My portfolio teaching practice 2 training | Page 7

Use of gesture, facial expression and mime
Gestures and facial expressions are an integral part of any communication
where people listen and speak to each other.
How does gesture and mime affect what we do in the classroom?
You can use gesture and mime:
To convey the meaning of language
To manage the class for example, to reinforce instructions
To add visual interest
To increase pace
To cut down on the amount of verbal explanation. This is particularly
inmportan at lower levels where long verbal explanations in English can
be difficult and confusing.
Using the voice
¿In what way does the voice vary?
The voice alters fairly naturally, according to the activity, the size of the
class, the room. etc.
How can you use your voice to gain attentión?
For example:
When students are standing around at the beginning of a lesson, talking.
When you want to stop a group activity.
When there’s a loto f general noise and you want to regain control.
What about when you are announcing changes in the stages of a
lesson?
It is not necessary to say Right¡This is a different part of the lesson. New
activity coming up ¡but you can use your voice to mark transition in a
lesson. Look at the following transcripto f a lesson and try reading the
parto f the teacher aloud:
T: ¿So – to make the simple past of a regular verb – what do we do?
S1: Add “ed”
T: ¿Right- and if the verb ends in “e” like live?
S2: Just”d”
5