Melanie Bernstein-Santana

Biography

Professor Bernstein-Santana’s research focuses on the perception of emotional facial expressions across cultures. I situate my research within the field of (instructed) Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Specifically, I aim to understand differences in the perception of emotional facial expressions, what might cause them, and whether they could be addressed in classroom instruction.

In SLA and foreign language teaching pedagogy, previous research has examined nonverbal communication, but there remains a gap in research on implementing it in the language classroom (e.g., Özkul (2012), Reimann (2012), Surkamp (2014), Dai (2023)). Therefore, I aim to incorporate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into the language classroom. SEL is the process of developing self-awareness, managing emotions, and building positive relationships. Body language is the nonverbal communication of emotions, thoughts, and intentions through physical behaviors such as posture, facial expressions, and gestures. Understanding body language is a crucial component of SEL because it enhances self-awareness (by recognizing your own nonverbal cues) and social awareness (by interpreting the nonverbal cues of others).

Prof. Bernstein-Santana has extensive experience teaching German at all levels (online and in person) and has taught at various universities. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that language learning fosters intellectual curiosity, intercultural awareness, and personal growth. In her view, language and culture are inseparable. By combining a communicative approach with inclusive, student-centered teaching, she aims to foster confident, culturally aware learners who are equipped to use German meaningfully beyond the classroom.