Body Language Clues: What Might They Be Telling Us?
Eight descriptions of posture, gestures and movement. The student chooses what each person's body might be communicating.
Jada taps her foot and keeps checking the clock. What might she be telling us?
Session summary (SOAP)
Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.
Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.
How to run it
Read each description aloud and, where it helps, act it out yourself so the student sees the posture or gesture. Ask for an answer in their own words before showing the choices. Then ask what else the body could be saying, because many signals have more than one meaning: a person stepping back may want space, or may simply be making room for someone else.
Cueing ladder
Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.
- IndependentSet up the situation and wait for the student to respond on their own.Log as correct
- Nonverbal cueUse a look, a gesture or a point to the visual cue card.Log as cued
- Indirect promptAsk 'What could you say now?' or 'What might they be thinking?'Log as cued
- ModelShow what to say or do, then run the moment again so the student can try it.Log as cued
Adjust it
Act out each posture or gesture yourself so the student can see it, not only read it.
Ask for a second possible meaning for each signal, and what the student could do next.
Matching IEP goal
Given described or pictured situations, Student will describe what a person's body language may communicate and name one clue in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than an indirect prompt.
Send it home through the parent portal →About this activity
Eight people described by what their bodies are doing: tapping a foot and checking the clock, slumping in a chair, waving both arms across a field, stepping back with hands held up. The student chooses what each body might be communicating. Body language often carries a message before anyone speaks, and this board puts that message into words the student can check.
What to listen for
Notice whether the student reads the whole body or one detail. A student who sees hands up and says high five has caught a gesture but not the stepping back that goes with it. Listen for flexible thinking: can they offer a second possible meaning? Rigid single readings are a common place to work, and the word might in each question invites the second idea.
Carrying it home
At home, play a short game of charades with feelings and needs, like I am in a hurry or I need space. Point out body language in real moments gently, for example, your brother is tapping his foot, maybe he is ready to go. Remember that people show things differently, and asking is always a good option when a signal is unclear.
What's in this activity
- Jada taps her foot and keeps checking the clock. What might she be telling us?
- She is in a hurry or waiting for something
- She is falling asleep
- She wants a hug
- Marcus slumps in his chair with his head on his arms. What might his body be saying?
- He is excited to start
- He is tired or feeling low
- He is angry at the teacher
- Priya waves both arms over her head across the field. What might she want?
- She wants you to notice her
- She is cold
- She wants you to be quiet
- Eli steps back and holds his hands up in front of him. What might he be telling us?
- Come closer
- Stop or give me some space
- I want to shake hands
- Rosa leans in and nods as her friend talks. What might Rosa be showing?
- She wants to leave
- She is interested in what her friend is saying
- She is confused
- Kai shrugs his shoulders when you ask where the ball went. What might he mean?
- I don't know
- Yes
- Follow me
- Nina puts a finger to her lips in the library. What might she be telling us?
- Speak up
- I am hungry
- Please be quiet
- Theo turns toward the door with his backpack on while you are still talking. What might he be thinking?
- He wants to hear more
- He needs to go soon
- He is lost
Questions
- Who is this for?
- Students in grades 2 through 5 working on reading nonverbal communication, including students whose goals target body language or social inference.
- Can I change the items?
- Yes. Open it in the Activity Studio, edit or add items and keep the same board, or switch it to another template that fits the content.
- Is it free?
- Yes. It plays free in the browser with no login. An account adds session data, goal scoring and assignment to a student.
Use this board with your caseload
With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.
Track progress freeFree for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.