Intercultural nonverbal communication competence : meeting body language challenges in facilitating and working with students from culturally diverse backgrounds in the Australian higher education context

This chapter examines the role played by intercultural nonverbal communication competence of Australian university staff members working in a culturally diverse setting and its impact on the management of intercultural working relationships with the students. The discussion starts with a critical review of relevant nonverbal communication theories (e.g. paralinguistics, proxemics, and kinesics). Then it focuses on various body language challenges academic and professional staff members working in Australian universities face on a daily basis while facilitating and working with students who come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The body language facing academic staff members inside classroom is challenging due to intricate intercultural differences and potential intercultural misunderstanding. It is argued that an issue common to both academic and professional staff members is that some of them may have insufficient intercultural nonverbal communication competence and few have received intercultural nonverbal communication training relevant to their work roles though their verbal communication skills are sound. It is believed that competent intercultural nonverbal communication is crucial and indispensable for both academic and professional staff members working in Australian university context because Australian higher education sector has such a linguistically and culturally diverse environment and it has an internationally high-stake profile with some universities having as many as 20% or more international students from different cultures. This has created pedagogical implications that students are likely to achieve better learning outcomes and have better learning experience when their teachers are able to demonstrate their intercultural nonverbal communication competence. It is the same case with professional staff members whose competent intercultural nonverbal communication skills can accommodate students' various needs (e.g. psychological, emotional, and social). In a word, Australian university staff members' good intercultural understanding (language and cultural knowledge about international students, so-called clients) and effective nonverbal communication skills will contribute to presenting their universities a positive public image, internationalizing Australian higher education industry and making it competitive globally.