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ERIC Number: EJ1331144
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1305-8223
EISSN: N/A
Gestures and the Spoken Language: A Crucial Semiotic and Symbiotic Relationship in Multilingual Mathematics Classes
Chikiwa, Clemence
EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, v17 n12 Article em2034 2021
This study's focus was two-fold, first to look at forms of gestures teachers of multilingual mathematics classes use during teaching; and second to find out how teachers of multilingual mathematics classes utilize learners' home language, language of learning and teaching and gestures to foster understanding in the teaching of mathematics. This qualitative case study is informed by the embodied cognition theory and social constructivism. Two purposively selected Grade 11 teachers were observed and video recorded while teaching trigonometry for a week in a multilingual policy environment. They were each interviewed for an hour. Results shows that iconic and deictic gestures were frequently used to link the teacher's verbal language and the diagrams on the chalkboard or what was previously learnt, to ground cognition into the physical teaching and learning environment. Metaphoric gestures were less used while beat gestures were not used. Results also show that there exists an intricate semiotic and symbiotic relationship between gestures (bodily actions), and spoken language (in two or more languages in the same environment). In this paper, I conclude that in multilingual classes all forms of teacher gestures that indicate and refers to objects and locations in reality may help improve learning. Gestures and verbal languages complement each other, and should be used as resources for mediating and scaffolding teaching and learning.
Modestum. No: 1 Windrush Road, Hilton Derbyshire, DE65 5LB, UK. e-mail: ejmste@ejmste.com; Web site: https://www.ejmste.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 11; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A