Handy or harmful? The effect of gesture use on second language learning of concrete versus abstract words.
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2020-06-08
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en
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Abstract
The present study investigates the effect of using gestures on learning concrete versus abstract vocabulary in a second language. Gesture use in second language acquisition is a relatively new research field, the study thus aims to contribute to the expansion of this field. In order to answer the research question, a language learning experiment was conducted among native Dutch speakers. The participants took part in a language learning session where they studied four concrete and four abstract Vietnamese words. It was expected that, for both types of words, gesture use would have a positive effect on word recall. The results showed that there is no general effect of gesture use on word recall, however, there is a positive effect of gesture use on concrete word recall. The results of the present study indicate that when using gestures as a learning method, the type of word that is being learned should be taken into account. This information can be put in practice in language education.
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