Literature Review On Nonverbal Behavior

This chapter deals with the literature review so it examines the relevant literature in teachers’ nonverbal behaviors, social cognitive theory and the role of teachers’ nonverbal behaviors, and students’ perception on teachers’ nonverbal behaviors in EFL classroom. I divided this chapter into three major sections namely; Thematic Review, Theoretical Review, and Empirical Review. The section of thematic review presents the themes related to this study. Likewise, theoretical review discusses about the theory which provides the theoretical foundation for this study. Similarly, the next section reviews empirical studies to create the space for the present study. This chapter concludes with the research gap and conceptual framework respectively.

In this regard, Shah (2009) states that nonverbal behaviors are the exposition and performance of both techers and students in different activities in teaching and lerarning process. I agree that behavior is an action of an individual which are used for specific purpose. But in the context of teaching and learning process, the action and strategies used by either teacher or student represent their behaviors that may influence teaching and learning. In general, we can say that there are different behaviors used in teaching and learning environment. The division of behaviors can be done with differently such as positive behavior and negative behaviors, verbal behavior and nonverbal behavior and so on. However, there are different behaviors, I was giving more focus to study on nonverbal behaviors which represent the teacher's activities, techniques, and actions towards the students in teaching and learning process. I do believe that nonverbal behaviors of teachers are shown actions towards their students through verbal and nonverbal communication such as eye contact, gesture, body language, tone, postures, facial expressions etc. Argyle (1984, as cited in Huang, 2011) opined that nonverbal communication is body language that include different aspects of appearance, nonverbal vocalizations and bodily movements. I do

Body language. I believe that body language can be used in language classroom to make nonverbal communication. In this regard, Bayat, Behjat, and Kargar (2014) state that body language expresses to learners through visual elements, such as eye contact, physical distance between the speaker and the listener, gestures, postures, and body orientation.

They further argue that body language is as much a part of casual communication as it is of formal presentations so it plays important role in language learning and teaching process. Effective teachers, like good artists, use body language and facilitate their verbal behavior, leading to better understanding and learning of the subject matter by the students (Sprinthall,1994 as cited in Arif & Chaudhary, 2012). I do agree that effective teachers are good artists to create good learning environment for language learners. Birjandi and Nushi (2011) state “Posture refers to the body orientation, arm position, and body openness of interlocutors that can indicate their degree of attention or involvement, their status, and their intimacy” (p.