Body Language Key Stage 3 July 2015

What is Body Language? Body Language is more of an umbrella term to describe how you are using you body to communicate an emotion to an audience. It is part of characterisation, which is about the ways in which you interpret a character through the way you use your body and voice.

What words contribute to body language Gestures Facial Expressions Stance Posture Movement Eye Contact Legs / Torso / Arms / Head / Feet etc…

Body Language in action Eye Contact Head facing audience Eyes looking above and to one side of the audience Facial Expressions Mouth Drooping Cheeks slightly puffed out Shoulders Look quite tense and uptight Gestures Arms tightly crossed over her torso. Posture Very straight and rigid back. Stance Can’t tell, but you can imagine that she has her legs straight and feet firmly planted on the floor. Image © The Daily Mirror

Writing about Body Language Rule 1: Begin by talking about what you did personally in the performance (e.g. in the still image I played…) Rule 2: Add a describing word to the character or role you played (e.g. not a king but an angry king). Rule 3: Use the connective “and” along with one of the following phrases: “to communicate”, “to convey”, “to get across”, “to show” or “to express” Rule 4: Use at least 2 key terms and as many describing words as you can (e.g. I puffed up my chest to show I had angry body language.)

Writing about Body Language In the performance I performed an annoyed and moody teenage girl and to communicate that I was annoyed I faced the audience but didn’t make direct eye contact with them, I also narrowed my eyes, I had my arms crossed, shoulders tight and my back straight. Rule 1 Rule 3 Rule 2 Rule 4