Does gesture play the same role if it accompanies English or Spanish instruction for ELL Math Learning?

• In Event: Science and Math Instruction in Bilingual Contexts

Abstract

Gesture enhances math learning, but gesture’s effect on learning for ELLs is not well-understood. Here, we seek to fill the void in understanding. Monolingual English-speaking (in traditional education) and ELL (in a one-way dual language program) second-graders (193 children) completed a pretest containing pre-algebraic problems to understand the meaning of the equal sign (i.e., 3+4+5= ___+5). They then watched video instruction in English with or without gesture and completed a posttest. Gesture was beneficial overall, but more so for ELLs than monolingual English-speaking children. Using the imagistic and concrete features of gesture appears to make abstract understanding accessible; closing gaps in math between ELL and majority students.

Authors

• Hannah Valdiviejas, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

• Theodora Koumoutsakis, Northeastern Illinois University

• Andrew Mistak, The University of Iowa

• Christian Palaguachi, Northeastern Illinois University

• Yeo Eun Yun, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Steven Montalvo, Northeastern Illinois University

• Ruth Breckinridge Church, Northeastern illinois University