The subtle power of nonverbal communication in English as a foreign language classrooms: An observational study on teachers’ gestures and students’ comprehension

Oct 15, 2026

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Nonverbal communication, especially teachers’ gestures, is central to strengthening students’ comprehension of orally delivered instructional content, as well as promoting engagement and participation in EFL classrooms. This observational study examined how gesture use relates to students’ understanding in Saudi EFL settings, focusing on comprehension inferred from behavioural cues rather than routines or reading tasks. A purposive sample of 12 university teachers was observed across instructional phases, and gesture frequency and effectiveness were quantified. Results showed deictic and iconic gestures as most frequent, with deictic gestures most strongly associated with behaviourally inferred comprehension, while gesture frequency correlated positively with comprehension and engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time1 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Teachers’ gestures and nonverbal communication

Gesture types and instructional contexts

Research focus and questions

Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics ISSN 2209-0959 [https://www.castledown.com/journals/ajal/](https://www.castledown.com/journals/ajal/) Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8 (5), 102643 (2025) [https://doi.org/10.29140/ajal.v8n5.102643](https://doi.org/10.29140/ajal.v8n5.102643) The subtle power of nonverbal communication in English as a foreign language classrooms: An observational study on teachers’gestures and students’ comprehension MOHAMMAD HAMAD AL-KHRESHEH Department of Languages and Translation, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia Abstract Nonverbal communication, particularly teachers’ gestures, is important in improving students’ comprehension of teacher-delivered verbal instructional content, engagement, and participation in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. This observational study investigated the impact of teachers’ gestures on students’ observed understanding of instructional content communicated orally, rather than comprehension of classroom routines or reading-based tasks, in Saudi EFL classrooms. The study employed apurposive sample of 12 university EFL teachers, each observed in their usual classrooms, with students’ responses, such as comprehension, engagement, and participation, recorded during instruction. Classroom interactions were systematically observed, and the frequency and effectiveness of various gesture types (deictic, iconic, metaphoric, and beat) were recorded across different instructional contexts (introduction, explanation, practice, and review) . Students’ responses, including inferred comprehension based on behavioural cues, engagement, and participation, were also documented. Descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that deictic and iconic gestures were most frequently used, while metaphoric gestures were least common. Gestures were employed more often during the explanation and practice phases compared with the introduction and review. Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships between deictic and beat gestures, and moderate correlations between iconic and metaphoric gestures. Deictic gestures exhibited the strongest association with behaviourally inferred comprehension, iconic gestures with engagement, and metaphoric gestures with comprehension and participation.Thefrequencyofgesturespositivelycorrelatedwithstudents’comprehension and engagement. The findings suggest that incorporating gestures, particularly of the deictic and iconic types, during explanation and practice can enhance students’ learning outcomes. This study confirms the importance of nonverbal communication in EFL classrooms and provides insights for optimising teaching strategies. Keywords: EFL classroom, gesture type, instructional context, nonverbal communication, students’ comprehension, student engagement, teachers’ gestures Introduction In English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, effective communication extends beyond verbal interaction. Nonverbal communication, particularly teachers’ gestures, enhances comprehension, engagement, and participation (Afdaliah, 2022; Gholamrezaee & Ghanizadeh, 2018). Gestures provide a visual scaffold, reinforce spoken language, and facilitate the learners’understanding of complex concepts (Ananda et al., 2020; Macedonia, 2014) . For students with limited language proficiency, nonverbal cues offer an additional layer of meaning, rendering instruction more comprehensible and accessible (Macedonia, 2014) . Research has demonstrated that gestures facilitate cognitive processing and promote learning, particularly language learning (Oppici et al., 2023). However, although the significance of gestures has been acknowledged, there remains a need for more extensive investigation into the specific types of gestures employed by instructors and their impact on student outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of teachers’ gestures in improving voca

FAQs

What is the main focus of this observational study?

The study investigates how teachers’ gestures affect students’ observed understanding of orally communicated instructional content in EFL classrooms.

Which gesture types were used most and least frequently?

Deictic and iconic gestures were used most frequently, while metaphoric gestures were the least common across instructional contexts.

How were students’ comprehension and engagement assessed?

Students’ comprehension was inferred from behavioural cues during instruction, and engagement and participation were recorded as observed responses.

Oct 15, 2026

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