How to Study Pedagogical Gesture in Naturalistic Settings

Résumé En

Research on gestures used in pedagogical contexts draws on theoretical and methodological frameworks from both the field of second language education (for aspects specific to pedagogy and the teaching profession) and the emerging field of gesture studies (to address the links between gesture, speech, communicative action, and thought). This research can be experimental, reflective, or naturalistic, and it can focus on the gestures of learners, teachers, or both. This chapter specifically addresses the study of teachers’ pedagogical gestures in naturalistic settings, including those that examine instructional interactions without interference of the researcher as well as action-research methods in which the teachers take an active part in the study. It explains possible processes for the collection, coding, and analysis of naturally occurring gestures in discourse from instructional contexts, both in face-to-face and synchronous online teaching. It then briefly describes both qualitative and quantitative analyses of naturalistic data and provides some suggestions for future research directions.