Effect of iconic gestures on second language vocabulary retention in a naturalistic setting

Abstract

Abstract There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that the learning of new vocabulary during second language acquisition is facilitated by associating words with gestures. This study investigates the learning of new vocabulary words when paired with congruent and incongruent iconic gestures using instructional and testing procedures consistent with current second language pedagogical practices. Results indicate that incongruent gestures inhibit learning, while congruent iconic gestures facilitate vocabulary acquisition when participants were encouraged to pay attention to the use of the gesture when studying new words. Further analyses suggest that, as has been found repeatedly, nouns are easier to remember than verbs. However, gestures are most helpful with learning adjectives compared to nouns and verbs.