Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!

The Role of Body Language and Emotional Intelligence in Teaching

Emphasized in academia and prized in the workplace, the pre-requisite skills of verbal, written, and interpersonal communication have helped us adapt to an ever-changing world of expectations. Also over the years, various tools and technologies such as email, chat, text, and video have enabled and elevated communication to the next level.

Two additional communication skills that are not as discernible and don’t receive the credence that they deserve are body language and emotional intelligence. Especially in teaching, these skills can serve as a source of nurturance to students, motivating them to connect, participate, and perform better.

Emotional intelligence is an all-encompassing term that includes the ability to interpret and regulate your own emotions, acknowledge and overcome stress, empathize and engage with others, and enkindle sustained motivation. Body language — body posture, eye movement, facial expressions, gestures, sighs, tone of voice, among others — is often the non-verbal mechanism used to communicate emotions, active and passive.

Described below are three clusters of communication strategies that I use each semester. Specific tips inlaid within each strategy help me weave together the strands of communication and teaching to influence effective student learning.

These include:

• Part I: Communicate with Self
• Part II: Communicate with Tools, and
• Part III: Communicate with Students

Part I occurs at the conclusion of a semester when I take stock of and reflect on the status of the process. What worked? What didn’t? What needs to change?

This is a multi-dimensional effort ranging from reflecting on projects, assignments, and student performance to evaluating assessment, teaching, and learning. It consists of the following tasks:

• Read student evaluations (sigh! I know!) to distill and extract student perception of teaching and learning.
• Review notes on my observations and any in-class student feedback: Does an assignment need more clarity? Does a lesson need more emphasis? Do I need to provide more examples? Can I simplify the exam template? What part of the schedule is cumbersome? Can I provide alternate assignments? How can I improve classroom time management?
• Review applicable college or department change in policies, including the textbook.
• Review teaching resources offered by institution and training dates for applicable tools and technologies.
• Self-reflection: Become aware of my beliefs and biases, and how they sneak up in my teaching practices.

The above exercise helps me focus on those teaching and learning practices that I need to emphasize, abandon, and revise in the course if I were to successfully implement them for the upcoming semester.

Regardless of modality (synchronous/asynchronous or in-person/virtual/hybrid), rethinking assessments, replanning for uncertainties, and reorganizing assignments can help keep content fresh and updated, without sacrificing academic rigor.

Part II begins with taking an inventory of the technologies and tools that are available and necessary to accommodate different ways of learning and experiencing knowledge. A thorough understanding of and expertise with tools and technologies helps map them to course content delivery, pedagogies in use, assessment, grading, and course communication.

Some of the general technologies and tools used in academia include the Canvas LMP, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, audio/video bits, games, simulations, and other online content. Textbook publishers have also switched to providing e-textbooks, online homework portals, and instructor e-resources.

Success in this effort is based on exploring new technologies, downloading software and software updates, and attending training for new tools. The more you use a tool, the better you get at it.

Also essential in this effort is an instructor’s familiarity with the equity gap relating to the course(s) they teach. Information on the equity gap can be accessed through the institution’s student success webpage or equity gap dashboard. This exercise is particularly useful in addressing any equity gaps, in both graduate and undergraduate courses.

This effort consists of the following tasks, regardless of modality, and taking into consideration inclusivity and equity factors:

• Update and/or create course-relevant assignments
• Consider a course redesign that involves incorporating applicable Universal Design principles
• Rethink assessment and grading strategies that promote learning (as opposed to just earning points)
• Update Canvas course shells
• Update lecture presentations
• Check all uploaded course materials (images/photos/videos/articles) for equity and inclusion. For example, communicating clear classroom standards; using the institution’s accessible online syllabus template; building collaborative assignments where students work on diverse teams and learn from each other; using tone-specific language, etc.

Part III is the most important of the three strategies. Being mindful of bodily expressions, emotional reactions, and the tone of verbal expressions is key to setting the tone on expectations and inspiring student learning.

Combining the soft skills of emotional intelligence and body language with the grittier technical skills, an instructor can have a significant impact on student success. In other words, it’s not just what you say that matters, but also how you say it.

The end goal here is to create positive student rapport and establish effective and friendly ways to communicate, ensuring a quality experience for both students and instructors.

For me, this effort consists of the following tasks:

• Set up Canvas modules for each course; set clear expectations about course work, deadlines, and communication practices (email, office hours, etc.). Ensure that the communication plan can be used across modalities.
• Publish Canvas courses at least a week before the start of the semester. Many students are new to Canvas and will appreciate the extra time to navigate.
• Introduce yourself! It’s important to create an introductory Canvas Announcement — in a write-up, audio, or video format — for the course, to give students a sense of who you are and what your teaching philosophy is. It personalizes the greeting and humanizes the (online) course.

I generally post one main Intro Canvas Announcement, followed by 3–5 supplementary intro announcements. The objective of the primary intro Announcement is to welcome students to the semester/course and provide a brief description of the course. The objective of the follow-up intro announcements is to break down the initial course expectations into smaller, digestible portions. Initial course expectations generally include info such as textbook, completing the Intro Discussion forum, adding a profile photo, submitting copies of pre-requisite documents, etc.

I also include a post in the Intro Discussion forum. The objective here is to introduce myself, provide a shared sense of community, and give students a template to follow in alignment with the Discussion expectations.

• Hold synchronous (online) classes to encourage face-to-face interactions with students and respond to content questions in real-time. It’s important to encourage student participation in class by pausing and asking questions, and by providing judgment-free opportunities for students to freely express their thoughts.
• When using Zoom (or video conferencing tools) for lectures, log in using multiple devices (e.g., a laptop and a phone). This tip allows you to stay connected with the class in the event of a Wi-Fi drop or power shutdown.
• Start Zoom lecture meetings early and stay after lecture for those who are unable to attend office hours.
• Invite students needing accommodations at the beginning of the semester to officially register for their accommodation services, and to get a head start with scheduling their accommodations on exams, quizzes, etc., promptly.
• Record and post Zoom recordings promptly for students to review lecture material unlimited times. Especially with students logging in from other countries and time zones, this step is critical in ensuring learning.
• Encourage student engagement by setting up Canvas Discussion Forums, where applicable.
• Encourage students to work in groups, where applicable, so they have each other for support.
• Allow flexibility with HW due dates. I generally allow a 24-hour grace period for many submissions, including homework, but in fairness to those who submit on time, a 25–50% deduction rule applies.
• Communicate with students regularly using Canvas Announcements, keeping them abreast of changes.
• Talk to students, during class meetings, and by Canvas Announcement/email, about the happenings in the immediate world, especially happenings that affect the campus population. It’s important to acknowledge their anxiety and allow an opportunity for their fears to be heard.
• Promptly respond to student questions by email and by Discussion Q/A Forums in Canvas.
• Check to see if students are submitting assignments on time. This helps with identifying stragglers and reaching out to them to understand their needs. Some might need a gentle nudge; some might need wellness assistance; some might need academic help. Regardless of the reason, an instructor’s emotional presence is the bridge that connects the struggling student to the relevant resource.
• Invite students to bring lecture discrepancies to your attention, especially errors in homework problems and Powerpoint slides.

Ultimately, the underlying goal of effective communication comprises an enriching learning experience for students, a quality teaching experience for instructors, and an overall worthwhile educational experience that is independent of modality.