 Re: Which is more imporant, spoken language or nonverbal communication?
In real life, non-verbal always wins. In the classroom I have to revert to it often. The hour and fifty minutes that I get with a class is crucial time for me though. Getting 16 or 20 people to actually produce spoken English in that time is a challenge and then giving each an opportunity to get enough 'reps' in to feel confident is my primary goal.
Your question is a good one though as students often want to use body language to communicate. In my life in Vietnam I often have to use it, but it really shows me how important it is to actually have the words to say what I want to say. Spoken words are much more specific and, in my opinion, body language can be vague.
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