Author: Valenzeno, L.; Alibali, M.W.; Klatzky, R.
Description: This study investigated whether teachers’ gestures influence students’ comprehension of instructional discourse, and thereby influence students’ learning. Pointing and tracing gestures “ground” teachers’ speech by linking abstract, verbal utterances to the concrete, physical environment. We hypothesize that such grounding should facilitate students’ comprehension, and therefore their learning, of instructional material. Preschool children viewed one of two videotaped lessons about the concept of symmetry. In the verbal-plus-gesture lesson, the teacher produced pointing and tracing gestures as she explained the concept. In the verbal-only lesson, the teacher did not produce any gestures. On the posttest, children were asked to judge six items as symmetrical or asymmetrical, and to explain their judgments. Children who saw the verbal-plus-gesture lesson scored higher on the posttest than children who saw the verbal-only lesson. Thus, teachers’ gestures can indeed facilitate student learning. The results suggest that gestures may play an important role in instructional communication.
Subject headings: *Gestures; Comprehension; Learning
Publication year: 2003
Journal or book title: Contemporary Educational Psychology
Volume: 28
Issue: 2
Pages: 187-204
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Type: Journal Article
Serial number: 869