The Salience and Function of Nonverbal Behavior in <scp>L2</scp> Speech Evaluations

Abstract Language educators often focus on the linguistic features of second language (L2) speech for teaching and assessment, but research has found that listeners also attend to a range of evidence, including nonverbal behavior, during communication. This study investigates how untrained listeners notice and interpret specific nonverbal behaviors when evaluating L2 speech. The study used stimulated recall and annotations of nonverbal behavior to explore which behaviors listeners found salient and how these were linked to perceptions of language ability. Findings show that gaze behaviors and mouth movements were the most frequently observed and interpreted features, and they often shaped impressions of confidence, engagement, and perceived cognition. Other behaviors, such as posture, gesture, and head movement, were also salient, though less frequently mentioned by participants. These behaviors provided complementary information that listeners used to interpret speakers' affective stances and communicative effectiveness. The findings have implications for language teaching and assessment, suggesting that instruction and assessment could make use of a broader range of verbal and nonverbal features to understand how L2 speakers communicate. By recognizing how visual behaviors influence listener perceptions, educators can better prepare learners for real‐world and high‐stakes communicative contexts.