201).

Another reason why respect is needed in the classroom is the students desire for a dependable, predictable, and consistent structure (Wentzel 200).

A dependable classroom structure provides students with the information and assistance they need to enable them to learn successfully (Wentzel 200).

Only when establishing a relationship of respect, the social structure existing in the classroom, remains stable. Respect is a determinant of social status. The higher the respect allocated to a person, the higher the social status, this person holds (Anderson, Hildreth und Howland, Is the Desire for Status a Fundamental Human Motive? A Review of the Empirical Literature 574-601). To ensure the social structure is stable, the educator must make certain that he/she is and stays on top of the social structure. This is done by using body language that causes the students to identify the teacher as a person worthy of respect and thus of higher social status.

If the educator cannot keep and defend his social status from the class, the educator will not be successful in teaching the students but will be interrupted and not taken seriously¹. Should this scenario take place, the students' need for a stable structure cannot be satisfied.

Seeing what the absence of respect can cause in the classroom makes it a necessity for every teacher to be respected by the class. It is also because of this, that this thesis aims at respect as one of the four main behaviors, by the application of the postures, gestures, and mimics in the Respect chapter.

Effective Teaching

Teachers need to know how to use body language to present the information in an understandable and interesting way. As already mentioned, the meaning in our communication is conveyed by over 50% through body language². Therefore, the teachers use of different body postures, gestures, and mimics has a significant impact on how the students comprehend what was verbally communicated.

Jacob Kounin brought light to this aspect of teaching with his findings regarding effective teachers. According to Kounin effective teachers share five qualities that result in students being engaged while abstaining from behaviors that could cause problems in the classroom. These qualities are Withitness, Overlapping, Momentum, Smoothness and Group alerting (Bear 68-69). Smoothness and Momentum, however, focus on the educator’s ability to present the subject. According to Kounin these two qualities are defined as following:

Momentum: -teachers presenting lessons at a quick pace, while soliciting frequent responding from students. This also refers to teachers minimizing interruptions and helping ensure brief and efficient transitions between lessons and activities. Smoothness: -teachers presenting lessons at an even flow, free from interruptions (Bear 69).

To present the subject well is essential to being an effective teacher, seeing how much emphasize is placed on it according to Kounin. One could argue that those two qualities only refer to the verbal communication, the educator engages in. Taking the 7-38-55 Rule into account, however, makes this argument invalid. The nonverbal communication plays a vital part in the presentation of the subject. For this reason, this thesis provides postures, mimics and gestures, that make the nonverbal communication of the subject clearer and easier to understand.

Structure of this thesis

Since there are four main behaviors that are needed from your students to make your lessons a success, this thesis is split up into four main chapters. Each chapter is about one of the four behaviors. Furthermore, every chapter is also split up into three separate segments. The segments have the same purpose in every chapter which is summarized as following:

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Chapter One: Motivation

Body language that indicates demotivation

Postures

Slouched back

A slouched back is in general a sign of tiredness, boredom, and lack of motivation (Wezowski and Wezowski 129). If your students are interested and want to engage with you, they will not slouch their back. Attention and engagement are done with an energetic attitude, meaning your students would take on a stable seating position and a rather straight posture (Wezowski and Wezowski 129). A slouched back, on the other hand, will appear when demotivation is felt in the class.

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Figure 1: Slouched back

Feet pointed to the door

The feet have a lot the say about where the mind is going (Pease and Pease 209). Most of the time the gesturer, as well as the observer, is focused on the upper body. What both don’t have in mind is the lower body and especially the feet. Where the feet are pointed to the mental focus is pointed towards as well. When observing that the feet of your students point towards the door (Baier 107), or in any other direction, you know that your students don’t focus on what you have to say. They are not interested and probably bored with what you have to say.

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Figure 2: This student has the desire to go.

Raised/angled feet

Feet that are constantly raised, touching the ground only with the toe area of the shoe signals the desire to go (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 169;171). The feet are brought already into position to move out of the situation the person is in.

Mimics

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Figure 3: Raised and angled feet

Zoning out

Zoning out can manifest itself in different mindless behaviors. The body tends to engage in small rhythmic, repeated movements like hair curling, lip chewing, or staring into the distance (Raypole). What it should tell you is that your students are on autopilot and completely out. Zoning out is in general not bad at all and considered to be a healthy brain function (Raypole) but it does not promote motivated behavior and hinders engagement in the lesson.

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Figure 4: Zoned out

Eye rolling

Rolling the eyes upwards, usually moving them from one side to the other is generally interpreted as a sign of silent aggression and disagreement (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 37). It is done by people who are not satisfied with their situation but not speaking up about it. Your students are annoyed and not engaged.

Sad facial expression

A mouth that is pulled downwards by each end and the inner edges of the eyebrows raised signals emotions of sadness or depression (Wezowski and Wezowski 189). It also communicates discouragement and dissatisfaction with the current situation.

Gestures

Partial Shrugging

Observing your students partially shrug after you asked them a question is a nonverbal signal of “Whatever” or “I don’t care”. Shrugging can have different meanings in different contexts but to partially shrug oftentimes communicates insecurity and lack of commitment (Navarro, What every body is saying 105).

Negative Evaluation

This gesture will appear several times in this thesis, making it a gesture that can appear in different scenarios. It appears, however, only when to communicate a negative message to the observer. The head is supported by the thumb, while the index finger points upward along the cheek, oftentimes rubbing the skin at the eye area. Usually, this gesture is accompanied by a facial expression of critical questioning, nearly closing the eyes (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 40-41). The gesturer does not agree with has been said (Pease and Pease 156-157).

Head resting on hand

If the head is resting on the head, not just leaning on it but placed on the hand with most of its weight, the gesturer is signaling boredom (Baier 101). What you are saying as a teacher is not interesting enough thus demotivating your students to engage in your lesson. This gesture appears mostly during meetings in the morning ranging from business meetings to early school lessons.

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Figure 5: Boredom has set in.

How to use body language to motivate your class

Postures

Upright posture

An upright posture signals strength and confidence. It communicates “I got no burden to carry!” and lets the observer know that the gesturer is mentally and physically in top form (Molcho, Alles über Körpersprache 173). Stress and anxiety, on the other hand, tense up the neck and the shoulders, making the gesturer slouch his back. If you want to motivate your students, you have to be motivated yourself, or at least seem motivated, which is partially done by straightening up your posture. Put your chest out and pull your shoulders back.

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Figure 6: Straight Posture

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Figure 7: The chest is pushed out and the shoulders pulled back.

Walk back and forth

Initiate motivation by walking up to your students. This wakes them up and allows them to imitate your movement (Baier 67), which in turn gets them to move. If you want to make it more effective you can break into their personal space³ for a few seconds so that they give you their attention.

Indicate steps

Indicate steps by raising one of your legs. Instead of placing it in front of your body, you place it back to the position your leg was before raising it. Indicated steps display readiness which helps to inspire physical and mental movement in others (Baier 68).

Up and down movement

Use your legs to move your body up and down (Baier 67). This can be done by lowering your body using your knees. Slightly bend your knees for a few seconds to initiate a down movement. The up movement can be done by tiptoeing for a moment. These two body movements display quickness, readiness, and enthusiasm which are incredibly good for motivating others. They can also be used to emphasize words or phrases that are important for your lesson.

Mimics

Make Eye Contact

Only when making eye contact real communication can exist (Pease and Pease 175). Avoidance of eye contact signals weakness, fear, distrust, and a lower social status (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 30-31). If you want to motivate your students it is highly important to address them with your eyes, signaling that what you are talking about is important and needs to be heard. To make sure you look at everybody in your classroom, choose a few students that are seated all over the room, as the people you look at in a repeated manner (Pease and Pease 189). When looking at them the students seated around them will have the impression you are addressing them with your eyes too, making it thus easier for you to make eye contact with all your students.

Wink

Winking should only be used with caution. It is a class full of teenagers you are dealing with as a teacher. Winking is considered a body movement you use in response to your friends (Wezowski and Wezowski 157). As a teacher, you should be careful of becoming friends with your students, but you can use the wink if you don’t overdo it. Use it in front of the whole class, so everybody gets addressed with the gesture. Winking catches the attention of your listeners (Baier 64), considering it is not a body movement that is done frequently in everyday life. Therefore, it is a good strategy to gain the attention of your students and increase their movement which will result in motivating them.

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Figure 8: The wink

Change your mood

Change your facial expressions quickly. Go from a smiling face to a serious one and back to your smile. Those quick facial changes will confuse your students and interrupt their behavioral patterns (Baier 64). They will try to imitate you to stabilize their pattern resulting in them smiling as well. With those quick changes, you can transform frowning students into smiling students. Those changes will not only affect their physical appearance but as well their emotional state because our body postures influence our emotions (Pease and Pease 35). Smiling is connected to positive emotions like joy or happiness (Pease and Pease 69)which means, that your students will get a positive emotional boost when smiling which motivates them.

Gestures

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Figure 9: The mood change in three pictures.

Rubbing your palms together

Imagine this: it is a beautiful Saturday morning, the warm sunlight scatters through your bedroom window and you hear the birds sing their melodies as they fly towards the sky. Your doorbell rings and you go to open it. It is one of your best friends, grinning from one end to the other, there to pick you up with his car, for your long-planned road trip to Berlin.

“Are you ready?” he asks in a joyful tone.

“You bet I am!” is your answer.

“I expected nothing else,” says your friend as he quickly rubs his palms together.

Non-verbally your friend just told you how excited he was about that trip and how high his expectations are. Rubbing your palms together is a sign of positive expectation (Pease and Pease 129), it shows excitement, enthusiasm, and positive anticipation.

Observe the hungry person sitting in front of a steaming pizza package as she rubs her palms together with the positive expectation to eat delicious Italian food, the man watching the lottery winning numbers on live television rubs his hands together in hope of winning a huge sum of money and the artist at his reveal ceremony rubs his palms together in expectation of big eyes and big compliments that would make every man blush.

By rubbing your palms together in front of the class you signal excitement which will catch their attention and in turn gets them motivated and interested in what you have to say next. Yes, rubbing your palms together is not hard to explain, but there is a catch to it, and you have to be careful how fast/slow you do it.

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Figure 10: The hand Rub signals positive expectation, but the pace makes the difference.

Don’t be slow

The speed of the palm rub shows who the gesturer assumes will get the benefit. If your hand rub is fast, you signal that the person or group of people you are addressing will benefit (Pease and Pease 130). If you rub them slowly you signal that you, the gesturer, will benefit. So, rub your palms together quickly if you want the class to think that something positive will come their way that they get excited and motivated. The slower the hand rub, the more scheming and calculated you seem (Pease and Pease 129) as if you have something planned for the person you address that is not in their best interest but will benefit you. Villains often used this gesture in silent films to show their malicious intent towards the protagonist of the story.

Spread your arms

There is a scene in the movie “The Wolf of Wall Street” in which Leonardo Di Caprio is holding a speech in front of an enormous group of people (Marketing). It’s his entire workforce he is talking to in a wide office space, filled with people in all kinds of suits and shirts. They all just look at him as he is speaking to them. It’s a motivational talk Leo is holding, intending to make more profit and move more product. He gets his staff riled up and after a few minutes the entire crowd is cheering as Di Caprio gives the performance of his lifetime. At the end of his speech, he just faces the crowd with his arms wide open, spread to their physical limit as his workers go nuts.

Spreading your arms makes you vulnerable because it is exposing your vital organs. That’s why people who are nervous or anxious cross their arms in various ways to protect themselves (Wezowski and Wezowski 88). When you spread your arms, you signal strength and fearlessness, especially when you do it in front of a group of people, not only one person (Chris, Nonverbal body language dictionary). This sign of courage catches the attention of your observers, not only because you show courage but also because you appear bigger. This gesture will wake your students up and gives you the opportunity to get them engaged (Chris, Nonverbal body language dictionary).

How to spread your arms

Spread your arms as you address your students. As you address them, take a few steps towards them and spread your arms. This gesture shouldn’t be used too often, as it is very confrontational.

Clench your fist

When you clench your fist, you signal to your observers that you have strength and power (Baier 65). Yes, it can be interpreted as aggressive or as if you are about to lose your control, but this also depends on how you hold your fist and other gestures and mimics you use while clenching. If you are for example gritting your teeth while holding up your fist it will be interpreted as a signal of rage and aggression. To not look like a maniac who has lost his cool you should focus on your fist position.

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Figure 12: Using the fist, to motivate the class.

Use your fist as your “side kick”

When clenching your fist, don’t make it the focus of your body language. Use it but don’t hold it in front of your body for everyone to focus on it. Clench your fist facing the floor or the side of your body, never clench it at somebody in the class as this could look too intense (Wezowski and Wezowski 135) and does not evoke motivation in your students, but it evokes fear or anxiety.

Body language that indicates motivation

Postures

Seated Readiness

This posture with the forward leaning upper body, the one angled foot while the other is placed firmly on the ground undoubtedly resembles the position of a 100-meter sprinter just before he is about to take off. Combined with one elbow resting on the leg while the other arm places the hand firmly on the knee of the other leg, completes this sign of readiness (Pease and Pease 248). It firmly screams, “I can take off!”. If you see this posture taken on by your students, you know you did an outstanding job motivating them.

Palms placed on the knees

This posture is similar to the previous one and also signals readiness for action. The difference between both postures is the positioning of the hands. In this posture both palms are placed on the knees and both feet are placed firmly on the ground, making this posture not as intense as the first one. It clearly signals the desire for action and should tell you that your students are ready to do their tasks (Pease and Pease 249). Yes, they are motivated, but it has to be noted that this posture, and the previous one as well, signal the need for action. Your students don’t want to listen anymore, they want to implement and do.

Leaning forward

With the seated upper body leaned forward, your students show you got their attention (Rouse 72). If you see most your class, take part in a posture that is directed to you, meaning they are leaning their body towards you, you can be confident that they are interest and mentally engaged in what you have to say to them. Forward leaning postures show not only you that the gesturer is interested in the content of your verbal communication, no, it also suggests the willingness to partner with you and your message (Rouse 72), going along with the goal you set out for them. Overall, it is a posture you want to see if it is your goal to motivate your class.

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Figure 15: Leaning forward

Happy feet

Feet that bounce up and down show that the gesturer is happy, energized, and confident (Chris, Nonverbal body language dictionary). The feet are the best way to interpret the feelings and intentions of people as already mentioned before (Sentürk 91). Paying attention to the feet makes it thus easier to detect what their true intentions are. “I´m very happy and satisfied with the circumstances surrounding me.” is the message happy feet are conveying (Chris, Nonverbal body language dictionary). If you see this done repeatedly by your students you know that they are not bored anymore, but energized and happy about the lecture you are giving.

Mimics

Smiling

A smile is the best mimic to convey happiness and sympathy (Sentürk 62). But it not only signals that the gesturer is in a good mood, but it also signifies to the observer that the gesturer is satisfied with the circumstances he is surrounded by, which would be in this case, the lecture you are holding. Seeing your students smile, after you used your body language to motivate them, signals to you they will engage with you and the lesson you are giving.

Repeated nodding

Nodding is regarded as a sign of agreement (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 13). Seeing the head nod being used by your students while you use your body language to motivate them signals that they are conform with your verbal messaging. Doing the head nod quickly, however, signals impatience (Pease and Pease 231), saying “Hurry up” or “Get moving”. If you see your student nodding quickly, you know they are impatient and want to move on.

Eye Widening

This should not be confused with widened pupils or dilating pupils. What is meant with widened eyes is eyes that are opened wider than usual. Humans usually widen their eyes if they see something that they are attracted to, or that catches their interest. Therefore, widened eyes are usually used in romantic relationships or the attempt to attract a person one is romantically attracted to (Wezowski and Wezowski 153). But in the classroom's context widened eyes usually have a different meaning if they are directed at the teacher and not another student. They signal you got their attention and their interest (Wezowski and Wezowski 155) regarding to the message of your verbal communication.

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Figure 16: Accompanied with the Chin Stroke, the widened eyes show interest.

Gestures

Rubbing Palms together

As already said in the previous chapter, rubbing one’s palms together, signals positive expectation (Pease nd Pease 128-129). If you see your students using this gesture, you convinced them through your body language that this lesson will be a positive experience for them, giving them a reason to engage with you and your verbal communication. As previously noted, you need to pay attention to the speed of the palm-rub. If done slowly, your students feel like they are benefiting from the upcoming positive experience the most.

Positive Evaluation

Positive Evaluation can be seen if the head of a person is supported by a closed hand, with the index finger pointing upwards along the cheek. You caught the attention of the person and they are evaluating your lesson positively (Pease and Pease 156), meaning they will follow your orders more likely and with less resistance. This positive gesture can spin into a negative one. Boredom sets in when seeing the person using their hand as the main resting place for their head, not supporting the head but holding it up.

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Figure 17: Positive Evaluation.

Finger spreading/ Thumb distancing

When humans feel confident, the space between their fingers grows bigger and bigger, taking more space (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 129). Usually this takes places when the hands are placed on the surface of an object. Seeing this small, but significant behavior in your students, is a sign that you were successful in motivating them. The class gained confidence and is ready for action (Navarro, Psychology Today).

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Figure 18: This student is confident. Seeing this gesture after motivating the class, can be interpreted as a sign of motivation.

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Chapter Two: Trust

Body language that indicates distrust

Postures

Distancing

Distancing usually appears when the gesturer does not trust the other person yet or does not have rapport with her (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 147). This can be seen in talk shows or debates. In the classroom Distancing manifests itself when the students lean back or push their chair back.

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Figure 19: Distancing

Freezing

People undergoing high amounts of stress freeze or tense up (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 149). This manifests itself in postures that do not change for long periods of time, often accompanied with raised shoulders and clenched fists. Students engaging in this body position do not trust their educator and are experiencing discomfort.

Crossed arm positions…

Crossed arms are almost always regarded as a sign of defensiveness, which is not always true (Havener 59; Sentürk 64). Sometimes people cross their arms, only because it’s a comfortable position to put the arms in. This can be the case If the person crossing his or her arms does it with their hands being open and relaxed. The following postures will reveal crossed arms positions that signal distrust.

…with fists

When you see your students frequently crossing their arms while having their hands clenched to fists you can be sure that they do not trust you. This gesture signals either aggression or defensiveness. One or the other, it signals their distrust. Observing this gesture going from relaxed hands to balled fists shows a development in the mental state of the gesturer as well. Their negative feelings towards you became more intense, thus the forming of fists (Wezowski and Wezowski 90).

…with gripping the arms

Gripping both arms while crossing them signals that the gesturer seeks comfort. It is a way of hugging oneself, seeking the comfort of a hug given by oneself. It also shows that the there is tension building up in the person doing it, making it less likely for the person to open up (Wezowski and Wezowski 90-91). If this is done regularly in the classroom, your students are not comfortable.

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Figure 20: Crossed arms with fists and crossed arms with gripping the arms

Hugging oneself

This gesture is like the previous one but not as noticeable and can be considered as a lighter form of the double arm grip. Gripping one arm with the hand of the other arm is also a sign of comfort seeking and defensiveness as it imitates a hug, telling you as an observer that they do not trust you (Pease and Pease 99). It can be said that women are usually more likely to take on this arm position. Men are more likely to take on the following gesture when trying to be defensive.

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Figure 21: Seated self- hugging

Broken Zipper Position

Holding your own hand in front of your crotch is used as a defensive gesture (Pease and Pease 100). It is like the feeling of holding someone’s hand, creating a feeling of security and comfort. Students who sit in front of you taking on the Broken Zipper Position signal the need for security, thus showing they don’t trust you.

Mimics

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Figure 22: Seated Broken Zipper position

Frequent squinting and squinted eyes

Negative emotions make the human body tense up (Navarro, What every body is saying 167). It includes feelings like distrust and fear and with that they too have the same impact on the body. Distrust and fear towards you can be manifested by repeated squinting in your presence or even a face with eyes not fully opened (Navarro, What every body is saying 173). It should be noted that this gesture can be easily misread and should be read besides other body language signs.

Askance look

Faces that do not align with the direction of their eyes, reveal an attitude of distrust towards the person they are looking at (Navarro, What every body is saying 185). It signifies that the gesturer does not trust you to a level where he can show you his full face, making himself vulnerable and detectable. He/ She engaging in this mimic is trying to hide from you while still having their eyes on you as you are a source of discomfort to them.

Disappearing Lips

Also stemming from the tension the body experiences when negative feelings arise, compressed or sucked in lips show the gesturer is having a negative experience (Navarro, The dictionary of body language 72). Disappearing lips are almost always a reaction to the current moment, meaning that the gesturer is under stress. One can observe disappearing lips in court rooms during interrogations and even classrooms in which an exam is being held.

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Figure 23: Askance look Gestures

[...]

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¹ It is known.

² Chapter: What is body language and why is it important?

³ This topic is detailed in the Trust Chapter.