Teaching English Abroad: Gestures and Cueing

Gestures, Cueing and Modeling in the EFL Classroom

It is common sense that students in an EFL classroom may not always understand what their instructor wants them to do when given directions in English. Obviously, they are there to learn English and don’t and won’t get every nuance of your requests. Thus the importance of gestures and cueing.

An effective EFL instructor will use their body to help give students additional information about what they want them do. Modeling (doing what you want students to do to show them what is wanted), gesturing to prompt behaviors, and cueing with more subtle movements all provide assistance to the students.

The target language you are teaching is the most important component of any lesson and you don’t want to get stuck in a lesson with students not knowing what to do.

Always model any activity before asking students to perform it, gesture to show students when you want them to respond chorally – “listen” (put your hands behind your ears) and “repeat” (move your hands away from your mouth), and give cues by pointing to target language on the marker board.

Give only the amount of gestures and cueing needed and withdraw it as soon as you can. Increase usage when needed and reduce it as the students seem to get what is wanted.

Effective use of these tools will make your class go much more smoothly. As the image of the book above indicates – do ask and be aware of any cultural differences in gestures. In many cultures pointing with a single finger is quite rude as is gesturing with your palm facing up versus down.

It is fun to learn these cultural nuances and you students will be more than happy to help you understand them.

TED’s Tips™ #1: When students are stuggling with the answer to a question you have asked and the answer is already on the marker board – place your hand near it as a cue for the students. You are not giving them the answer, you are merely helping them find it.

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