Control Systems & PLC's

Position Non

Non Verbal skills

 

 

                                NON VERBAL SKILLS

                         Prof.Dr.S.Elangovan

Abstract-- This paper will enable you to understand what we mean by non-verbal communication, its various types and also some tips to interpret them to enhance your non-verbal communication. Non verbal skills are as important  for  everyone especially for  teachers to make their communication effective ones as verbal communication in our day today life  Here I have analyzed  various forms of   Non-verbal cues and examined their relevance in decoding  their  suggestions and meanings thereof.  For any professional Non verbal skills form essential ingredient for his or her success in the career. 

Index Terms: Gestures, Touching.Non verbal skills 

• I. INTRODUCTION

Lord Shiva adorns himself with    the poisonous snake by wearing it around his neck and    clads with tiger's hide. He communicates with his devotees sans words "If you surrender unto me, your fear of poisonous snake, ferocious tiger and other enemies will be wiped out for ever. After all they are under my control" This is a classic example for Non- verbal skills.Non- verbal communication does not use words. Examples Include pictures, company logos, gestures and body language, who sits where at a meeting, how long some keeps a visitor waiting etc[1,2]. All these communicate pleasure or anger friendliness or distance, power and status. We communicate not only through words, but also through means other than words. This is Non-verbal communication. Vibrant voice, immaculate clothing, animated movements firm or limpid hand-shake are some of   form of Non-verbal communication. Imagine you are in a Cinema theatre where everyone talks, some people   chatting in their cell phones. There was noise   everywhere. Suddenly the lights go off and the music stops. The audience members   become   silent. Because they know   the movie is about to start. They understand the  Non-verbal language. 

II. GESTURES SOMETIMES SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

 Gestures are sign language. Americans sometimes assume that they can depend on gestures to communicate if language fails. The "thumps-up" sign meaning ‘good-work' is a vulgar insult in Greece. The Circle formed by thumb and first finger means OK in the United States, is obscene in  Southern Italy and can mean "you are worth nothing" in France. 

                As babies we communicated with everybody only through Non-verbal means.

                Body Language   is one of   the essential ingredients for aspiring teachers. The teacher who smiles at students will really make wonders. When an English language teacher teaches inside the clas,   he has to establish eye contact with the student. This will speak   volumes of his   self confidence level. Further his students will feel that the teacher is paying individual attention to them.

                Open body positions include leaning forward with uncrossed arms and legs, with arms away from the body   and they   suggest that people sit in this position are accepting and open to ideas. Defensive positions such as leaning back both hands behind the head, arms legs crossed or close together or hands in pockets indicate people are physically and psychologically uncomfortable. They are defending and shutting other people out. Crossing legs   may be sometimes indicative    the person who is sitting on a chair which is not of sufficient height. The Japanese value the ability to sit quietly. They may   see the US tendency to fidget or shift as an indication of a lack of mental or spiritual balance.

 Even in North America, interviewers and audience usually respond negatively to nervous gestures such as fidgeting with a tie or hair or jewelry tapping a pencil

Touches: Repeated studies have shown that babies need to be touched to grow and thrive and that older people are healthier both mentally and physically if they are touched. Some people are more comfortable with touch than others.   Some people shake hands in greeting but otherwise don't like to be touched at all, except by family members and lovers. Other people, having grown up in families that touch a lot, hug as part of a greeting and touch even casual friends. Each kind of person may misinterpret the other. A person who dislikes touch may seem unfriendly to someone who is used to touching. A   toucher may seem overly familiar to someone who dislikes touch .In Iran even handshakes between men and women are seen improper. Touches always imply affection, status, power, closeness, familiarity etc..  Top people when they touch their subordinates whether women or men, they like to be touched.

Eye Contact: 

 Eyes are powerful media, through which a teacher can express and convey a lot of things such as friendliness, fear, approval, affection, wonder, anger etc towards   students. By employing this effective body language, teachers should make his class room more interesting and more effective.

Like other Non-verbal means, eye behaviour also can differ. People from some cultures may lower their gaze to convey respect, whereas this may be understood as insulting in other cultures.

Direct eye contact may be seen as insulting in some cultures or conveying attention in others. Good eye contact , raises credibility poor eye contact does exactly the opposite. The frequency of eye blinks is reflective of the measure of honesty. Positive Non-Verbal skills: An English Language teacher for that matter any teacher should be pleasant and cheerful. Definitely students will get this quality infected and they will feel inspired by their teacher. This is a necessary condition for an effective and beneficial teaching. If possible, sort of parental touching by a teacher will make a sense of belonging.

 A teacher, through his manners, actions should prove a guide, philosopher, and friend and even surrogate parents to his   students.

 Non verbal cues speak in fact louder than words. Your personal appearance, facial expressions ,postures, gestures, eye contacts ,voice ,proximity, touch all of these Non verbal signals influence the way in which  your message is interpreted.

Non verbal communication includes all unwritten, unspoken messages both intentional and unintentional. Facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture, motions, positioning within groups all these will reveal what lies within your mind. This list also may include the way you wear your clothes the silence we keep etc.

 Positive Non- verbal skills:  An English teacher, for that matter any teacher should be pleasant and cheerful. Definitely students will get this quality infected and they will feel inspired by their teacher. This is a necessary condition and effective and beneficial   teaching.

 If possible, sort of parental touching by a teacher will make a sense of belonging. A teacher, through his manners actions should prove a guide, philosopher, friend and even surrogate parents to his teachers.

Powerful eyes:  Eyes are powerful media, through which a teacher can express and convey a lot of things such as affection towards students' disapproval, wonder, approval etc.

            III. CONCLUSION

  Non Verbal Language is as important as verbal language for all professionals for their career growth especially for teachers. We have master   and learn this skill only to make our selves professionally exceptional people.

REFERENCES

[1] S.Sankar Raman. "International journal of English Literature", January 2005, p. 20-25.

[2] KittyOLocker., " Buissness Communication", Ohio state University, No. 4, July 2007.

[3] Meenakshi Singh , " Business English" Oxford Publisher Vol. 12, No. 4, October 2006.

 

 

 

 

Dr.S.Elangovan is Professor in the Department of English, Lord Venkateswara Engineering College, TamilNadu, India. 

Email:elangovanshiva@hotmail.com

About the Author

E.Aartheeswari, IX, standard, 1B1 Section, Soma Sundara Kanya Vidyalaya Matriculation School, Kanchipuram631501. Tamil Nadu State South India.

What scientific evidence do you rely on to decide your position for the existence/non-existence of God/gods?

My lack of faith is based on the absolute dearth of evidence for any of the gods. Except maybe Ra. Ra is believable because there is this gigantic ball of fire that moves across the sky.

Atheism Is Not Science - The Atheist Experience 679