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Finger Gesture, Non-Verbal Gestures

Using a finger gesture or hand gestures that are uniquely American may confuse your ELL students and their parents.

Hand gestures in other countries don't always mean the same things. In primary education, we tend to use gestures even more than in some other grade levels. This nonverbal communication style often supports our interactions with students and parents.

However, this type of non-verbal communication may also carry cultural connotations that may be confusing or vulgar to people from other countries.

Cross Cultural Communication

The meaning of rude hand gestures is quite different around the world, even in western countries such as France..

Other countries, such as India and Mexico, have unique customs that are related to class and status.

It will benefit educators to be aware of a simple finger gesture or other nonverbal gestures they may be using as non-verbal communication in the classroom.

Common American Gestures

Here are some common American gestures that can lead to problems with cross cultural communication:

Crossing your legs and showing the bottom of your foot
Touching or hugging in greeting or to comfort
Touching the head of a Buddhist student
Pointing at someone
Beckoning with your index finger< (a finger gesture)
A woman offering to shake hands with a man from the Middle East
Smiling too much
Using the “OK” hand gesture (it can mean money, worthless or zero, a female flirting gesture, a sexual insult, or “What are you talking about?”)
Using the “Thumbs up” or the “Victory” (or “Peace” sign) (a rude sexual insult in some cultures)
Note: pointing with the middle finger is very acceptable in some cultures.

finger gesture

It seems that almost any way that you position or move your arms, hands, make a finger gesture, wrist, eyes, eyebrows, fist, legs, feet, head, or lips, or any way that you touch your cheek, chin, ear, nose, eyelid, lips, or temple might have special meaning in another culture.

Our role as teachers, administrators, and staff is not to be international experts of all gestures. We do, however, need to be aware that we might be sending unintended signals to some of our students through our gestures.

If you see an alarmed reaction from a student or parent who may have a different cultural background, please take a moment to clarify your intentions.

Students learn social norms during interactions at school. We must help students from other cultures to understand the meaning of the American gestures that they see.

English language learners quickly learn phrases like “bad word” or “not appropriate.” They may just need some honest feedback from someone they trust about what an appropriate finger gesture is!

Resources for Understanding
Nonverbal Gestures in Other Cultures

You may find these resources helpful as you work to understand the meaning of hand gestures in other countries:

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Resources for Understanding Nonverbal Gestures in Other Cultures

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Resources for Understanding
Nonverbal Gestures in Other Cultures