Lesson 2.

English

LESSON 2

COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM:

VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION.

EXTRALINGUISTICS STRATEGIES: NON VERBAL REACTIONS TO

MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT CONTEXT.

INTRODUCTION: COMMUNICATION

All living creatures have some means of transmitting information

among their kind because communication is essential to be able to
survive. Animals have their own way of communicating with their species
using sounds, body movements….
The human being is the only creature that is able to communicate using
a great variety of communication techniques: the emission of sounds,
body language, gestures, mimic…
Communication is the process of exchanging information (as we saw in
lesson 1), Communication is the act where a person establishes a contact
with other person that allows the first one to transmit information. All
societies work thanks to the communication. And Communication Studies
is the discipline focused on the communication forms, process and
meaning, including speech, interpersonal and organizational
communication.
When talking about communication, the sharing of knowledge and
experiences, the giving or receiving of orders and cooperation, among the
others, must be taken into account. Common forms of human
communication include sign language, speaking, conversation, writing and
gesture. Communication can be interactive, intentional and unintentional;
besides it can be verbal and nonverbal.
Human being use nonverbal communication unconsciously there is
much more nonverbal communication in a conversation that verbal one.
Communication varies considerably in form and style. Internal
communication, within oneself, is intrapersonal while communication
between two individuals is interpersonal.
There are a number of theories of communication that attempt to
explain human communication, and several theories relating to human
communication, draw upon different philosophies.
* Code: is a limited and more or less extended group of signs and
signal that are combined through some known rules by the Transmitter
and the Receiver.
* Channel: the way through the one the sign is transmitted.
* Transmitter: It can be an instrument or a person. This one chooses
the sign.
* Receiver: Person that decodes and interpret the message received.
* Message: The information that the transmitter send to the receiver.
*Context: Situation where the transmitter and the receiver are and that
sometimes allow understanding correctly the message.

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1.- COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM.

Communication in general involves enabling someone to

understand what someone else wants to tell him or her. Besides
communicating facts, we can communicate opinions and emotions.
Another possibility is to try to amuse, entertain or distract the partner by
communicating.
In general, communication must include an audience but in
situation like a radio, the audience can be referred to as listeners only,
whereas in face to face conversation, the role of the listener and
speaker will continuously change.
Communication in a foreign language classroom is strongly
related to communicative competence Language teaching nowadays is
mainly based on the idea that the goal of language acquisition is
communicative competence: the ability to use the language correctly
and appropriately to achieve communication goals. The final objective
of the language learning process is the ability to communicate
competently and in an autonomous way.
Communicative competence is made up of five sub-
competences: Linguistic, discourse, sociolinguistic, strategic and
sociocultural competence.

* Linguistic Competence: the ability to put into practice the

linguistic units according to the rules of use established in the
linguistic system. That is how to use the grammar, vocabulary,
syntax.
* Discourse Competence: the ability to use different types of
discourse and organize them according to the communicative
situation and the speakers involved in it. How can we put
together long and coherent sentences. Which is the best way to
put words, phrases and sentences put together to create
conversations.
* Sociolinguistic Competence: the ability to adequate the
utterances to the specific context, in according with the accepted
usage of the determined linguistic community. The relationship
we have with people makes us think which type of expressions
we could use.
* Strategic Competence: the ability to define, correct or in
general, make adjustments, in the communicative situation. How
to repair or recognize communication breakdowns, how to work
around gaps in one’s knowledge of the language, and how to
learn more about the language.
* Sociocultural Competence: it has to be understood as a
certain awareness of the social and cultural context in which the
foreign language is used.

In primary, the main goal while learning a second language is to

have a communicative efficiency: that learners should be able to make

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themselves understood and be able to understand the main idea of

what they are listening.
To get this goal, it implies that the learner should adopt and
approach a communicative competence by instrumental usage.
This communicative competence that children have to acquire
should be done using a real context and using the five skills, now called
communicative abilities, in an integrated way. Although receptive skills are
usually developed more when learning a foreign language, it is necessary
to practice productive skills sufficiently to enable students to produce
messages fluently and correctly.
The second language learning classroom is the place where students
develop communicative competence. Often, this is seen as helping the
learner approximate the phonetic, morphological, and syntactic patterns of
the language by means of patterns practice and similar drills.
There are a number of principles which teachers need to be
aware of and make use wherever possible to encourage children to
communicate with others in the classroom:
1.- Children are excellent observers and have a natural ability to grasp
meaning in their L1 from a variety of resources: body language, intonation,
facial expression and the social context as well as language itself.
Teachers can help learners draw on these skills in the L2 by ensuring
language use is contextualized and has visual support wherever possible.
2.- Children learning their L1 often should repeat words and phrases
to themselves in order to become completely comfortable with their
sounds and meaning. Once a child feels he has learned the word,
repetition stops.
3.- Children are skilled at guessing and predicting and teachers can
usefully draw on these skills and the thought processes outlined as part of
“learning to learn”.
4.- Children love to talk, even if they don’t know much language, if they
feel that people can understand them they will be very motivated and will
have the need of continuing learning more words in order to communicate.
5.- Teachers need to create a balance in their classrooms between
providing support and providing a challenge. If all language work is
over guided then it becomes too easy, safe or repetitive. Similarly, if all
work is challenging, too difficult and threatening, learners become
demotivated.
6.- When learning their L1 children seem to be risk-takers and
experiments. Their willingness to “have a go” should be encouraged and
should not be corrected constantly or an overly strict atmosphere.

Techniques to practice the communication in the English

classroom:

The teacher, after some repetition in chorus, in group or individual

in order to establish the non familiar sounds, can start making questions to
each student.
In a guided way or in a free way, dialogues are very useful and
flexible, not only for the presentation but also for the practise. The guided

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dialogues can have omitted words or whole sentences so the student can
create them depending on the context.
Controlled oral practice: there are many different types of test
where the student answer can be so structure that the possibility of error it
is very limited.
Guided oral practice: The main objective of this kind of technique is to
facilitate the student a limited freedom to use and practice what he has
learned. Generally speaking, is better to help them before work and give
them what he has to say and the situation, but we have to let them a
freedom in the way of expression.
Oral free production: It is very important that the student is able to
produce in a spontaneous way the language he is learning and has
practice is different situation in a controlled way. This is very important for
the high level students and the teacher is the one who has to provoke
situations and stimulus that allow children use language in an active and
communicative way. It must be an active instrument and there must be
less control from the teacher and more concentration by the students.
Visual stimulus as maps, pictures, films, photographs or newspapers,
magazines,... these are different resources for the oral language practice.

2.- VERBAL AND NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Verbal communication: It is all kind of oral and written messages that

we use when expressing a thought.
Non verbal communication: It covers all extralinguistic sign, gesture
and mimic
All these extralinguistics signs are generally related with the cultural
context. For example, the English tradition of shaking hands when greetings,
but in Spain the tradition is to give one or two kisses.
According to the classroom and the two types of codes, we can distinguish
verbal and non verbal transfer.

Verbal code to non verbal code transfer:

The first step in this direction is constituted by orders the “classroom

language” that helps the process of using the second language. It can also be
used to practice the imperative, for example with the game “Simon Says”, that
is very motivated for children because they can assume the role of the
teacher and practice it in group, that implies the active participation.
Other way of practicing this transfer is using mimic. With these
activities we motivate children in a very high grade and his attention will
increase. Generally, we can use this technique not only in the presentation
phase but also on the review.

Non verbal code to verbal code transfer:

Type of activities:

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Lesson 2. English

- The teacher or the students prepare some drawing where

actions are indicated and other must express it in the verbal code.
- We can practice the semantic field of the professions using
fancy dresses.
- Children draw classroom objects and they can use the “line
technique” and must guess which object has been drawn.
- Each student of a pair must make a drawing of a concrete
topic. Once the picture has been finished, it must be compared using
the verbal code.
- All type of descriptions o questions about pictures to introduce
new topics.
- To introduce grammar structures, for example the propositions.
We can put the children in different places and practice the verbal
expression.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

The development of oral language skills in L2 it is very important.

Language learners must focus on oral language proficiency because it is
eventually the skill they will most use. Oral language interactions make up the
main part of our day to day communications, remaining the primary form of
discourse throughout the world.
Oral language development needs two essential elements:
comprehensible input and social interaction. The language learning
environment, that is the classroom, should be structure to include input as
well as encourage the two-way communication by social interaction.

Main form and techniques of verbal communication:

- Conversation:
Free or spontaneous conversation: it is the most frequent of
spoken language which refers to an information or spontaneous
exchange of opinions and ideas about a topic. Although it is
considered the most motivating activity for children, it seems a
bit difficult to accomplish with Primary students in foreign
language.
Discussion and polemic conversation: in this kind of
conversation different points of view are confronted. The
participants are meant to come to an agreement. The topic can
be related to everyday situations at school or near children
context. Due to the complexity of this task it should be carried
out in the last cycle.

- Dramatization: With dramatization we can gain the unit of the

verbal and non verbal code. It is very convenient to use topics
related to real life, near to children’ context. With this type of
activity it can be much easier for children to learn idiomatic
expressions and practice dialogues and using their everyday

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environment. We can make the most of this kind of activities if

we motivate children and make them use their imagination and
be creative using mimic, gesture and extralinguistic expressions.

There are some points, teacher must take into account when using
dramatization in the classroom:

 Work the dramatization with and intensive practice on L2.

 Consider the dramatization as an important activity and
review the use of L2 continuously.
 Introduce the technique step by step, that is, first children
must get use to acting with short dialogues to continue
with representation of short stories and topics related to
real life.
 When dramatizing we should use a small scenery so it
motivates students much more.

- Telephone conversation: maybe this is the form of oral

communication which is nearest to the students’ immediate
interest and needs. To have a successful conversation on the
phone, there are some points to be kept in mind:
Firstly, we should be aware of the fact that in this case the
basic instrument of transmission is the voice. It substitutes
any gesture we could take advantage of in face to face
conversation. This voice may transmit feelings and
impressions like sincerity, confidence and enthusiasm.
Therefore, it is important for the student to learn how to use
the voice, rhythm and pronunciation. Above all it is
convenient to teach them to speak slowly so that the
interlocutor will be able to understand the message.
Secondly, the comprehension of the message is also
influenced by the linguistic items used. This is should be
easy, presented in short sentences and the linguistic and
structural contents should be adapted to our children
knowledge. Another element to be included, step by step, is
the attitude shown when telephoning. What we really want to
achieve is that our students do not feel scared or shy when
they have to use L2.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

The way something is expressed may carry more significant and weight
that the words themselves. Accompanied by a smile or a frown, said with a
loud or a gentle voice, the content of our communications depend of our
perceptions of their context.

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Categories of non-verbal communication:

- Eye contact: this is a very rich dimension; eye contact

modifies the meaning of other non verbal behaviors. Eye
contact can be very significant influence when you are
interacting with people. It can play an important role.
- Paralanguage: “non-lexical” vocal communications may be
considered a type of non verbal communication; it can
suggest many emotional attitudes.
- Facial expression: the face is more highly developed as an
organ of expression in humans that any other living being.
Some facial expressions become quite habitual.
- Gesture: there are many kind of gesture. Gesture can be
used to replace verbal communication. Many good speakers
or storytellers use hand gesture to illustrate their stories.
Gesture have many different meanings in the different
cultures, and what may be friendly in one country or region
can be an insult in another.

3.- NON VERBAL REACTIONS TO MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT

CONTEXTS.

To achieve a communicative competence, children must acquire not

only linguistic competence but also some rules, skills and associated
strategies and in consequence make in an appropriate way their
extralinguistic reactions in relation to the different contexts.
The communicative exchange it can have positive results just if it is
done correctly, that is, if the rules of the paralinguistic elements are complied.
The unit of the linguistic and extralinguistic actions is the one that make right
the social interactions in the communication situations.

Let’s consider some non verbal reactions in different contexts:

- Sociocultural rules: it is very necessary to teach our students

how they should react in social and daily situations.
- Movement orders: children should understand the main
orders: sit down, close the window, go to the blackboard,…
- Graphic orders: the same as the previous point, it is very
important that children know the orders of the different
activities of the written skill. To draw, to paint, to cut,…
- Non verbal dramatization: it is essential in order to foment
children imagination and creativeness. They must create
actions and situations without using verbal communication.
- Gesture: each language has a group of gesture that are used
in different situations and contexts.

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LESSON 2

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jean B. and Gail E. The English Primary Teacher`s Guide Penguin

2002
Asher, J.J. Learning Another Language Through Actions.
Littlewood, W. Communicative language Teaching. CUP. Cambridge,
1988.
Harmer, J. The Practice of English Language Teaching. Longman.
Burnt Mill. 1983
Stern, H.H. Fundamental Concepts of language Teaching. OUP.
Oxford, 1983.
La Didáctica del inglés. Pearson 2003.
Brumfit, C. Communicative Methodology in Language teaching.
Cambridge University Press.

Questions Lesson 2

1.- Different between verbal and non-verbal language.

2.- Explain different activities where children must use verbal or non-
verbal language.
3.- Why to use non verbal language in the different communication
situations?
4.- Explain what is about the dramatization. Give an example.
5.- How would you use the verbal and non verbal communication in an
English session with primary children.
6.-Explain the different competences and say why there are so
important while learning a language?