Gestures, facial expressions, pose, motion

Gestures, facial expressions, pose, and motion are important parts of our communication and should therefore be utilised in a targeted way during teaching.

From a communicative point of view, body language should be used to stress and modify what is said; but bodily expressions always play a role in how the students view the lecturer and their attitude to what s/he teaches.

Furthermore, body language contributes to creating a feeling of presence and attentiveness. Thus, it strengthens the positive learning atmosphere, and positive emotions are very important for a successful learning experience.

Finally, body language is important to attract the students’ attention: It is maintained and supported through constant variation.

See also ‘The language of the teacher: Language is important’ and the video ‘The body and the voice in the classroom’.