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Communication

Nonverbal Communication

Read and use gestures, expressions, posture, and tone of voice as part of the message.

GesturesPostureEye contactTone of voiceFacial expressionsMicroexpressionsCongruenceMimeBody languagePersonal spaceSilenceEmotional communicationCulturePower poseNonverbal cuesEmotional reading

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.

— Peter Drucker

Mastery progression

Emerging

Is not aware of their own gestures or those of others. Their body language contradicts their verbal message.

Developing

Recognizes basic gestures (smile, frown). Starts to notice their own posture when speaking.

Proficient

Reads nonverbal cues accurately. Uses gestures, eye contact, and tone intentionally.

Expert

Integrates verbal and nonverbal communication naturally. Reads microexpressions and adapts their communication in real time.

Zone of proximal development

Safe zone

Identify basic emotions in facial expressions (joy, anger, sadness)
Maintain eye contact when speaking with someone familiar
Recognize when someone is bored or interested based on their posture

Opportunity zone

Use intentional gestures to emphasize ideas when presenting
Detect incongruence between what someone says and what their body shows
Adapt tone of voice to the context (formal, warm, urgent)
Interpret body language across different cultures

Future zone

Read microexpressions and subtle cues in complex conversations
Use nonverbal communication to facilitate group dynamics
Critically analyze the use of nonverbal language in media and politics

Questions that activate it

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1/8?

What is your body saying right now?

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1/8 Coaching guide

Activates body awareness. Many students don't know what they are doing with their hands, shoulders, or gaze while speaking.

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2/8?

How did you realize your classmate was uncomfortable?

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2/8 Coaching guide

Trains the reading of nonverbal signals. Validate the observation and ask for concrete evidence: what exactly did you see?

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3/8?

Is your face saying the same thing as your words?

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3/8 Coaching guide

Works on congruence. A forced smile, a monotone, or crossed arms can contradict a positive message.

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4/8?

How could you say the same thing using only gestures?

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4/8 Coaching guide

A mime exercise that separates the message from the verbal channel. It reveals how much of the meaning depends on the body.

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5/8?

What changes in a conversation when you look someone in the eyes?

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5/8 Coaching guide

Eye contact is one of the most powerful nonverbal tools. Reflecting on its effect makes it intentional.

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6/8?

How does your body feel when you are nervous vs. when you are confident?

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6/8 Coaching guide

Connects the nonverbal with emotional regulation. Recognizing the body's signals is the first step to managing them.

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7/8?

Has anyone ever misinterpreted your gesture?

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7/8 Coaching guide

Opens reflection on the ambiguity of the nonverbal. The same gesture can mean different things depending on context.

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8/8?

What does silence communicate?

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8/8 Coaching guide

Expands the definition of nonverbal communication. Silence can be comfort, tension, reflection, or indifference.

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1 / 8

Connection map

Oral ExpressionGestures and tone amplify or weaken any oral message EmpathyPicking up on what the other person feels through their gestures is empathy in action Intercultural CommunicationGestures are not universal — what means one thing in one culture can offend in another

Nonverbal Communication

Active ListeningReading the speaker's body language is part of deep listening Emotional RegulationEmotions are first expressed in the body — recognizing them helps regulate them

Did you know...?

Researcher Albert Mehrabian found that when there is incongruence, 55% of the message is conveyed through body language, 38% through tone of voice, and only 7% through words.

Mehrabian, A. (1971) — Silent Messages, Wadsworth Publishing