In my family, we communicate non-verbally with gesturers, and facial expressions. Everybody in my family uses lots of hand motions while they talk to complement and underscore what they’re saying. For example, when I ask a question or I’m expressing that I don’t understand something, I’ll gesture forward with my hands and with my palms facing upward. It’s a way of extending myself towards somebody and reaching out for help. I’ve noticed that other members of family do this as well, like my sister and my mother.

I think that the more time you spend with someone, the better you get at reading their non-verbal cues. For example, my little brother keeps his mouth closed and grinds his teeth a little when he’s mad. It’s subtle, but since I’ve known him for his entire life, I’ve noticed.

 

In a setting where you don’t know the language well, I think that facial expressions are an effective tool for conveying emotion. When we watch movies in Spanish class, if I’m not positive what the characters are saying, I try to read their faces in order to understand how they’re feeling.