The power of nonverbal behaviour in classroom education

Caption: If Bangladeshi teachers exhibit more confirming behaviour in the classroom, it could accelerate student’s cognitive learning. Photo: TBS

Sometimes students may give a particular teacher's class preference over another's for no discernible reason. Although this sort of favouritism is not uncommon among teachers, it is critical to have a solid understanding of the factors that impact the quality of courses. 

Experts have argued that the dynamics of the classroom, student-teacher interactions, and a cohesive performance can encourage students to perform and as a result, both teachers and students experience an increase in overall happiness. The extent of a teacher's participation in classroom activities can have an impact on not only the ratings that students give their teachers but also on the perspective students have on their classes.

A teacher's positive interactions are frequently reflected through the affirming behaviours that they exhibit toward students in their classrooms. The transactional process by which teachers express to learners that they are acknowledged as worthy, meaningful individuals is referred to as teacher confirmation. 

There is a connection between these behaviours and a variety of outcomes that occur in the classroom, including how well students learn, their level of motivation, and how well teachers evaluate student actions. 

Through research, it was found that when students believed their teachers exhibited more confirming behaviours, there was a positive association between that and their levels of satisfaction, motivation, and emotional and cognitive learning. 

In addition, research has shown that students have higher levels of support and comprehension in the classroom when their teachers demonstrate a higher level of personal commitment in their education. Students, as a whole, profit from this teacher behaviour, resulting in more positive experiences in the classroom.

The viewpoint that the teacher takes of the students in the classroom has been shown to be linked to the nonverbal behaviour of the students themselves. 

Nonverbal communication differs from verbal contact in that it is composed of subtle hints or gestures, which can be detected and decoded by both teachers and students. These nonverbal cues, just like verbal cues, have the potential to influence student-teacher attitudes, beliefs and behaviours as well as their shared experiences.

The teachers believe that their students are making progress when the students are actively engaged in activities that earn favourable feedback from their peers. 

Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the nonverbal behaviour of students affects the nonverbal behaviour of teachers. The teachers' view of their own level of self-efficacy in the classroom increases as a direct result of an increase in the quantity of nonverbal behaviour that students are allowed to use in the classroom. 

Nonverbal behaviour of students may also boost the level of job satisfaction experienced by teachers. This would seem to imply that if students were to give their teachers more positive feedback in the classroom, it would make teachers more fulfilled in their careers. 

When students in online classes provided more nonverbal input, it not only increases the likelihood that teachers would teach the same class again in the future, but it also make the session more enjoyable for the teachers. 

Nevertheless, in terms of showing nonverbal behaviour in the classroom, teachers should take more initiative since students have a stake in the class as consumers. Teachers may express the following nonverbal behaviours for more experiential teaching and learning packages in the classroom. 

These behaviours are important from the perspective of both customer/student service and care, as well as the emotional contagion perspective.

• The expressions on a teacher's face and the way they move their body.

• A teacher's outward appearance conveys precise information about their personal grooming and the fashions in which they dress.

• A vocal tone, pitch, or way of voice and sound used by a teacher that is capable of conveying the desired message.

• The spatial relationship between a teacher and a student is indicated in the distance behaviour.

Sketch:TBS

Dr Mohammad Shahidul Islam is the Assistant Professor of BRAC Business School, BRAC University. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.