Teaching is a formidable task and can be tackled multiple ways. Different subjects may call for different tools at different times–cars in drivers ed, books in english, base one/ten/hundred blocks in early mathematics–it is a lot to keep up with. In this tech age, there are even more tools available than before and gaps in education are leaving more and more behind. However, one of the most effective tools for teaching is quite accessible and effective: gestures.
Language is readily associated with gestures. In a scientific review titled “Bringing back the body into the mind: gestures enhance word learning in foreign language,” author Manuela Macedonia explores how gestures have historically impacted language learning. When learning a language, words can be associated with a variety of experiences. The word apple can be associated with how the word looks and sounds as well as the characteristics of an apple: perhaps a sweet taste, red color, smooth round feel. The word can be accompanied by a gesture of biting into an imaginary round object molded by one hand. “Apple” can also be accompanied by memories of past lunches, apple picking and more. These experiences can lead to networks being formed in the brain and the activation of one or more of the components in the network can trigger memories of the other experiences and allow us to recall “apple” and what it means.
Understandably, the more experiences that are tied to a word, the more easily it can be recalled in the future. This is where using a gesture whenever applicable during language learning can enhance memory. The review mentions that, especially in the 1980s, there was research that documented a robust use of gestures across different languages, gestures are often gleaned over when learning a second language. Memories of learning a second language in high school may involve flash cards, small pictures, audio recordings, word lists, readings–all before the use of gestures.
The review mentions that most studies done on the use of gestures and learning a second language, supports the use of gestures. Gestures congruent with the meaning of words better improved memory of the word as opposed to incongruent gestures. There were also studies showing that practicing words by performing iconic gestures resulted in better recall than words being studied next to pictures. Gestures made a positive meaningful impact on words learned within the context of a sentence as well as isolated. Overall, the body can be a useful tool in language learning.
The use of gestures is not restricted to language learning. In the study “Learning math by hand: The neural effects of gesture-based instruction in 8-year-old children '' by Wakefield et al., a team of researchers explore the mechanism by which gestures act when incorporating gestures into learning math.
The study followed 7-9 year old participants as they learned how to solve mathematical equivalence problems (A+ B + C = __ + C) that they previously had no experience or knowledge of solving (demonstrated by a score of zero out of six on a pretest). Two groups of children underwent one-on-one lessons: one group learned the concept using a speech-alon condition with the phrase “I want to make one side equal to the other side.” and the other group used the same phrase along with the gesture of underlining the left component of the equation when saying “one side” and the right components of the equations when saying “other side”.
After the lessons, the children took another six problem test similar to the pretest. Children who successfully solved three out of six problems were considered to have successfully learned the concept and underwent fMRI scans. The goal here is to uncover the neural mechanisms behind successfully learning with gestures as opposed to without.
Overall, fMRI results for the speech and gesture cues group show activation of more brain regions on top of the regions activated for the speech only group. The regions activated are as follows: The bilateral post-central gyrus and general activation in the superior parietal for all children. The left pre-central, left inferior gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right insula, and right supramarginal gy-rus. The second group of added regions have been previously associated with action-based learning in the past. While the results cannot attest to what each region is responsible for, it hints that motor involvement engages different pathways when encoding and recalling information which may improve memory of learned content overall.
Gestures are important tools for conveying multiple subjects. In the midst of a global pandemic, gestures may gain a new appreciation in settings with masks where students are further from their instructor and peers, online even. Accessibility in education is a constant issue, highlighted by our current circumstances. Continuing to study tools and techniques easily accessible for instructors can help fill some of the gaps we see in education.
References
Macedonia, Manuela. “Bringing Back the Body into the Mind: Gestures Enhance Word Learning in Foreign Language.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 5, 2014, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01467.
Wakefield, E. M., Congdon, E. L., Novack, M. A., Goldin-Meadow, S., & James, K. H. (2019). Learning math by hand: The neural effects of gesture-based instruction in 8-year-old children. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 81(7), 2343–2353. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01755-y
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