Body language conversation questions

🧑‍🏫 You are free to use this material in class.

🤷 For general advice on using conversation topics, see the article on conversation questions.
📜 For Teflpedia’s complete list of topics, see Category:Teflpedia conversation questions.

🔀 Go to another, random topic.

Body language

• “Body language" in the broadest sense can refer to visual signal or physical movements/positions. Can you think of any examples of each?
• When you see a person for the first time, are there any outward signs they give which proclaim their status, interests or personality? What are they?
• How much notice do you take of other people’s body language?
• How conscious are you of your own body language?
• What purpose does dancing serve? Do you like dancing? Are you good at it?
• Think about what happens when you are talking to someone. What messages would the following send?
  • standing with your hands on your hips
  • putting your hands in your pockets
  • crossing your arms
  • clasping your hands behind your back
  • twiddling with your hair
  • looking at the floor
  • standing sideways while talking to them
• How much attention do you pay to how you sit or act if you are in a meeting or a class? Do you spin your pen round your thumb? Chew your pencil? Doodle? Yawn? How would you feel if you were in charge of the class or the meeting and you saw someone doing one, or more, of those things?

Handshakes

• Do people shake hands when they meet in your country?
• Do they shake hands when they depart?
• How do you "interpret" people’s handshakes?
• Are there any handshakes you don’t like? Describe them.
• How would you describe your handshake?
• Masons are said to have a special handshake - do you know what’s special about it?

Cultural differences

• Do you think that all cultures “speak" the same body language?
• How close to each other do people in your culture stand when they are having a conversation?
• Do people in your culture normally touch each other when they speak?
• How do you feel if somebody touches you when they are speaking? How does your reaction differ (if at all) if it is a member of the opposite sex?
• Are there any typical gestures used in your country for insulting? Do you think they are universal or specific to your country?
• Can you think of any ways in which your culture’s body language is different?

Eye contact

• Eye contact is important in communication, but there are different ways of maintaining it, including a constant, fixed, contact, or looking people in the eye for a moment and then looking away. What sort of eye contact do you use/prefer?
• How aware are you of other people’s eye contact with you?
• How aware are you of your own eye contact with people?
• How relevant is the situation or the person with whom you are maintaining eye contact?
• How do you feel if someone maintains fixed eye contact when they are talking to you?
• How do you feel if someone is talking to you without looking at you?
• How do you feel if someone maintains intermittent eye contact when talking to you?
• How do you feel if somebody you are not in communication with stares at you?

Talk with body language

Make these statements by using your hands face and body. Stand up if necessary. Your partner has to guess the statement you are making. (Don’t do them in this order!)

• I do not know. I have no idea of the answer.
• I feel very ashamed and embarrassed.
• I’ve got a good idea!
• We won the match!
• I’m confused.
• I’m the boss.
• I’m afraid.
• This is really boring.
• I don’t want to talk to you.
• This is disgusting.
• I’m feeling bored with this.
• I’m getting ready to go.
• I really like you and I'd like to get to know you better.

See also

• Dancing conversation questions
• Getting to know you conversation questions
• Party conversation questions
• Relationships conversation questions

External links

• “Handshaking: Do you know what your handshake says about you?"