The Gesture Approach
Publisher's Description
The Gesture Approach is an innovative second language methodology that is designed to accelerate the development of fluency at the beginning stages. It is an approach that allows all target vocabulary to be learned by the student kinesthetically, visually, and in an auditory manner, thus responding to a variety of learning styles. Because lexical elements are kinesthetically presented, and are also associated with an "emotional hook", students learn to "feel" language. As a result of this affective contextualization, the possibility for acquisition of a second language is further enhanced. Input is rendered comprehensible by systematically scaffolding the presentation of new vocabulary, beginning with words of highest frequency and widest scope. Lexical items taught through gesture have been researched and selected according to frequency, function, and ease of acquisition. This vocabulary, termed Pared Down Language, places an initial emphasis on verbs. Unlike the Total Physical Response, this method emphasizes both receptive and productive use of the language - the Gesture Approach stresses an active learning technique as the key to effective acquisition. Dr. Jim Cummins, professor and researcher at OISE/UT has stated that the results achieved by students who have received instruction in FSL through this method are "truly significant".
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