UPPER

BODY LANGUAGE
● 5 reasons why eye contact is important

VIDEO/LINKS
USEFUL VOCABULARY
● Frown: A facial expression showing displeasure, sadness, or concentration, typically by drawing the eyebrows together.

● Nod: A quick, downward movement of the head, usually indicating agreement or acknowledgment.

● Shrug: A movement of the shoulders upward and downward to indicate indifference or lack of knowledge.

● Gaze: A steady, intent look.

● Mirroring: The subconscious imitation of another person's gestures, speech patterns, or attitudes.

● Lean: To incline or bend from a vertical position.

● Blink: To close and open the eyes quickly.

● Slouch: To sit, stand, or walk with a drooping posture.

● Clench: To close or squeeze together tightly, particularly the fingers or fist.

● Grimace: A twisted expression on the face typically showing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.

● Wink: To close and open one eye quickly, often as a signal or to indicate that something is a joke.

● Mannerism: A habitual gesture or way of speaking or behaving.

WARM UP

What does body language mean to you?

Why is body language important in communication?

What examples of body language do you know?

LEAD IN

Choose what you think the role of using positive body language is in professional communication. Say
your reasons.

• to make sure that our message is clear and easily understood.

• to show our mood, intention and emotions when communicating.

• to show confidence, build trust and complement the message we are trying to communicate.
WHAT DOES EACH FACIAL EXPRESSION
SHOW?
Choose one of the things below and mime it until your partner
works out which one it is.
DISCUSSIO
1. promising
2. telling the other person to stop talking
3. telling someone that they are crazy
4. hoping for good luck
● N
How often do you do the things above?

5. asking for the bill in a restaurant ● Were there any which you couldn’t think
6. showing that you don’t like something of an action for?
7. showing that you don’t know
● Do you know about any other ways of
8. telling someone not to be nosy/ to mind their own business
9. complaining about someone being late showing these things without speaking,

10. congratulating someone e.g. gestures in different countries?

11. hitchhiking
12. trying to get past/ get between two people
13. showing that something is not allowed
COMPARE & CONTRAST
Some idiomatic expressions include body parts to convey meanings that go beyond their literal interpretation. These idioms
use body parts metaphorically to express a wide range of emotions and actions, making language colorful and engaging.

Choose the body part that best fits the expression.

1. Get cold _____ - To become nervous or hesitant about something.

2. Pull someone's ____ - To tease or joke with someone.

3. See ____ to ____ - To agree completely.

4. Stick your ____ out - To take a risk.

5. Turn a blind ____ - To ignore something deliberately.

6. Bite your _____ - To refrain from speaking.

7. Keep your ____ up - To stay positive or optimistic.

8. Get off my _____ - To stop bothering or criticizing someone.

9. Put your best _____ forward - To make a great effort.

10. ____ over heels - To be very much in love.

COMPARE & CONTRAST
Look at each description of a person’s body language and decide how they might have come across in each situation.

1. Mark and his team met a new client today. It was their first meeting. Mark dressed formally, stood straight with his
shoulders back, smiled, and greeted the client warmly as they entered the office.

2. Gina gave the first presentation for their project proposal. She paused, swayed a lot during her presentation, and
crossed her hands behind her back.

3. Joel was next. He presented the blueprints of the new building complex. He smiled, stood tall, talked in a very clear
and calm manner, and used hand gestures to emphasise information and data.

4. One of the clients was tapping his fingers on his folder; he kept looking at his phone and the clock on the wall. He kept
shifting positions in his seat and placing his hands in his pockets.

5. After the presentation, our project manager held a Q&A. She listened to all the questions, maintained eye contact,
nodded to acknowledge them, and confidently directed the answers.
DISCUSSION
1. How does body language influence first impressions?

2. Can you think of a situation where someone's body

language contradicted their words? How did it affect your
perception of their message?

3. How can being aware of your own body language

enhance your interactions with others?

4. What are some common body language signals that

indicate someone is uncomfortable or nervous? How should
one respond to these signals?
DISCUSSION
1. In what ways can understanding body language improve
communication in the workplace?

2. How can body language be used effectively in a

leadership role? What specific gestures or postures convey
confidence and authority?

3. Is it possible to accurately interpret someone’s feelings

through their nonverbal cues?

4. How has virtual communication (e.g., video calls)

impacted the use and interpretation of body language?
What challenges and benefits does it present?
QUIZ
Guess the meaning of the British body language and gestures. Choose the correct meaning for each the
gestures below. They are given in order of how likely they are to be misunderstood by people from other
countries. Some also have other meanings, but only one of the options below is true in the UK.

Polishing your fingernails: Blow hot air once or twice on the fingernails of your right hand and then polish
those fingernails on your shirt, over your chest.
a) I did really well/ Congratulations to me
b) I doubt what you are saying

Slow hand clap: Clap your hands very very slowly

a) I’m not impressed by what you said
b) I’m so impressed by what you said that I’m in shock

Cross your heart: Point to the top left side of your chest with your index finger then draw a cross over your
heart by bringing that finger down then doing the same thing left to right
a) I need good luck/ Wish me luck
b) I promise that I am telling the truth (“Cross my heart, hope to die”)

Crossing your fingers: Cross your right middle finger over the your right index finger to make a kind of knot
a) I need good luck/ I wish you luck/ I really hope so
b) It’s a secret/ I won’t tell you
QUIZ
Tapping your nose: Point up with your right index finger and touch the side of your nose with it, then tap the side of your
nose several times
a) It’s a secret/ Don’t be nosy/ You don’t need to know/ Never you mind
b) You guessed correctly

Neck cutting: Hold your hand open in front of your neck with the palm facing down towards the floor, and make a cutting
motion several times quickly across your neck (without touching your neck)
a) I’ll kill you
b) Stop speaking (e.g. at the end of a presentation)/ Stop saying what you are saying
c) You are sacked/ You are fired

Air quotes: Put up your curved index finger and curved middle finger up on both hands and move those fingers up and down
several times
a) Someone else says this but I don’t really believe it/ I’m saying this ironically/ I’m saying this sarcastically
b) What I am saying is really important/ Please listen carefully
COMPARE & CONTRAST
How does your native culture use body language? How is it different from others? How much do you
notice other people's body language?

Think about what happens when you are talking to someone. What messages would the following
send?
● standing with your hands on your hips
● putting your hands in your pockets
● crossing your arms
● fidgeting with a pen
● looking at the floor
● winking at the other person
DISCUS
Most people understand that the amount of eye contact varies from place to place and person to
person (often even within a single country) and so they are used to dealing with variations.

S
Discuss how much eye contact is appropriate in the following situations, then think of a few more
where too much or too little eye contact can have an undesirable effect.

- customer service situations

- when someone is being told off for doing something bad

- ….

- ….

- ….
ROLE-PLAY AN INTERVIEW
Nervous Confident Arrogant Slack/ lazy

Student A - Think of a basic interview question to

Strong
ask your partner. Weak Indecisive Aggressive

Student B - As you answer the question using

your posture and body only, mime one of the Stubborn Impatient
Alert Shifty/ lying
personality and feeling words below.

Student B - Try to guess which one it is. Then Restless Energetic Shy
Relaxed
take turns to repeat the activity.

Obsessive
Expressive Passionate Embarrassed
GUESS THE COUNTRY!
1. In this country, showing the "thumbs up" gesture can be 4. In this country, people might use the "okay" hand gesture
considered rude or offensive. (thumb and index finger forming a circle) to indicate money.

a. Greece a. Brazil
b. Japan b. Mexico
c. Italy c. Japan

2. In this country, touching someone's head is considered very 5. In this country, it is polite to avoid direct eye contact with
disrespectful. elders or authority figures as a sign of respect.

a. Thailand a. South Korea

b. India b. Nigeria
c. Malaysia c. Russia

3. In this country, making a "V" sign with the palm facing inward is 6. In this country, giving or receiving something with one hand
considered an offensive gesture. (especially the left) is considered impolite.

a. Australia a. Egypt
b. United Kingdom b. India
c. Canada c. Saudi Arabia
CORRECTIONS
Emergent Language Corrections