Culturally Speaking: A Communication Skills Tip

I began my communication career as a teacher of ESL. I taught English through music and drama at a Japanese College outside of Cambridge, Massachusetts. I remember being drawn to the extreme variance between how Americans and Japanese expressed themselves through their facial expressions. Americans tend to be overly dramatic while the Japanese tend to be overly reserved. Over the first six years of my profession, I met people from all over the world: Russia, France, India, Germany, Brasil, Turkey, The Philippines, Taiwan, and Poland to name a few. I began to be able to identify the student's cultures almost by their facial expressions alone. Their pursed lips suggested how little they might use their mouth during speech. Their smooth foreheads were signs that they may not express surprise or confusion outwardly. Or the lack of lines around their eyes could reveal how little the culture might smile (or they may avoid smiling to reduce wrinkling...smart!) The point is that there are cultural norms in every society around moving the muscles in the face. The theatre and music techniques I introduced to my international students gave them communication alternatives. It was fascinating to see how the non-verbal exercises allowed all groups to explore their use of the language. We all decided that it is easy to take on another personality when speaking another language and that there is a freedom that takes place when you really allow yourself to integrate another culture into your expression. Now, after 20 years as a communication specialist, I am finally becoming adept at another language. It certainly isn't easy, but I find that when I embody the physicality of the culture, the language is more familiar. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.