Observing versus producing gesture for the learning of L2 sounds: What gesture performance tells us
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Abstract
This study compares the effects of observing versus producing hand gestures on the pronunciation of non-native sounds while considering the role of gesture performance. Fifty-four Catalan speakers learned three minimal pairs of Mandarin words contrasting in aspiration by observing instructors who pronounced the words and accompanied each aspirated soundaspirated sound with a fist-to-open-hand gesture. While one group of participants merely observed the instructors, the second group was instructed to reproduce both speech and gestures. Participants’ imitation of Mandarin words featuring target contrasts was audio-recorded before and after training, and the voice onset time (VOT)voice onset time (VOT) values of the targets were compared to those of eight native Mandarin speakers. Additionally, the ability of the participants in the gesture production group to accurately imitate the instructor’s gestures was evaluated. The results showed that gesture observation and gesture production had equal benefits for the VOT production. In addition, considering learners’ gesture performance during training, learners with accurate gesture performance benefited more from training than those who observed gestures. These findings highlight the importance of selecting effective and easy-to-perform hand gestures for L2 sound learning, and reveal the significant role of embodied learning, offering valuable insights for language educators and instructional design.
Abstract
This study compares the effects of observing versus producing hand gestures on the pronunciation of non-native sounds while considering the role of gesture performance. Fifty-four Catalan speakers learned three minimal pairs of Mandarin words contrasting in aspiration by observing instructors who pronounced the words and accompanied each aspirated soundaspirated sound with a fist-to-open-hand gesture. While one group of participants merely observed the instructors, the second group was instructed to reproduce both speech and gestures. Participants’ imitation of Mandarin words featuring target contrasts was audio-recorded before and after training, and the voice onset time (VOT)voice onset time (VOT) values of the targets were compared to those of eight native Mandarin speakers. Additionally, the ability of the participants in the gesture production group to accurately imitate the instructor’s gestures was evaluated. The results showed that gesture observation and gesture production had equal benefits for the VOT production. In addition, considering learners’ gesture performance during training, learners with accurate gesture performance benefited more from training than those who observed gestures. These findings highlight the importance of selecting effective and easy-to-perform hand gestures for L2 sound learning, and reveal the significant role of embodied learning, offering valuable insights for language educators and instructional design.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgment
- Contents VII
- Foreword 1
- Introduction: Gesture in second language learning and pedagogy 5
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Part I: The impact of gestures on grammar learning
- Gestures and preposition learning: In, On, and At 23
- Playing with gestures and memory: Evidence of L2 grammatical morpheme learning in multilingual classrooms 45
- Explicit instruction and production of the English negative quantifier by learners of English 67
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Part II: The impact of gestures in vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation instruction
- Word learning in a foreign language: Effects of gesture, iconicity and part of speech 89
- Observing versus producing gesture for the learning of L2 sounds: What gesture performance tells us 115
- Visibility of lip movements and gestures equally facilitates L2 listening comprehension 137
- From embodied storytelling to writing: Preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of multimodal narrative training in secondary L2 classrooms 159
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Part III: Gesture in naturalistic and multimodal L2 settings
- Baby signs function as transcoding buoys in L1/L2 interactions: Some lessons for early foreign language learning 185
- Languaging-gestures: Second language learning and pedagogy in elementary classrooms 209
- Exploring dialogic gestures in teaching and learning: A case study in English-medium instructional classrooms at Chinese universities 233
- “Quietness” or Multimodal embodied participation? The case of a multilingual language learner 259
- Gestures with negating particles: Resources for foreign language adult learners 285
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Conclusion
- A concluding synthesis of the role of gesture in L2 acquisition and pedagogy 307
- About the authors
- Index 329
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgment
- Contents VII
- Foreword 1
- Introduction: Gesture in second language learning and pedagogy 5
-
Part I: The impact of gestures on grammar learning
- Gestures and preposition learning: In, On, and At 23
- Playing with gestures and memory: Evidence of L2 grammatical morpheme learning in multilingual classrooms 45
- Explicit instruction and production of the English negative quantifier by learners of English 67
-
Part II: The impact of gestures in vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation instruction
- Word learning in a foreign language: Effects of gesture, iconicity and part of speech 89
- Observing versus producing gesture for the learning of L2 sounds: What gesture performance tells us 115
- Visibility of lip movements and gestures equally facilitates L2 listening comprehension 137
- From embodied storytelling to writing: Preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of multimodal narrative training in secondary L2 classrooms 159
-
Part III: Gesture in naturalistic and multimodal L2 settings
- Baby signs function as transcoding buoys in L1/L2 interactions: Some lessons for early foreign language learning 185
- Languaging-gestures: Second language learning and pedagogy in elementary classrooms 209
- Exploring dialogic gestures in teaching and learning: A case study in English-medium instructional classrooms at Chinese universities 233
- “Quietness” or Multimodal embodied participation? The case of a multilingual language learner 259
- Gestures with negating particles: Resources for foreign language adult learners 285
-
Conclusion
- A concluding synthesis of the role of gesture in L2 acquisition and pedagogy 307
- About the authors
- Index 329
