The child with attention challenges may struggle to understand when someone is confused by what he does. He may miss the looks of misunderstanding on another’s face.
Children can be taught a person’s body language is often more believable than verbal communication. For example, if you ask someone “What’s wrong?” If she shrugs her shoulders, frowns, turns away and mutters, “Oh nothing, I guess I’m OK”, you know instantly it’s not OK. The student with learning problems may not realize this and may take her words literally and go about his own business.
Teaching students what body movements and facial expressions mean is an important step in helping him read other’s reactions to what he does and says. Specific facial expressions can be shown in pictures, followed by the child’s own mimicking of these expressions.
Social feedback should be taught directly and practiced a number of times to make him fluent in body language. Specific body language can be shown, explained and practiced. Some specific body language that might be helpful to know includes:
- People scratch their heads in puzzlement
- They frown when confused or not believing what the speaker says
- Many touch their noses in doubt
- Some rub their necks in anger or frustration
- Others extend arms out in front of them to indicate sincerity
- They shrug their shoulders to say “how should I know” or “I just couldn’t help it.”
- They cross their arms when feeling defensive or unwilling to communicate
- People look at the clock when they are in a hurry
A number of exercises can be undertaken where students learn how to use and read body language and then actually practice its use to communicate to each other.
© 1995-2009 monte w. davenport, ph.d.
