Concept Paper

for Communication in the ESOL classroom

PMC 543

Title:
Communication in the ESOL classroom
(Verbal and Nonverbal Communication):
The Role of A Teacher and Student for Effective Communication
And Communication in the 21st Century Classroom

By
Halipah binti Harun
P-PM0092/16

For
Associate Prof. Dr. Mohamad Jafre bin Zainol Abidin
Coordinator

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

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Introduction

Communication is the key to learning a language. Nowadays, it is vital to improve

communication skills to make it understandable with other people. There is no language that is
sufficient. Learning a language may help require the learner to communicate with and
understand other people. It is also to admit the landscape of ethnic, cultural and dialectal
differences. It can only be achieved through communication. In the ESOL classroom, English
can be served as the main means of communication for both native speakers and speakers of
other languages. The need to learn the language is because it is used and spoken as a foreign
or second language for daily communication.

The Role of English Teachers in Communication

In relation to teaching and learning communication in the ESOL classroom, both

teachers and students communicate with each other to deliver the teaching instructions and
follow the instructions respectively. The art of communication between them involves listening
and speaking in particular, and associates reading and writing in lesson taught either directly
or indirectly. Teachers have to possess all four integrated skills to enhance their teaching
pedagogy. They are playing a role of proficient communicators who receive information as
well as understand the information they have gotten from any sources. The process is ongoing
as they synthesize it and express themselves in a very confident manner. They must be capable
of spread knowledge, skills and values when they interact with the students and show the
willingness to share the knowledge they have with the students. Thus, by doing so, they help
motivate students to learn; learning by examples.

Communication is about being receptive and expressive. Being a good listener to the
students is another role teachers have to play. Listening to the students as well as explaining
things clearly are the skills that language teachers should possess. Teachers who are dealing
with authentic materials in English language have to clarify their thoughts to present the
materials. All the ideas consisted in their teaching materials are often segregated into simpler
parts from the complex ideas to transmit to their students. They are an adaptor when adapting
their communication approach to students since students are of different learning styles and
abilities. Teachers also transform the boring discussion into the interesting two-way

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communication by having good presentation skills for effective communication among them;
teachers and students.

In addition, teachers’ tone of voice and use of body language will sustain
communication between teachers and students in the classroom. They become a language
producer. It builds rapport and bridge the gap between them throughout the lesson if the voice
and body language produce comprehension to the students. This is vital because sometimes
students cannot read between the lines. However, according to Ingram, D., & Sasaki, M.
(2003), although a teacher can guide his or her student in learning, it is by using the language
and mostly by striving to apply through communicating with others will the students gain
confidence after learning process occurs in the classroom. Therefore, their participation in
communication help them learn English language.

The Role of Students in Communication

Students’ role in communication is to acknowledge the concept of the study and match
with communicative activities in distinctive ways; they are the organiser of their own learning,
and their perceptions have essential consequences in teaching and learning. It enhances
teachers’ teaching strategies, that influence and strengthen students’ approaches to learning to
communicate properly. Students’ perspectives are crucial, and it is essential to take their novel
ideas into account to encourage them to use the language and apply it in the classroom.
A student can be a sender as well as a receiver depending on the purpose of
communication. Sending messages to others needs someone to receive and respond to the
messages. When the messages have been gotten across the receiver, there will be effective
learning. Effective learning relies heavily upon positive communication. Explicit
communication occurs during teachers-students’ interaction (Miller, 1988, p.4) and that they
have mutual understanding. Communication is divided into two,
a) verbal
Words that complete communication, it is regarded as verbal.

b) nonverbal.

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 Words are not included in communication, and it is known as nonverbal, e.g.
touching, posture, facial expressions, gesture, and spatial distance.

Verbal communication

In an ESOL classroom, when making an effort to speak, two non-native English

speakers practice speaking only with the words they are confident using and put the words in
the sentence to make it sound meaningful and correct (Dr. Dandy, 1991, p. 23). Words represent
culture and belief. They also convey various meanings to diverse cultures and sometimes words
are being interpreted in different ways that make it unique. In the ESOL classroom, English is
performed at the standard level. The drawback is each language learner who learns Standard
English in school cannot speak well using Standard English. It is due to his or her level of
understanding and his or her ability to utter good English which he translates in mind by the
time he wants to speak. Most of the time the student fails to communicate fluently.

Regarding this type of communication, there is a research done in 2014 by Yiqian Cao
from Monash University Melbourne, Australia. The article makes a detail on her multiple case
study research to examine the vigorous learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in ESL
classrooms. The participants are six English learners of English who had taken English for
academic purposes for five months in New Zealand. Three of them are non-native speakers of
English and the rest are native speakers. It is underpinned within the perspective of
sociocognitive which combined the factors of social, environmental, and individual. The
approach used in these lessons include oral presentation, group projects, debate, role-plays,
essay writings, error correction task and seminar. Data collection is taken through interviews,
journals and classroom observations.

WTC involves someone whose target is to speak to another person when he or she is
allowed to (Cao, Y. K. (2014). When a teacher calls her student, it is an obligatory for him or
her to respond and not to object. In the process to reply or give a response, an individual will
communicate differently with the teacher or any receiver regardless of topics discussed.
Through the tasks mentioned in the previous paragraph, they practised communicating either
voluntarily or not.

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 “The only reasonable empirical way to look for evidence of WTC in class was in
actual communication, which was voluntary and not obligatory.”

The study is also to look for personal trait behaviour whether an individual is willing to
communicate when they are forced to. WTC was considered as voluntary behavior. Meanwhile,
participation types of communication were viewed as obligatory. The factors that bring about
the findings are interrelated to three scopes: environmental, individual, and linguistic
dimensions”. It can be summarized in a table as the followings,

Dimensions External /Internal Explanation

factors
1) Environmental a) topic Students are familiar with the topic
discussed, getting interested to talk about
the topic, and being sensitive with the
topic
b) task type Involves with project task and other
activities
c) interlocutor Communication competency, human
character, nationality, involvement, and
evaluation from peer
d) teacher Teacher involvement, participation, and
immediacy
e) class Classroom situations or teacher-centred
interactional activities, group work, and pair work
pattern
2) Individual f) self- -
confidence
g) personality
h) emotion A range of positive and negative emotions
i) perceived -
opportunity to
communicate

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 3) Linguistic j) language Able to comprehend and produce good
proficiency language performance
k) reliance on L1 -
Table 1

This study discloses the WTC learners have personality that was not controlled by an
individual as an entity, environmental, or linguistic variable; but it was inflicted by the link
among the three dimensions mentioned. The combination of internal and external factors gives
an impact, and forces teachers to take notice of unpredicted existences in teaching and learning”
(van Lier, 2002 cited in this research journal).

Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication is a part of the whole process of communication.

Normally, nonverbal form of communication always involves feeling and emotion. Nonverbal
communication is for those who rarely find suitable words to be used, therefore a powerful
signal such as gestures or sad feeling is shown to convey a message. Miller (1988), has
suggested more emotions and intentions are applied as nonverbal communication rather than
words in verbal communication.

There is a study done on nonverbal communication. It is conducted in an elementary

classroom to identify the use of gesture for communication. This research is done by Steven G.
Mccafferty and Alessandro Rosborough, that allows an English teacher to make intereference
to an individual learner during her simultaneous speech. Having gesture with no direct
communication is considered as a feature of classroom communication. According to the
researchers, “teacher gestures in the classroom also helps define differences in the role of
teacher and student”. One of the examples given is when teacher shows his index finger and
puts it in the mouth, it can be interpreted as “please keep silent”. In response to that gesture,
students might sit back without making any noise to show that they understand the gesture that
their teacher has made before. This is relevant and useful to be applied to lower primary school
pupils as to have control of the classroom when a lesson is about to begin.

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 A teacher is the controller of the gestures as she was authorised to control children in a
room and that she was continuously handling the whole class or a small group. As a result, to
be heard and followed, students are also mindful of language that particularly includes sign
use, to emphasise their existence in the classroom and foster a sense of group belonging. In
other words, students are able to comprehend the gestures their teacher is making as this is
beneficial in making an atmosphere that directs to a shared community they fit in together; a
classroom, for communication purposes, even without speech.

Compare and Contrast between Both Researches (on verbal and nonverbal
communication)

Both researches play their significant role in enhancing communication in a language

classroom, an ESOL classroom to be specific. Understanding students’ speaking a language
verbally might not as difficult as to comprehend a language spoken using nonverbal
communication. Therefore, the concentration of the signal used in body gesture or emotion
make it different between the two types of communication.

Compare and Contrast between both verbal and nonverbal communication

Research Verbal communication
Title A Sociocognitive
Perspective on Second
Language Classroom
Willingness to
Communicate
The role of teacher A facilitator, a guide
towards improving students’ students’ art of speech using
communication
The role of student The real communicator,
having two-way
communication with teacher
Nonverbal communication
Gesture as a Private Form of
Communication During Lessons in
an ESL-Designated Elementary
Classroom: A Sociocultural
Perspective
A controller, a navigator to steer
gestures or others to be similiarised
with verbal language but more
complicated
The ‘silent’ communicator

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 Communication Involving three dimensions; Involving teacher’s instruction
Used in ESOL environmental, individual through gestures and other ways of
classroom and linguistic (they blend to transmitting communication
make communication work) (nonverbal) and needs students’
response that is based on their
comprehension of the nonverbal
forms of communication
Table 2

Critiques on Communication in the ESOL classroom

This section reveals the two different types of communication used in the ESOL
classroom, but the first part is concentrating more on nonverbal communication. In a popular
book entitled “Gesture: Second Language Acquisition and Classroom Research” edited by
Steven G. McCafferty, Gale Stam, nonverbal communication such as body movement, use of
space, voice qualities and facial expressions also play a critical role in changing them to make
communication more meaningful and understandable by the receiver. Showing affection
cannot be done through words or direct expressions but it is effective in displaying it through
facial expressions. Therefore, it has been stated in this book that nonverbal communication can
be powerful in the sense that sometimes words cannot replace emotion, attitudes or relationship
because the form of nonverbal communication can “shape the mood and directions of
interactions”.
Unlike nonverbal communication, when a student is free to talk, there would be no
boundaries in expressing things. The only things that may stop them from having
communication is whether they are ready to speak or not. They are unwilling to engage in
second language communication because they are not prepared (Cao, Y. K. (2014)). Dornyei
and Kormos (2000) cited in Cao, Y. K. (2014) investigated the effects of L2 learners’
engagement in oral task and found that it is related to willingness to communicate (WTC)
attitude and Weaver (2005) as cited in the same journal article reported that WTC is positively
affected by pre-task planning.

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Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Gestures in the ESOL Classroom

WTC does not depend on examining individual factors, for instant self-confidence and
motivation, or contextual factors; interlocutor or task. A student communicates differently with
interlocutors either their teacher or peers. Based on personal experience, students who are
willing to communicate are among those who have basic knowledge on topics given by teacher
and that they are not afraid of being laughed at when they make mistakes in expressing views
in front of other. They focus more on fluency rather than accuracy, but this does not mean that
they leave all grammatical aspects when speaking English as a second language in the ESOL
classroom. It is also undeniable that WTC students are more confident and motivated to speak
in front of others to improve their skills and proficiency in the language itself. If a teacher uses
his legislative power asking students to speak, there will be an act of resistance by the students.

Making gestures, however trains students to use other form of nonverbal

communication to build self-confidence first before they start communicating with others. It is
believed that those who use nonverbal communication especially in learning a language are
those not from a high position. In the ESOL classroom, he or she might be someone who is
overshadowed by the class monitor or high achiever. Therefore, by using for example facial
expression, he manages to tell a language teacher that “I don’t like what he is saying” without
having to translate word by word (as the process of translating words in the first language to
the second language in mind takes longer time). This is an advantage of having nonverbal form
of communication in which it gives a shy student a chance to speak (without speech) and they
still can express anything they want to, pertaining to the lesson learnt in the ESOL classroom.
It is the teacher who must try to understand what their gestures or any other form of nonverbal
communication mean. Later, they will make an attempt to speak verbally when they are ready.

Nowadays, there is a major concern among educators that communication has been
shifted to suit with the 21st century learning in the ESOL classroom. With the advent of
technology, communication becomes effective with the help of technology tools. In the next
paragraphs, the discussion will be on communication in the 21st century classroom to get a
clear picture on the importance of using technology as related to communication toward the
enhancement of language learning.

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Communication in the 21st Century Classroom (Suggestion To Improve
Communication in the ESOL classroom)

Applying verbal and nonverbal forms of communication in the ESOL classroom might
be of the highlight of previous researches. Nevertheless, it is still relevant in today’s learning
and teaching approaches due to advantages that both forms contribute to language learning.
Just before, students are a little worried on grammar and vocabulary used in their sentences to
speak clearly and correctly. Now, students should be effectively analysed and dealt with the
great capacity of communication information today. Which bases of information are precise,
and which one are not? The ubiquity of communication technologies and modern media make
teaching communication skills become more important than before. The contribution of
technology concerning communication in the classroom may later extend to working
environment that is broader and more useful for individual development.

In a report, Are They Really Ready to Work? (cited in National Education Association,
(2012)) employers note that most graduates are lacking in written and oral communication, and
that those are skills they search for to employ new workers. In addition, global and technology-
savvy teams are the asset in working environment. Traditionally and linguistically effective
communication is vital for the success of the teams. It is necessary to know that future graduates
not only can communicate clearly in a variety of languages but also can equip themselves with
technology skills to get information across in communication especially in this 21st century era.

Even the definition of communication skills in the 21st century has added technologies
and multimedia, and the knowledge to gauge the effect and value is prior to speak effectively
in varied atmospheres such as multilingual and multicultural environments (National Education
Association, 2012). In a real ESOL classroom, students may pose a question about a current
issue related to the Earth that revolves around the outer space and galaxy. Then, their teacher
may suggest them to search for the information in the Internet using certain keywords. Later,
each student is assigned to write the issue in the Facebook or Blogs and they should also invite
the experts to give their perspectives on the issue. Finally, they may use the experts’ views and
open for discussion in the classroom. Thus, these students can create a mini forum to articulate
their thoughts clearly and effectively with their teacher as an observer and facilitator.

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 Being 21st century students, a framework was produced for 21st century learning for the
results and maintenance of the technology systems. The following is the 21st century
framework;

The need of collaboration is obvious as shown in the framework. Collaboration is

fundamental in today’s classrooms due to the nature of how work can be achieved through
collaborative and shared responsibility with others. Moreover, collaboration is regarded as a
skill that regurgitates the effective and comprehensive values of working together.
Collaborative working practised by students has resulted them to gain a lot of knowledge.
Therefore, collaboration is a significant factor toward student achievement in this macro-scale
society (ibid, 2012).

In the real scenario in the ESOL classroom, collaboration may occur among students
in a video-making workshop. The students form a team to make a life story based on their
hometown and they collaborate what they have discovered in writing and generating a video,
containing voice recording and shooting images and selecting music. After completing the
video, the students present their video production to the whole class. Other team would evaluate
their friends’ video while their teacher gives grades to the team’s work accordingly.

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Collaborative learning demonstrates the capability to produce good work whenever students
join others to make up a team.

Conclusion

Communication is a skill that every student needs to learn and possess for
effective language learning. The role of a teacher and student is incoherent to ensure that
lifelong learning process never ends. Previously and still practising, verbal and nonverbal
communication are emphasised with the mushrooming of researches to reveal learning and
teaching patterns in the ESOL classroom. Everybody must keep abreast with the advanced
technology, integration of information at the finger tips and the need to use technology and
media in multilingual and multicultural classroom, the role of a teacher and student might
slightly change, and communication becomes ‘easier and handy’ with wireless gadgets. For the
sake of effective communication in the ESOL classroom and its sustainability, why not!

References

Bakx, A. W. E. A., Van Der Sanden, J. M. M., Sijtsma, K., Croon, M. A., & Vermetten, Y. J.
M. (2006). The role of students’ personality characteristics, self-perceived competence and
learning conceptions in the acquisition and development of social communicative competence:
A longitudinal study. Higher Education, 51(1), 71-104.

Cao, Y. K. (2014). A sociocognitive perspective on second language classroom willingness to

communicate. TESOL Quarterly, 48(4), 789-814.

Dandy, E. B. (1991). Black communications: breaking down the barriers, Chicago, ill:
African American Images.
Ingram, D., & Sasaki, M. (2003). The Importance of Communication in English in a Globalised
World and in the Field of Medicine.

McCafferty, S. G., & Rosborough, A. (2014). Gesture as a Private Form of Communication

During Lessons in an ESL‐Designated Elementary Classroom: A Sociocultural
Perspective. TESOL Journal, 5(2), 225-246.

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National Education Association. (2012). Preparing 21st century students for a global society:
An educator’s guide to the “four Cs.”. Alexandria, VA: National Education Association.

Appendix

Concept Paper on Communication in ESOL classroom

Topic: Communication in the ESOL Classroom

i. analyze, compare and critique research studies on communication in the ESOL

classroom;
ii. examine teaching context (including the student’s own teaching context) in terms of
practices, systems and constraints;
iii. suggest techniques and approaches to improve communication in the ESOL classroom.
iv. From the aspect of
 Sustainability
 Collaboration
 Transformation

(10-12 pages excluding references and appendices)

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