Tema 2: La comunicación en la clase de lengua extranjera: comunicación verbal y no verbal.

Estrategias extra-lingüísticas:
reacciones no verbales a mensajes en diferentes contextos.

TOPIC 2. COMMUNICATION IN THE FL CLASS: VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION. EXTRALINGUISTIC STRATEGIES: NON-VERBAL REACTIONS TO
MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.

0. INTRODUCTION.

1. COMMUNICATION IN THE FL CLASS: VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION.

1.1. COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREING LANGUAGE CLASS.

1.2. VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

1.3. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

2. EXTRALINGUISTIC STRATEGIES: NON-VERBAL REACTIONS TO MESSAGES IN

DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.

3. CONCLUSION.

4. BIBLIOGRAPHY.
0. INTRODUCCION.

I would like to start by saying that the main goal in the teaching of a foreing language in
primary education, according to the Corriculum, is the development of the keys
competences, specially the communicative competence, including the verbal and non-verbal
communication. It is stated in our legislation, concretely in the Real Decree 126/14 28th of
February and in the Order of 17th March, 2015. In others words, we need students who can
use the language like a vehicule to learn and to express their thinking, emotions, states and to
speak in different context using oral laguage and writing language.

On the one hand we must know how the students learn: cognitive aspects, social aspects and
physical aspects. On the other hand we must know how the language is organiced: sender,
receiver, code… and how the language is used in different contexts to improve the verbal and
non-verbal communication.

In this line, the language is a mean to transmit knowledge and to integrate in the society.
Learning to express using verbal and nonverbal communication, in a second language, is
probably the most fundamental step in education because is the basis for future access to the
globalised world.

Finally, in this paper, we are going to considerer the main characteristics of verbal and non
verbal communication. We are going to define the elemnts in a cummunicative situation, the
funcionality of the language and the importance of the context using our reality to learn.
1. COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREING LANGUAGE CLASS: VERBAL AND NON-
VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

1.1. Communication in the foreing language class.

We must consider that our State Legislation and our Autonomous Community Legislation
stablishing the mínimum teaching requierements for Primary Education, include the
knowladge of a foreign language and the development of a basic communicative
competence incluiding the verbal and non-verbal communication abilities.

According with Jakobson (1980) the communication is the understanding which occurs
between humans through linguistic and nonlinguistic means like gestures, mimicry and voice.
In others Word, the communicative acts ae composed of two broad dimensions: verbal and
non-verbal. In this sense, our principal aims must be to improve the communication abilities
using the verbal communication and non-verbal communication in our activities and in our
class.

Nowadays, teachers should prepare students for real communication in English and teachers
should prepare different activities having in the nature of communication according with
Cameron (2006):

 Grammatical competence: it refers to grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

 Discourse competence: chorence when speaking/writing.

 Sociolinguistic competence: the apropaite use of the language into acount the
context.

 Strategig competence: verbal and non-verbal strategies to communicate more

effectively (learning to learn).

 Socio-cultural: taking into account social and cultural context.

1.2. Verbal communication.

The importance of the verbal communication in foreign language is stressed in the Official
Curriculum, concretaly in the Order of 17 th of March (2015). According with Official
Curriculum, the oral communication is a process between the speakers and the listener that
teachers must to practice every day in the class taking into account that the class is a artificial
enviroment for learning and using a foreign language. For these reason teachers should plan
oral communicative activities attending this aspects, according with Littlewood (2009):

 Introduce simulations. For instance: shopping.

 Make real questions about the real life.
 Use the Reciting and singing: songs provide cultural elements and new vocabulary.
 Introduce the role play: students pretend they are some in else in a certeain situation.
 Practice with problem-solving: games and problems are communicative and
motivating.
  Explain personal experiences and familiars esperineces.
 Use the communicative games: the students use the language in motivating context.

Nowadays, in the verbal communcatinon the role of the teacher must be:

 Informant: teachers must select the language to be learn and they must present it in a
clear and memorable way.
 Facilitador: teachers must facility communication between students and between
teachers and students.
 Participant: teachers must facile that all students participate in the activities.
 Monitor: teachers must be a guide.

Finally, according with different authors, the domain of verbal communication contribute to
develop the communicative competence, the sociolinguistic competence and the
sociocultural competence. For these reason is very important to introduce the new
technologies in the foreign language class, aposting for a responsable use.

1.3. Non-verbal communication.

The importance of the non-verbal communication in foreign language is stressed in the

Official Curriculum, concretaly in the Order of 17 th of March (2015). According with Official
Curriculum and authors like Newton (2009), the non-verbal communication is used to refer
to paralinguistic expressions and body language in oral interaction between two o more
persons.

On the one hand, the non verbal communication presents some specific characteristics:

 Sometime nonverbal communication is more effective, particularly at early stages of

foreign language.

 Nonverbal messages tend to be powerful and clear, especially in situations in which

the learners wants to communicate feelings.

 Some features of nonverbal communication are universal.

 Nonverbal signs are more spontaneous that words and are difficult to manipulate.

 Nonverbal sings are complementary and neccesary to understand expresss complex.

On the other hand, the nonverbal communication have differents components that teachers
must know and practice with their students:

 Signals: a signal can be defined as an indicator that involves communicative meaning.

 Signs: a sign is a natural representation of an event or an act.

 The use of gestures and body language in communicative situations.

  Facial expressions: the facial expressions help the students to understand the
dialogue.

 Eye contact: it is an important factor that teacher must teach in ghe class.

Finally, according with different authors, the domain of non-verbal communication contribute
to develop the communicative competence, the sociolinguistic competence and the
sociocultural competence. For these reason is very important to introduce the drama in the
foreign language class (learning by imagined reality).

2. EXTRALINGUISTIC STRATEGIES: NON-VERBAL REACTIONS TO MESSAGES IN

DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.

As we have already said, non-verbal language must be treated along with linguistic skills and
abilities in an integrated way, according to the student's communicative needs and cognitive
development.

To develop the extralinguistic skills is very important to respect the silent period in our
students. In this period our students reception and non production. Non-verbal language can
help learners in this period using gestures, eyes contact, movements, etc. In adiction, we need
considerer that:

 The students need all the tools and strategies available to understand and produce
language.

 The students have solid experience with the non-verbal communication in their
mother tongue. In this sense, they can use and interpret some gestures and facial
expressions to communicate.

On the one hand, it is very important to develop motor activities associated with
extralinguistics abilities. In this case, the students must practice non-verbal reactions to
messages in different context using role-plays, interviews or simulations. According with
Pecks (2006) the total physical response (TPR) is the best method to practice non-verbal
reactions to messages in different context.

On the other hand, there are different pedagogical reasons to use and practice
extralinguistics estrategias:

 Oral understanding precedes oral producction.

 Non-verbal answer reduce anxiety and the students learn more.
 Nonverbal reactions are important in the communication process.

In adicction, we do not forget to develop communicative situations in which students will

understand the message but his/her answer will not be verbal. For example:

 Physical responses to commands. Classroom instructions.

  Physical response to the lyrics of songs.
 Responding to instructions with drawings.
 Responding to instructions to build something.
 Pointing out.
 Miming a story while listening, by using gestures or body language.

To finally, we must forget that the classroom is an artificial enviroment for learning and usig a
foreign language but it is where the students and teachers pass more time. Due to this reality,
teachers must practice the non verbal reactions to different messages ussing the role play in
different school´s spaces.

3. CONCLUSION.

As we know, communicative competence is the ultimate goal of our educational system, as it

is stated in our legislation. In this topic, we have analyzed the importance of the
communication in the foreign language class: verbal and non-verberbal communication and
we have defended that it is very important to students to practice the non-verbal
communication due to, non-verbal communication is the principal form to communicate
when the students are learning.. Movements, eyes contact, social space… are the principle of
the communication. In this sense, schools and teachers must teach these abilities. The best
form to practice the extralinguistic elements to the langue, as we have said, is using the total
physical response. In this method, studens must practice non-verbal reactions to messages in
different context.

Finally, i would like to said that the class is not the only space to develop the communication
in the foreign language. Teachers must use the different rooms or spaces to develop the
verbal and non-verbal communication using drama, role plays, songs, videos and the ICT,
which can help to develop the communicative competence.

4. BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Cameron, L. “Teaching languages to Young learners” Cambridge University Press 2001.

 Jacobson, M. H. “Fundamentals of language”. California. Mouton and Company 1980.
 Littlewood, W. “Communicative language teaching. An introducction” Cambridge
University Press. 1981
 Newton, J. “Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and speaking” Routledge. Taylor Group. 2009
 Pecks, S. “Developing children´s listening and speaking in ESL” in “Develop English as a
Second or Foreign Language. Celce-Murcia. Heinle and Heinle. 2006

Legislation
 Law for the Improvement of Quality in Education (LOMCE, 8/2013), of December, 9.
 Royal Decree 126/2014, of February 28, which establishes the basic curriculum of
Primary Educ.
 Law 17 on Education in Andalusia (LEA/2007), of December 10.
 Decree 328/2010, of July 13, which establishes the Basic Norms for early education
centres of the second cycle, Primary schools, early education and primary schools and
public centres for special education.
 Decree 97/2015, of March, 3, which establishes the organization and curriculum of
Primary Education in the Autonomous Region of Andalusia.
 Order of 17th March, 2015, which develops the curriculum of Primary Ed. in Andalusia.
 Order of 4th November, 2015, which establishes the evaluation for Primary Ed. in
Andalusia.
 Order of the 25th of July, 2008, which regulates attention to diversity of students in basic
education in public schools in Andalusia.

TOPIC 2. COMMUNICATION IN THE FL CLASS: VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION. EXTRALINGUISTIC STRATEGIES: NON-VERBAL REACTIONS TO
MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
 0. INTRODUCTION.
- I would like to star by saying that the main goal in the teaching of a foreing language
according to the current legislation is the development of the keys competencies.
- According with the Real Decree 126/14 28th of February and the Order of 17th March
(2015) we need students who use the language like a vehicle to learn and express…
- Language is a mean to transmit knowledge and it is way to integrate in the society.
- Finally, we are going to considerer the main characteristics of verbal an non-verbal
communication. We are going to define the elements of the communication, the
functionality of the language and the importance of the context using our reality to learn.

1. COMMUNICATION IN THE FL CLASS: VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL

COMMUNICATION.

1.1. COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREING LENGUAGE CLASS.

- The current educational legislation stated that the main aid in Primary school is the
development of the basic communicative competences including the verbal an non-verbal
communication abilities.
- According to Jacobson, M. (1980) the communication is composed of two broad
dimensions: verbal and non-verbal communication which the school must develop in the
foreign language class.
- Verbal and non-verbal communication have de same importance to develop de keys
competence.
- Nowadays teachers should prepare students for real communication in English and
teachers should prepare different activities respecting this principles, according with
Cameron (2006): grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociolinguistic
competence, strategic competence and sociocultural competence.

1.2. VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

- The importance of the verbal communication is stressed in the Official Curriculum,
concretely in the Order of 17th March (2015). The verbal communication is a process and it
must practice in class every day in a natural context or using the role play.
- The class is a artificial environment, for this reason teachers must include different
activities, games… to practice de verbal communication.
- According with Littlewood (2009) teachers should design a oral communicative plan
activities attending this aspects:
- Introduce simulation: role play. Make real questions about the real life. Use the reciting and
singing. Practice with problem-solving. Explain personal experiences. Use the
communicative games.
- The role of the teacher to develop the verbal communication of the students must be:
informant, facilitator, participant, and monitor.
- Finally, the domain of the verbal communication contributes to develop the
communicative competence and the sociolinguistic competence. It is very important to
introduce de new technologies in the class.
1.3. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
- The importance of the verbal communication is stressed in the Official Curriculum,
concretely in the Order of 17th March (2015).
- According with Newton, J. (2009) the non-verbal communication is used to refer to
paralinguistic expressions and body language in the oral interaction between persons.
- The non-verbal communication presents some specific characteristics: sometime is more
effective. Non-verbal messages tent to be powerful and clear. Non-verbal communication
is Universal. Non-verbal sings are complementary and necessary.
- The non-verbal communication has different components that teachers must know and
practice with the students: Signals and sings. Gesture and body language. Facial
expressions and eyes contact.
- Finally, the domain of non-verbal communication contributes to develop the
communicative competence, the sociolinguistic competence and the sociocultural
competence.
- It is very important to introduce the drama in our class.

2. EXTRALINGUISTIC STRATEGIES: NON-VERBAL REACTIONS TO MESSAGES IN

DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
- As we have already said, non-verbal language must be treated along with linguistic skills
and abilities in an integrated way.
- The develop of the extralinguistic skills is very important in the Primary School.
- It is very important to respect the silent period and the non-verbal language can help our
students in this period using gestures, eyes contact, movements, etc.
- The non-verbal communication is a natural form of communication and it is known in all
countries.
- The students have a solid experience with the non-verbal communication in their mother
tongue.
- Pecks, S. (2006) stated that the Total physical response is the best method to practice
non-verbal communication.
- Teachers must teach extralinguistics strategies for different pedagogical reasons: oral
understanding precedes oral production. Non-verbal answer reduces anxiety. Non-verbal
reactions are important in the communicative process.
- To develop the non-verbal reactions to messages in different contexts we should design
activities like as: Physical responses to commands (instructions). Physical responses to
lyrics of songs. Responding to instructions with drawings. Responding to instructions to
build something. Miming story while listening. Using the body to communicate.
- To finally we must not forget that the classroom is an artificial environment for learning
and using a foreing language. Teachers must practice the non-verbal reactions and they
must teach extralinguistics strategies using the role play in different school´s spaces.

3. CONCLUSION.
- As we know, developing the communicative competence is the ultimate goal of our
educational system, as it is stated in our current educational legislation.
- In this topic we have analysed the importance of the communication in the foreign
language class, concretely the verbal communication and non-verbal communication.
 - It is very important to practice the non-verbal communication due to the non-verbal
communication is the principal form to communicate when the students are learning.
- It is imprescindible to practice the extralinguistics strategies in the school. Students must
learn to use the eyes contact, respect the social space, use the body gestures.
- Finally, I would like to say that the class is not the only space to develop the
communication in the foreign language. It is very important to use the different spaces to
develop the verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Use the drama, videos and ICT, songs and dance.

4. BIBLIOGRAPHY.

 Cameron, L. “Teaching languages to Young learners” Cambridge University Press

2001.

 Jacobson, M. H. “Fundamentals of language”. California. Mouton and Company

1980.

 Littlewood, W. “Communicative language teaching. An introducction” Cambridge

University Press. 1981

 Newton, J. “Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and speaking” Routledge. Taylor Group.

2009

 Pecks, S. “Developing children´s listening and speaking in ESL” in “Develop English

as a Second or Foreign Language. Celce-Murcia. Heinle and Heinle. 2001

Legislation

•Law for the Improvement of Quality in Education (LOMCE, 8/2013), of December, 9.

•Royal Decree 126/2014, of February 28, which establishes the basic curriculum of Primary Educ.

•Law 17 on Education in Andalusia (LEA/2007), of December 10.

•Decree 328/2010, of July 13, which establishes the Basic Norms for early education centres of the second cycle, Primary schools,
early education and primary schools and public centres for special education.

•Decree 97/2015, of March, 3, which establishes the organization and curriculum of Primary Education in the Autonomous Region
of Andalusia.

•Order of 17th March, 2015, which develops the curriculum of Primary Ed. in Andalusia.

•Order of 4th November, 2015, which establishes the evaluation for Primary Ed. in Andalusia.

•Order of the 25th of July, 2008, which regulates attention to diversity of students.