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Europe<strong>an</strong> Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 19, Number 1 (2011)<br />

<strong>Eye</strong> <strong>Contact</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> <strong>Efficient</strong> <strong>Non</strong>-<strong>Verbal</strong> <strong>Teaching</strong> Technique:<br />

A Survey of Teachers’ Opinion<br />

Muhammad Naeem Butt<br />

Institute of Education & Research, Kohat University of Science & Technology-Pakist<strong>an</strong><br />

E-mail: nb840@yahoo.com<br />

Mohammad Muazzam Sharif<br />

Department of English, Kohat University of Science & Technology-Pakist<strong>an</strong><br />

Niaz Muhammad<br />

Center of Religious Studies, Kohat University of Science & Technology-Pakist<strong>an</strong><br />

Azra F<strong>an</strong>oos<br />

M.Phil Scholar, Institute of Education & Research<br />

Kohat University of Science & Technology-Pakist<strong>an</strong><br />

Umtul Ayesha<br />

Lecturer, Government District Degree College for Women, Peshawar- Pakist<strong>an</strong><br />

Abstract<br />

The major objective of the study w<strong>as</strong> to explore teachers’ opinion about the efficient use of<br />

eye contact in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom. It w<strong>as</strong> a survey type study, which largely focused on the<br />

import<strong>an</strong>ce of eye contact <strong>as</strong> a non-verbal teaching technique. The population of the study<br />

comprised all the teachers of government secondary schools (Both genders) of district<br />

Peshawar, Pakist<strong>an</strong>. Sample of the study comprised 20 schools (Both genders) <strong>an</strong>d 2<br />

teachers from each school in the subject of English, selected through simple r<strong>an</strong>dom<br />

sampling technique. The total number of those teachers w<strong>as</strong> 40. The data were collected<br />

through a close-ended questionnaire. The data revealed that all the teachers were of the<br />

opinion that eye contact is a very import<strong>an</strong>t non-verbal teaching technique, which not only<br />

enh<strong>an</strong>ced students’ attention in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom but also helped the teachers in the attainment<br />

of desired student results.<br />

Keywords: <strong>Eye</strong> contact, <strong>Non</strong>-verbal, Cues, <strong>Teaching</strong>, Learning, Communication,<br />

Cl<strong>as</strong>sroom<br />

Introduction<br />

Hum<strong>an</strong> society largely depends on communication to share its feelings, needs, dem<strong>an</strong>ds <strong>an</strong>d<br />

interaction; hence communication operates <strong>an</strong> essential role in our daily life. Communication does not<br />

solely rely on sounds <strong>an</strong>d speech but also on non-verbal tr<strong>an</strong>smission of information. The use of nonverbal<br />

cues in communication is <strong>as</strong> much <strong>as</strong> 70-90 percent of the whole.<br />

School is recognized <strong>as</strong> a mini society, where students of various cultures <strong>an</strong>d families<br />

communicate with one <strong>an</strong>other in pursuit of education; therefore, non-verbal communication functions<br />

very best in teaching-learning process in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom. The technique of non-verbal communication<br />

definitely enh<strong>an</strong>ces the st<strong>an</strong>dard of teaching <strong>an</strong>d ultimately results in the attainment of students’<br />

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Europe<strong>an</strong> Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 19, Number 1 (2011)<br />

learning outcomes. The awareness of this technique among the teachers is very imperative, <strong>as</strong> they c<strong>an</strong><br />

utilize this technology, purposefully, in the best interest of students <strong>an</strong>d to improve the st<strong>an</strong>dard of<br />

teaching.<br />

Teachers c<strong>an</strong> use their body movements, eye contact, facial expressions; smile; <strong>an</strong>ger; frown, pitch<br />

of voice, <strong>an</strong>d spatial dist<strong>an</strong>ce for better underst<strong>an</strong>ding of the concepts of students.<br />

In the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom setting eye contact of the teacher, <strong>as</strong> non-verbal cue, is very vital <strong>an</strong>d directly<br />

affects the learning of the students in addition to the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom m<strong>an</strong>agement. <strong>Eye</strong> contact is a tool of<br />

teaching, which a teacher c<strong>an</strong> use very efficiently <strong>an</strong>d effectively for the enh<strong>an</strong>cement <strong>an</strong>d achievement of<br />

students’ learning outcomes (SLOs).<br />

According to Wikipedia (2009), “<strong>Eye</strong> contact is a meeting of the eyes between two individuals.<br />

In hum<strong>an</strong> beings, eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication <strong>an</strong>d is thought to have a large<br />

influence on social behavior.”<br />

Literature Review<br />

Nierenberg <strong>an</strong>d Calero (2001) stated, “We have also found that people tend to have eye contact more<br />

when they listen th<strong>an</strong> when talking. They also employ a gaze aversion when <strong>as</strong>ked questions that make<br />

them feel uncomfortable or guilty. On the other h<strong>an</strong>d, when <strong>as</strong>ked a question or when reacting to a<br />

statement that makes them feel defensive, aggressive, or hostile, their eye contact incre<strong>as</strong>es<br />

dramatically. You c<strong>an</strong> sometimes clearly see the pupils dilate when a person is thus aroused.”<br />

M<strong>as</strong>on (2003) stated, “The hum<strong>an</strong> species value open, engaging eye contact, such <strong>as</strong> is<br />

normally found in a conversation between friends. It is subconsciously taken <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> indication of<br />

confidence, authority <strong>an</strong>d sincerity.”<br />

Miller (1988) stated, “Teachers c<strong>an</strong> have individual contacts with every student in the<br />

cl<strong>as</strong>sroom through eye contact. Attitudes of intimacy, aloofness, concern or indifference c<strong>an</strong> be<br />

inferred by the way a teacher looks or avoids looking at a student. The level of credibility <strong>an</strong>d honesty<br />

h<strong>as</strong> been found to be related to the amount of eye contact exhibited by a speaker. Thus, if a teacher h<strong>as</strong><br />

<strong>an</strong> eye contact with only a selected few alert <strong>an</strong>d interested students, other students might consider this<br />

to be bi<strong>as</strong>ed <strong>an</strong>d favoritism”.<br />

In cl<strong>as</strong>sroom eye contact performs a very signific<strong>an</strong>t function <strong>as</strong> non-verbal communication.<br />

Teachers c<strong>an</strong> use eye contact for the enh<strong>an</strong>cement of learning of the students in various ways.<br />

Wainwright (2003) also highlighted six different functions of eye contact: seeking information;<br />

showing attention <strong>an</strong>d interest; inviting <strong>an</strong>d controlling interaction; dominating, threatening <strong>an</strong>d<br />

influencing others; providing feedback during speech; <strong>an</strong>d revealing attitudes.<br />

F<strong>as</strong>t (1991) stated, “Of all the elements we use to communicate with other people, eye contact<br />

is the most import<strong>an</strong>t-<strong>an</strong>d the most hum<strong>an</strong>. Animals are disturbed by eye contact. To them, it carries a<br />

subtext of threat. Hum<strong>an</strong>s are ple<strong>as</strong>ed with it. To them, the subtexts are the attention <strong>an</strong>d interest.”<br />

Zekia (2009) conducted a study <strong>an</strong>d brought into limelight the students’ perceptions about nonverbal<br />

communication in cl<strong>as</strong>sroom focusing on eye contact, mimics, <strong>an</strong>d gestures. A total number of<br />

67 students divided into two cl<strong>as</strong>s m<strong>an</strong>agement groups were the respondents of the study. The students<br />

were given <strong>an</strong> <strong>as</strong>signment to write a “critical moment’s reflection” report on <strong>an</strong>y of the incidents that<br />

they considered critical once a week right after their cl<strong>as</strong>ses for two months.<br />

The findings of the above cited study revealed that non-verbal communication could be <strong>an</strong><br />

import<strong>an</strong>t source of motivation <strong>an</strong>d concentration for students’ learning <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> a tool for taking <strong>an</strong>d<br />

maintaining attention. It w<strong>as</strong> recommended that teachers must underst<strong>an</strong>d the import<strong>an</strong>ce of nonverbal<br />

communication <strong>an</strong>d use this technology in favour of students to create a more motivating, comfortable,<br />

confident environment in cl<strong>as</strong>s for a better cl<strong>as</strong>sroom m<strong>an</strong>agement.<br />

42


Europe<strong>an</strong> Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 19, Number 1 (2011)<br />

Procedure of the Study<br />

It w<strong>as</strong> a survey type study, which largely focused on teachers’ opinion regarding the underst<strong>an</strong>ding <strong>an</strong>d<br />

import<strong>an</strong>ce of eye contact <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> efficient <strong>an</strong>d effective teaching technique in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom teaching.<br />

The collected data were me<strong>as</strong>ured on likert’s scale. The collected data were interpreted in the form of<br />

table <strong>an</strong>d graph, which were further illustrated in the form of percentages.<br />

Population of the Study<br />

Population of the study comprised all the teachers of government secondary schools (both genders) in<br />

the urb<strong>an</strong> <strong>an</strong>d rural are<strong>as</strong> of district Peshawar, Pakist<strong>an</strong>. The total number of those schools w<strong>as</strong> 103.<br />

Sample of the Study<br />

Sample of the study constituted 20 schools, 10 males <strong>an</strong>d 10 females, in the rural <strong>an</strong>d urb<strong>an</strong> are<strong>as</strong> of<br />

district Peshawar, Pakist<strong>an</strong>. A sizeable number of 2 teachers were selected from each school through<br />

simple r<strong>an</strong>dom sampling technique. Total number of those teachers w<strong>as</strong> 40.<br />

Delimitation of the Study<br />

The scope of the study w<strong>as</strong> restricted only to government secondary schools of district Peshawar. The<br />

study w<strong>as</strong> further narrowed down to the subject of English.<br />

Research Instrument<br />

A close-ended questionnaire w<strong>as</strong> designed for the teachers consisting 8 items, on the b<strong>as</strong>is of the<br />

objective of the study, which mainly focused on the import<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>an</strong>d use of eye contact during teachinglearning<br />

process in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom. The responses were recorded on 5-point Likert’s scale.<br />

Data Collection <strong>an</strong>d Interpretation<br />

The primary data were collected through questionnaires from the teachers solicited the opinion of the<br />

key respondents regarding the use of eye contact <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> efficient teaching technique in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom.<br />

The data were collected <strong>an</strong>d interpreted in the form of table <strong>an</strong>d graphs <strong>an</strong>d were given me<strong>an</strong>ingful<br />

interpretation through percentage method.<br />

Table 1: Teachers’ Opinion regarding <strong>Eye</strong> <strong>Contact</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> <strong>Efficient</strong> <strong>Non</strong>-verbal <strong>Teaching</strong> Technique<br />

S. NO. ITEMS<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

5<br />

6<br />

7<br />

8<br />

I mostly use my eye contact with the students in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom<br />

to make them attentive during teaching learning process.<br />

Regular eye contact with the students in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom<br />

enh<strong>an</strong>ces their (Students) attention during learning process.<br />

Teacher’s regular eye contact makes the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom’s<br />

environment alive to lesson taught.<br />

I mostly use eye contact with the students <strong>as</strong> a smart tool of<br />

teaching in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom during learning process<br />

I appreciate those students in the cl<strong>as</strong>s who make regular eye<br />

contact with the teacher during learning process.<br />

I receive, on the spot, the feedback of the students about my<br />

teaching through their eye contact during the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom<br />

learning.<br />

I pose questions to the students during lesson who avoid eye<br />

contact with me in the cl<strong>as</strong>s.<br />

I mostly use eye contact to convey messages of appreciation<br />

<strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>ger to the students during teaching.<br />

43<br />

RESPONSES<br />

SA A UD DA SD Total %<br />

27 13 --- --- --- 40<br />

% 67.5 32.5 --- --- ---<br />

100<br />

21 17 1 --- 1 40<br />

% 52.5 42.5 2.5 --- 2.5<br />

100<br />

25 13 1 --- 1 40<br />

% 62.5 32.5 2.5 --- 2.5<br />

100<br />

13 25 --- 1 1 40<br />

% 32.5 62.5 --- 2.5 2.5<br />

100<br />

14 22 1 2 1 40<br />

% 35.0 55.0 2.5 5.0 2.5<br />

100<br />

21 15 2 2 --- 40<br />

% 52.5 37.5 5.0 5.0 ---<br />

19 17 2 2 --- 40<br />

% 47.5 42.5 5.0 5.0 ---<br />

19 20 --- --- 1 40<br />

% 47.5 50.0 --- --- 2.5<br />

100<br />

100<br />

100


Europe<strong>an</strong> Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 19, Number 1 (2011)<br />

Figure 1: Teachers’ Opinion regarding <strong>Eye</strong> <strong>Contact</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>an</strong> <strong>Efficient</strong> <strong>Non</strong>-verbal <strong>Teaching</strong> Technique<br />

Results <strong>an</strong>d Discussion<br />

The data presented in table-1 <strong>an</strong>d further elaborated in figure-1 elicited that most of the respondents<br />

strongly agreed to the statements <strong>as</strong>ked in items 1, 2, 3, 6, <strong>an</strong>d 7. Furthermore, most of the respondents<br />

agreed to the suppositions given in items 4, 5, <strong>an</strong>d 8. A negligible number of respondents either<br />

disagreed or stayed undecided to the given statements in items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, <strong>an</strong>d 7. The data revealed<br />

the awareness of the respondents about the effective <strong>an</strong>d efficient use of eye contact with the students<br />

in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom to make the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom environment more conducive to teaching-learning process. The<br />

data further explained that the respondents were, to a great extent, aware of the import<strong>an</strong>ce of eye<br />

contact <strong>as</strong> non-verbal communication technique <strong>an</strong>d if they us it purposefully in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom they c<strong>an</strong><br />

attain desired students’ le<strong>an</strong>ing outcomes.<br />

Conclusions<br />

B<strong>as</strong>ed on the data collection <strong>an</strong>d interpretation, following conclusions were drawn:<br />

1. <strong>Eye</strong> contact played <strong>an</strong> effective role in the process of teaching-learning; <strong>as</strong> this technique made<br />

the students attentive <strong>an</strong>d alert in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom <strong>as</strong> a result of direct eye contact with the<br />

teachers.<br />

2. Teachers e<strong>as</strong>ily motivated the students with their eye contact <strong>an</strong>d tr<strong>an</strong>sferred the messages of<br />

appreciation <strong>an</strong>d admiration to the students.<br />

3. <strong>Eye</strong> contact not only helped in augmenting the attention level of the students but also incre<strong>as</strong>ed<br />

their underst<strong>an</strong>ding of the concepts taught.<br />

4. Teachers made the learning environment active through their eye contact.<br />

5. Teachers appreciated the perform<strong>an</strong>ce of the students through their eye contact.<br />

Recommendations<br />

On the b<strong>as</strong>is of data interpretation <strong>an</strong>d conclusions of the study, following recommendation were<br />

made:<br />

1. Teachers should use this technique in order to improve their teaching methodology <strong>an</strong>d also<br />

to make cl<strong>as</strong>sroom learning active <strong>an</strong>d alive.<br />

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Europe<strong>an</strong> Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 19, Number 1 (2011)<br />

2. <strong>Eye</strong> contact with the students in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom is very pivotal for active participation of the<br />

students.<br />

3. Students c<strong>an</strong> lose interest <strong>an</strong>d attention in the teaching-learning process due to the lack of<br />

eye contact; hence teachers should ensure the utilization of eye contact.<br />

4. Teachers should infuse the technique of using their eye contact with the students in their<br />

methodologies, which ultimately make the learners <strong>an</strong>d the taught, active <strong>an</strong>d vigorous<br />

towards teaching-learning process in the cl<strong>as</strong>sroom.<br />

References<br />

[1] F<strong>as</strong>t, J. (1991). Body l<strong>an</strong>guage in the work place. New York: Penguin Books. Retrieved May<br />

26, 2010, from http:/www.4shared.com/network/searches. (p. 60)<br />

[2] M<strong>as</strong>on, R. (2003). Teach yourself. Speaking on special occ<strong>as</strong>ions. London: Hodder &<br />

Stoughton. (p.41)<br />

[3] Miller, P. W. (1998). <strong>Non</strong>verbal communication: what a researcher says to the teachers (3 rd<br />

ed.). USA: Nea. (p.11)<br />

[4] Nierenberg, G. I., & Calero, H. H. (2001). How to read a person like a book. Barrens & Noble<br />

Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http:/www.4shared.com/network/searches. (p. 12)<br />

[5] Wainwright, R. G. (2003). Teach yourself, Body l<strong>an</strong>guage. London: Hodder Headline. (p. 21)<br />

[6] Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. (2009). nonverbal communication. Retrieved June 2, 2010,<br />

from http:/en.wikipeadia.org/wiki/nonverbal_communication<br />

[7] Zekia, P. C. (2009). The import<strong>an</strong>ce of non-verbal communication in cl<strong>as</strong>sroom m<strong>an</strong>agement.<br />

Procedia social <strong>an</strong>d behavioral sciences 1. (World Conference on Educational Sciences). North<br />

Cyprus: http:/www.sciencedirect.com/science.<br />

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