Abstract
Children learn and use various strategies to solve math problems. One way children's math learning can be supported is through their use of and exposure to hand gestures. Children's self-produced gestures can reveal unique, math-relevant knowledge that is not contained in their speech. Additionally, these gestures can assist with their math learning and problem solving by supporting their cognitive processes, such as executive function. The gestures that children observe during math instructions are also linked to supporting cognition. Specifically, children are better able to learn, retain, and generalize knowledge about math when that information is presented within the gestures that accompany an instructor's speech. To date, no conceptual model provides an outline regarding how these gestures and the math environment are connected, nor how they may interact with children's underlying cognitive capacities such as their executive function. In this review, we propose a new model based on an integration of the information processing approach and theory of embodied cognition. We provide an in-depth review of the related literature and consider how prior research aligns with each link within the proposed model. Finally, we discuss the utility of the proposed model as it pertains to future research endeavors.
Highlights
Hand gestures are used in a variety of mathematical contexts by children and adults alike
First grade children with higher working memory abilities were found to use more correct and sophisticated strategies on arithmetic problems compared to children with lower working memory capacity (Geary et al, 2012). These findings suggest that the relevance, contribution, and demand of working memory and broader executive function (EF) abilities may shift depending on both the mathematical content and children’s task knowledge, which can impact overall task performance
We narrow our focus from the function of gesture across learning contexts broadly (e.g. Goldin-Meadow and Wagner, 2005) and present a new model regarding the role of gesture in math environments
Summary
Hand gestures are used in a variety of mathematical contexts by children and adults alike. These gestures include both directed, meaningful movements intended to convey information, as well as less formal shifting of the hands that occurs naturally alongside conversation. Children use gestures to represent information, enhance conversation, and even support their own cognition (for a review, see Goldin-Meadow, 2009). Children’s self-produced gestures (e.g., Broaders et al, 2007; Cook et al, 2008) as well as the gestures they see teachers use during instruction (e.g., Singer and Goldin-Meadow, 2005) have been shown to support their math learning. Given that children’s early math knowledge has been consistently linked with their later math achievement (Claesens and Engel, 2013; Geary et al, 2013; Watts et al, 2014; Geary and Vanmarle, 2016), factors related to children’s math understanding, like gesture, are important to understand.
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