Embodiment in Mathematics Teaching and Learning: Evidence From Learners' and Teachers' Gestures

TLDR

Gestures are often considered evidence that bodily actions are involved in thinking and speaking about the represented ideas. The study argues that mathematical cognition is embodied, grounded in perception, action, and the physical environment, using teachers’ and learners’ gestures as evidence. The authors explain that pointing gestures indicate environmental grounding, representational gestures show mental simulations of action and perception, and metaphoric gestures reveal body‑based conceptual metaphors. Evidence from teachers’ and learners’ gestures demonstrates that mathematical knowledge is embodied, supporting claims of perception‑action grounding and environmental context.

Abstract

Gestures are often taken as evidence that the body is involved in thinking and speaking about the ideas expressed in those gestures. In this article, we present evidence drawn from teachers' and learners' gestures to make the case that mathematical knowledge is embodied. We argue that mathematical cognition is embodied in 2 key senses: It is based in perception and action, and it is grounded in the physical environment. We present evidence for each of these claims drawn from the gestures that teachers and learners produce when they explain mathematical concepts and ideas. We argue that (a) pointing gestures reflect the grounding of cognition in the physical environment, (b) representational gestures manifest mental simulations of action and perception, and (c) some metaphoric gestures reflect body-based conceptual metaphors. Thus, gestures reveal that some aspects of mathematical thinking are embodied.