Work

Teachers’ Gestures and How They Matter

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: How do teachers' gestures influence students' learning? This article reviews research investigating the role of gestures in communication, focusing on teachers' communication with their students, primarily in mathematics and science instruction. We first briefly consider gesture's role in communication more generally as a backdrop for considering teaching as a special context for communication. We then describe teachers' spontaneous gesturing in teaching contexts, and we consider how teachers' spontaneous gestures might influence students' learning. We then consider experimental studies that provide causal support for the effects of teachers' gestures on students' learning. We conclude by discussing future directions and implications for educational practice.

Source: Topics in Cognitive Science

DOI: 10.1111/tops.12755

Authors: R. Breckinridge Church, Michelle Perry, Melissa A. Singer, Susan Wagner Cook, Martha Wagner Alibali

Institutions: Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Bridgewater State University, University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,300