1.2 Definition

In fact, the so-called body language usually refers to a variety of actions, expressing emotion and meaning to achieve the purpose of communication, also called body language or non voice language, which mainly involves eyes, gestures, actions and facial expressions and so on. Broadly speaking, body language also includes sadness, happiness and other facial expressions; narrowly speaking, body language only expresses the meaning of body.

Albert Mehabin once said: “when communicating, 55% the influence of a message is from body language, 38% from sound (language, tone and other sounds), and only 7% from language (words).”

1.3 Significance and Purpose

Body language can draw students’ attention and inspire students to learn English. Students often distracts because they are too young to understand boring and complicated knowledge in primary school English teaching. At this time, teachers should come to him and knock on the table or pat students shoulder gently. Teachers draw students’ attention back to the classroom through euphemistic ways.

When explaining the problem, if students answer correctly, teachers should bloom smile, thumb up and praise them and let them feel valued and encouraged and they will greatly motivate to learn.    

Body language makes relationship between teachers and students become more intimate. Teachers should not teach students rigidly and primly. Teachers need to create a harmonious and relaxed atmosphere, which is more conducive to student learning. Using more body language, for example, teachers can give students a smile or nod approvingly from time to time etc. It can make the class atmosphere more harmonious. When teachers and students solve a difficult problem together, teachers clap with their students. Body language can shorten the distance between teachers and students, making relationship more harmonious between teachers and students.

Body language can help teachers’ teaching more intuitive reflected in English vocabulary teaching and sentence teaching. Many words and sentences can be expressed vividly through the body language. Expressing what are wanted to express by actions is not only beneficial to teaching, but also makes students understand directly.

Chapter Two  Characteristics and Principles of Body Language

2.1 Characteristics

 2.1.1 Easy to understand

When teaching verb “swim”, teachers do the swimming action; when teaching adjective “happy”, teachers make a happy look with facial expressions; when teaching noun “piano”, teachers do the action of the piano, etc.

Body language is not only easier for students to understand but also easier to accept. For example, if you put finger in front of your mouth, it means don’t speak any more. Students will know that they are not allowed to speak. It’s time for students to have an English lesson. Teacher could swing his hand or shook his head when students answer the question, which indicates the answer is wrong. Students must be more receptive to this approach.

2.1.2 Easy to imitate and apply

Dewey, a famous American educator, advocates “learning by doing” and all learning is a by-product of action, so teachers can “do” to supervise students to think and learn. From his words, teachers can contact the TPR teaching method. TPR teaching method is the abbreviation of Total Physical Response, that is, the whole body reaction teaching method, founded by psychology professor James Arthur, the United States of America San Jose University. It pays attention to the interaction patterns in language learning. He advocated to use behaviors to match the language and helped the speaker to express ideas. And this way of teaching emphasizes the interactivity of the body and the activity of learning, which relies heavily on the rational use of body language.

2.2 Principles

Generally speaking, the application of body language in primary school English teaching should conform to the principle, natural, coordinating, accurate, reasonable and appropriate. It can not be too blunt and incompatible with the teaching content. Body language cannot be used too much in order to prevent body language from interfering with classroom order. In addition, body language is also used for the purpose of improving the effect of classroom teaching. So, teachers should try their best to use body language properly. It should not be too popular and correspond to the content of classroom teaching. When teaching the words of animals, teachers can imitate the action of animals to make students guess the words. This way of teaching is lively and interesting and very popular with students. Body language can attract the attention of students for a long time and be imitated and used easily by students.