Letter From The Principal: Eyes On Conversation

Do you pay attention to how people’s eyes move when you are having a conversation?

Do you notice that—depending on the question or type of conversation—they might look up or down or up and to the side, etc.?

Are you aware of where your eyes move when someone asks you a question?~

“Where someone’s eyes move can give you valuable clues on what they’re thinking and what’s going on in their mind. It could be they’re remembering something they’ve seen or heard, connecting to their feelings, creating a picture or sound or even talking to themselves in their head.” (Jacqui Gatehouse, “Lie to Me? Beware: Eyes’ Patterns Give Away Your Thinking,” 2011)

As we continue to explore strategies and methods for getting to know all our students well, I thought I would share something I learned in my Cognitive Coaching training about eye patterns. “Cognitive activity in one hemisphere triggers eye movements in the opposite hemisphere.” (Costa and Garmston, Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools, 2002, p. 249)

The following are descriptors or “clues” taken from the Cognitive Coaching handbook that describe what’s going on in someone’s mind based on eye movement. (If someone is left-handed, then the information should be reversed.)

• Looking up and to the left allows us to access stored pictures (visual recall). This is seen often in reflecting conversations.

• Looking up and to the right indicates the creation of new images (visual construct). This is seen often in planning conversations.

• Eyes go horizontally to the left when we are accessing stored sounds (auditory recall), as when we are recalling in a reflecting conversation.

• Eyes go horizontally to the right when we are creating new sounds, as in mentally rehearsing before we speak (auditory construct).

• Eyes down and to the left is common when we are talking to ourselves (internal dialogue). This position and the next must be differentiated from another cause of looking down; a learned behavior that indicates respect, in some cultures.

• Looking down and to the right is common when we are experiencing feelings (kinesthetic).

• Looking straight ahead when answering a question may mean accessing memorized information, such as “What is your name?”

(Costa and Garmston, Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools, 2002, p. 249)

As you read through these descriptions, can you think of ways in which this information might help you in better understanding your students?

Take some time to practice with a friend or relative and see what you learn about each other as you watch one another’s eye movements.  Use or adapt the following questions:

• Visual Recall: What is the color of the dress/suit you wore to prom? What kind of pattern is on your sofa? Who were the first five people you saw this morning?  How have you organized your spices/books/music?

• Visual Construct: What would you look like if you shaved off all your hair? What does your house look like from a hot air balloon? 
  

• Auditory Recall: Can you think of your favorite song? How does a baby’s cry sound? Think of the sound of a jack hammer on pavement.
  

• Auditory Construct: Can you hear the sound of a whistle and the sound of a drum at the same time? What would your voice sound like if you had cotton in your mouth? Imagine the sound of a police siren turning into the sound of a child laughing.
  

• Internal Dialogue (e.g., Self Talk): In what types of situations do you find yourself talking to yourself the most? What do you say to yourself? Are you kind to yourself? Are you cruel to yourself? Stop and listen to your internal voice. How do you know this is your voice? 
  

• Kinesthetic Remembered: (Tactile)  When was the last time you felt really hot? Imagine the feeling of having something sticky on your hands. What does a wool sweater feel like? When was the last time you touched a hot stove or appliance? (Emotional) When was the last time you felt proud of yourself? Can you think of a time when you were angry? What does it feel like to accomplish a difficult task?
  

Here are a few more . . .

• Can you say the alphabet backwards? 
• Why do you teach?
• When did you first fall in love?
• What is the color of your partner’s eyes?
• What is something that is really important to you?

That last question, “What is something that is really important to you,” will reveal a lot about what a person values when it comes to the way in which he/she processes information.

Have fun with this. It was one of my favorite activities in Cognitive Coaching training.

Then, see how you can use this newly acquired skill as you support your students in their learning.