Language, Faces and Gestures

Learning goal: I can use words, facial expressions and gestures to communicate clearly and choose useful open or closed questions.

• Notice how words, facial expressions, gestures and body language change a message.
• Recognise that First Nations Australian communication can include important symbols, gestures and body language.
• Use words and body language to show emotions.
• Tell the difference between a closed question and an open question.

Steps to use

Notice purpose → Choose words → Use voice/gesture → Check response

Match language to the speaking purpose

Say it two ways and notice the change

Curriculum Coverage & Elaborations

The content description is the required target. The elaborations below are taught as examples and contexts, not as disconnected checklist wording.

• E1: recognising the effects of words, signing, gestures and body language on the way communications are received by others
• E2: understanding that symbols, gestures and body language are key components of communication in First Nations Australian communities (teaching context)
• E3: viewing short films and discussing how characters use words and body language to convey emotions
• E4: learning the difference between closed questions; for example, “Are you ready?”, and open questions; for example, “What made this text so exciting?”

• Words only — Also notice face, gesture, voice and relationship.
• Command instead of request — Use polite wording when asking someone to do something.
• One voice for every purpose — Change volume, tone or gesture to match meaning.

1. Purpose cards — Sort short spoken lines into question, offer, request, command and exclamation.
   Can I help? / Look out! / Please wait.
2. Voice and face match — Say the same words with a calm request voice and then an excited exclamation voice.
   That is amazing!
3. Polite classroom request — Change a command into a polite request.
   Move. → Could you please move?

Quick checks

• Which sentence is a question?
• Turn “Give me the book” into a polite request.
• What facial expression might match an exclamation?
• Why does relationship matter when we speak?

I am ready when I can

• I can notice how words, facial expressions, gestures and body language change a message.
• I can recognise that First Nations Australian communication can include important symbols, gestures and body language.
• I can use words and body language to show emotions.
• I can tell the difference between a closed question and an open question.

Curriculum equivalents for How language, facial expressions and gestures are used to interact...

Mapped skill: understand how language, facial expressions and gestures are used to interact with others when asking for and providing information, making offers, exclaiming, requesting and giving commands

These references identify matching or closely related learning. Curriculum sequence, terminology and depth vary, so teachers should use the mapped skill and lesson difficulty to confirm suitability.

Australian Curriculum v9.0 is the canonical source for this SkillrHub lesson. Victoria and NSW entries name the closest published state codes or outcomes; international entries are planning references rather than claims of identical curricula.