Teaching learners to communicate effectively in the L2: Integrating body language in the students\u2019 syllabus

In communication a great deal of meaning is exchanged through body language, including gaze, posture, hand gestures and body movements. Body language is largely culture-specific, and rests, for its comprehension, on people\u2019s sharing socio-cultural and linguistic norms. In cross-cultural communication, L2 speakers\u2019 use of body language may convey meaning that is not understood or misinterpreted by the interlocutors, affecting the pragmatics of communication. In spite of its importance for cross-cultural communication, body language is neglected in ESL/EFL teaching. This paper argues that the study of body language should be integrated in the syllabus of ESL/EFL teaching and learning. This is done by: 1) reviewing literature showing the tight connection between language, speech and gestures and the problems that might arise in cross-cultural communication when speakers use and interpret body language according to different conventions; 2) reporting the data from two pilot studies showing that L2 learners transfer L1 gestures to the L2 and that these are not understood by native L2 speakers; 3) reporting an experience teaching body language in an ESL/EFL classroom. The paper suggests that in multicultural ESL/EFL classes teaching body language should be aimed primarily at raising the students\u2019 awareness of the differences existing across cultures

The Impact of Dialogue Dynamics in Online Service Resolution

Complaint handling by frontline employees (FLEs) is increasingly occurring in digital channels. Drawing on dialogical interaction analysis, we demonstrate that customer complaints with more negative language are more difficult to solve, but by using dominant language and matching the consumer\u2019s linguistic style, FLEs can improve perceptions the complaint was resolved

Talking the Talk: The Effect of Vocalics in an Interview

Our voices carry more than just content. People continuously make assumptions of one’s intelligence, credibility, personality, and other characteristics merely based on the way we talk. As the diversity of individuals in the workplace increases, so too do the differences in how those individuals talk. It is important that we understand how these different ways of speaking are being perceived in the workplace. More specifically, how are individuals being perceived prior to being hired via the interview process? This Honors Capstone project aims to understand the impact that vocal characteristics in an individual have on the interviewer’s perception of the interviewee, and how that impacts the hiring process. This project will offer professionals of all ages tangible advice on ways to increase one’s chances of receiving a job just by altering aspects of one’s voice

A Multimodal evaluation of Malala Yousafzai's speech at Harvard University

XIX Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la Facultat de Ciències Humanes i Socials (Any 2014)Through language speakers express thoughts, experiences, feelings, values and attitudes. Nevertheless, language is not only verbal communication, as multiple devices are included in interaction in order to make something coherent. Thus, people inform others about feelings through a combination of verbal and non-verbal interactions. Language is not made up exclusively of words, phrases and sentences but also of images as it is the main resource for conveying meaning. Non-verbal behaviour covers all forms of non-spoken human conduct possessing the capacity to construct communicative messages. Hence, the nature of the connection between speech and gestures has become a popular topic to study among researchers in the field of linguistics among others. This paper presents a multimodal evaluation of an academic speech performed at Sanders Theater, Harvard University, September 27th, 2013, by Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner 2014. Even though the speech is a monologue, the speaker achieves interaction and engagement with the audience by means of using both verbal expressions and nonlinguistic resources throughout her presentation. This study exhibits an evaluation of how non-linguistic resources such as paralanguage and kinetics are used as complementary tools in spoken discourse

Limits and Challenges of E-mail Use in the Business World

Miscommunication can cost time, money and even relationships. Facts surrounding e-mail\u27s speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness have been established; however, through my research and experience I have discovered there are limits to the effectiveness of e-mail. I will discuss the limitations of e-mail as a medium for effective business communication from the perspective of its effectiveness as a medium,, effects on productivity, and possible risks. E-mail poses limits and challenges as a communication medium in the business world versus basic face-to-face communication. The absence of non-verbal and verbal cues and the ability in standard e-mail for immediate feedback are weaknesses. As noted our world becomes more interconnected it is imperative that our leaders ernploy effective communication via appropriate media. This requires making informed choices about the appropriate communication channel in a given situation

Online avatar based interactions

The gridWorld project attempts to utilize 3D to develop an online multi-user visual chat system. GridWorld address ideas of how conversations in a virtual environment can be facilitated and enhanced by an abstract visual interface design. The visual interface was developed from research and examination of existing ideas, methodologies and application for development of user-embodiment, chat/virtual space, and interface useability towards the visualization of communication

Microblogging as a Facilitator of Online Community in Graduate Education

Part-time and distance-learning students can experience a sense of isolation from their peers and the university. Concern about this isolation and resulting student attrition has increased in the midst of explosive growth in online course enrollments. One possible solution: building a stronger sense of community within the online graduate classroom using microblogging technology such as Twitter. Unfortunately, scholars across disciplines define community in different ways with some rejecting the concept altogether in favor of other theoretical constructs. And, few scholars have examined the notion of online classroom community from an English Studies perspective exploring the rhetorical exigencies that underpin this concept. Scholars often write about online community in aspirational terms and fail to demonstrate its existence empirically (Kling and Courtright, 2003). Through the application of two existing pedagogical theories (Rovai\u27s (2002) concept of classroom community and the well-established Community of Inquiry framework) this dissertation empirically documents the existence of online classroom community in two cases studies of graduate distance-learning summer sessions. This mixed-methods research study then demonstrates that microblogging technology is capable of both supporting and facilitating the growth of that sense of online classroom community. Because it stands at the convergence of a student\u27s academic and personal interests, social media software such as Twitter—whether used as a front- or backchannel to the course—is uniquely positioned to serve both as a virtual third place and as a venue for exercising Brooke\u27s (1999) writing underlife activities and extending Mueller\u27s (2009) notions of where and how these activities can be played out in a digital context. Finally, this dissertation also offers a five-part alternative definition of online classroom community that strongly links the digital space itself with the affective/emotional concerns addressed in some other theoretical constructions of community

From the Utopia of Quietness to the Fear of Stillness: A Taxonomic Research Study to Understanding 'Silence' through the medium of radio and its Implications for Media, Education and Psychology.

Questioning ‘what is silence?’ and wondering about silence and its very existence is not something that one would frequently witness. The definition of this noun by the Oxford dictionary states it as “a complete absence of sound” (‘Silence’, 2018), and it is even compared to language – “the fact or state of abstaining from speech”. Although these definitions must carry some kind of validity, experiencing silence could also be considered daunting. Having examined literature from ancient philosophers such as Socrates, as far back as 469 BC, to our present culture of immersion in the mass-media, this thesis aims to offer a systematic taxonomy of silence. A wider and more informed understanding of silence is established, that is hoped to benefit knowledge in fields such as health, psychology, media, education and personal development. This taxonomical approach has been created by means of qualitative interpretative phenomenological research, comprising a blend of different methods and styles: the study of a specific case employing a grounded theory lens (preliminary exercise) and eleven semi-structured interviews. The choice of a radio programme as a pilot was considered the best tool to use as a starting point, to enable examination of current thinking in the field, and because of the ‘blindness’ of the medium, so there is an advantage to expounding and exploring its cognitive resources without being limited or jeopardising the use of the vision. Content has been discussed, compared and contrasted after the transcriptions of both methods, supported by literature, in order to reinforce veracity and reliability. The findings of the empirical research have confirmed the different meanings of silence encountered in the review of literatures. It also adds another layer of critical and detailed understanding of silence. The meanings of silence drawn from literature – investigated through the case study and distilled by media professionals will provide a better understanding of silence within society, so that they could use silence to their own advantage. The contribution to knowledge offers and informs views and experiences about the role of silence, cultivating cognitive and critical skills, exposing four scopes: psychology; socio-psychology; physiology; and neuroscience. Although the results are not conclusive, this research project suggests informing professionals in health, media and education to take time to consider how silence could be beneficial, not just for them, but for their patients, clients and pupils