Cover not available

Article published In: Gesture
Vol. 14:2 (2014) ► pp.204–225

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

The influence of iconic and arbitrary gestures on novel word learning in children with and without SLI

 | TU Dortmund University, Germany
Published online: 1 October 2015
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.14.2.04luk
Two experiments were conducted to investigate the role of gestures on novel word learning in preschoolers. In Study 1, 20 children at the average age of 4;9 years were given novel words under 3 conditions: with support of iconic gestures; arbitrary gestures; no gestures, exemplifying a within-subject design. Results indicate scaffolding effects of both types of gestures in comparison to the control condition. No indication of gesture type effects could be observed even in children who were old enough to understand the iconicity of iconic gestures. Study 2 was implemented to further test the scaffolding effect of gestures vs. no gestures in children with SLI (n = 20) — but this time only iconic gestures were used. A between-subjects design was followed, using matched groups. Slow mapping was observed in addition to fast mapping within a 5-week-intervention period. Results confirm the scaffolding effect of iconic gestures on slow mapping in the clinical sample.
References (34)
Alt, Mary & Elena Plante (2006). Factors that influence lexical and semantic fast-mapping of young children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 491, 941–954. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bates, Elizabeth, Donna Thal, Barbara Finlay, & Barbara Clancy (2003). Early language development and its neural correlates. In Isabelle Rapin & Sidney J. Segalowitz (Eds.), Handbook of neuropsychology, Vol. 8: Child neurology, Part II (2nd ed.) (pp. 525–592). Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Capone, Nina C. & Karla K. McGregor (2005). The effect of semantic representation on toddlers’ word retrieval. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 481, 1468–1480. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Capone Singleton, Nina C. (2012). Can semantic enrichment lead to naming in a word extension task? American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 211, 279–292. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Carey, Susan (2010). Beyond fast mapping. Language Learning and Development, 61, 184–205. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Carey, Susan & Elsa Bartlett (1978). Acquiring a single new word. Papers and Reports on Child Language Development, 131, 17–29.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Crais, Elizabeth R., Linda R. Watson, & Grace T. Baranek (2009). Use of gesture development in profiling children’s prelinguistic communication skills. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 181, 95–108. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Easton, Caroline, Sue Sheach, & Simon Easton (1997). Teaching vocabulary to children with wordfinding difficulties using a combined semantic and phonological approach: An efficacy study. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 131, 125–142. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ellis Weismer, Susan & Linda J. Hesketh (1993). The influence of prosodic and gestural cues on novel word acquisition by children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 361, 1013–1025. Retrieved from [URL] Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goldin-Meadow, Susan & Susan M. Wagner (2005). How our hands help us learn. Trends in Cognitive Science, 91, 234–241. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goodrich, Whitney & Carla L. Hudson Kam (2009). Co-speech gesture as input in verb learning. Developmental Science, 121, 81–87. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goodwyn, Susan W., Linda P. Acredolo, & Catherine A. Brown (2000). Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 241, 81–103. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Grimm, Hannelore (2001). Sprachentwicklungstest für drei- bis fünfjährige Kinder (SETK 3-5) [Test of language acquisition for 3- to 5-year-old children]. Göttingen: Hogrefe.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Håkansson, Gisela, Eva-Kristin Salameh, & Ulrika Nettelbladt (2003). Measuring language development in bilingual children: Swedish-Arabic children with and without language impairment. Linguistics, 411, 255–288. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Horohov, Janice E. & Janna B. Oetting (2004). Effects of input manipulations on the word learning abilities of children with and without specific language impairment. Journal of Applied Psycholinguistics, 251, 43–65. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Horst, Jessica S., Kelly L. Parsons, & Natasha M. Bryan (2011). Get the story straight: Contextual repetition promotes word learning from storybooks. Frontiers in Psychology, 2 (17). Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kan, Pui F. & Jennifer Windsor (2010). Word learning in children with primary language impairment: a meta-analysis. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 531, 739–756. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kiese-Himmel, Christiane (2005). AWST-R. Aktiver Wortschatztest für drei- bis fünfjährige Kinder – Revision [Active vocabulary test for 3- to 5-year-old children-revised]. Göttingen: Beltz.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lüke, Carina, Katharina J. Rohlfing, & Prisca Stenneken (2011). Gebärden und kommunikative Mitteilung bei Kindern mit umschriebener Sprachentwicklungsstörung [Gestures and communication in children with specific language impairments]. Sprache – Stimme – Gehör, 351, e149–e157. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Marentette, Paula & Elena Nicoladis (2011). Preschoolers’ interpretations of gesture: Label or action associate? Cognition, 1211, 386–399. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McGregor, Karla K. (2008). Gesture supports children’s word learning. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 101, 112–117. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McGregor, Karla K., Rena M. Friedman, Renée M. Reilly, & Robyn M. Newman (2002). Semantic representation and naming in young children. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 45 (2), 332–346. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McGregor, Karla K., Robyn M. Newman, Renée M. Reilly, & Nina C. Capone (2002). Semantic representation and naming in children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 45 (5), 998–1014. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McGregor, Karla K., Katharina J. Rohlfing, Allison Bean, & Ellen Marschner (2009). Gesture as a support for word learning: The case of under. Journal of Child Language, 361, 807–828. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McNeill, David (1985). So you think gestures are nonverbal? Psychological Review, 921, 350–371. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Motsch, Hans-Joachim & Tanja Ulrich (2012). “Wortschatzsammler” und “Wortschatzfinder”: Effektivität neuer Therapieformate bei lexikalischen Störungen im Vorschulalter. [“Lexicon pirate” and “Lexicon discoverer”: Effects of innovative intervention approaches on lexical disorders in preschool age]. Sprachheilarbeit, 571, 70–78.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Namy, Laura L. & Sandra R. Waxman (1998). Words and gestures: Infants’ interpretations of different forms of symbolic reference. Child Development, 691, 295–308. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nash, Marysia & Morag L. Donaldson (2005). Word learning in children with vocabulary deficits. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 481, 439–458. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rice, Mabel L., Janna B. Oetting, Janet Marquis, John Bode, & Soyeong Pae (1994). Frequency of input effects on word comprehension of children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 371, 106–122. Retrieved from [URL] Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schwartz, Richard G. (2009). Specific language impairment. In Richard G. Schwartz (Ed.), Handbook of child language disorders (pp. 3–43). New York: Psychology Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sheng, Li & Karla McGregor (2010). Lexical-semantic organization in children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 531, 146–159. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tolar, Tammy D., Amy R. Lederberg, Sonali Gokhale, & Michael Tomasello (2008). The development of the ability to recognize the meaning of iconic signs. Journal of Deaf Studies und Deaf Education, 131, 225–240. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tomblin, J. Bruce, Nancy L. Records, Paula Buckwalter, Xuyang Zhang, Elaine Smith, & Marlea O’Brain (1997). Prevalence of specific language impairment in kindergarten children. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 401, 1245–1260. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (29)

Cited by 29 other publications

Colombani, Arianna, Varghese Peter, Qian Yin Mai, Amanda Saksida, Natalie Boll-Avetisyan, Outi Tuomainen & Mridula Sharma
2025. Cross-situational learning of sign-like gestures in children and adults: a behavioural and event-related potential study. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience 40:10 ► pp. 1324 ff. DOI logo
Florit-Pons, Júlia, Alfonso Igualada & Pilar Prieto
2025. Evaluating the Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Multi-Tiered Multimodal Narrative Intervention Program for Preschool Children. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 56:1 ► pp. 17 ff. DOI logo
Florit‐Pons, Júlia, Mariia Pronina, Alfonso Igualada, Pilar Prieto & Courtenay Norbury
2025. Multimodal Skills, but Not Motor Skills, Predict Narrative and Expressive Pragmatic Skills in Children With Typical Development and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Child Development 96:5 ► pp. 1807 ff. DOI logo
Lea-Sophie Kämmer, Anne Fröhlich & Carina Lüke
2025. Einsatz ikonischer Gesten in der Phonologietherapie – Ergebnisse kontrollierter Einzelfallexperimente im Multiple Baseline Design. Sprache · Stimme · Gehör DOI logo
Luckins, Jessie, Georgina Tongue & Judy Clegg
2025. Is the Total Communication approach effective for children with complex speech, language and communication needs?. Child Language Teaching and Therapy 41:1 ► pp. 5 ff. DOI logo
Ebert, Kerry Danahy & HaeJi Lee
2024. Individual Predictors of Language Treatment Response in Children With Developmental Language Disorder: A Systematic Review. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 67:8 ► pp. 2708 ff. DOI logo
FORAN, Lori G., Brenda L. BEVERLY, John SHELLEY-TREMBLAY & Julie M. ESTIS
2023. Can gesture input support toddlers’ fast mapping?. Journal of Child Language 50:3 ► pp. 662 ff. DOI logo
Frey, Nathalie & Carina Lüke
2023. Iconic gestures support novel word learning in multilingual students with SLCN in classrooms. Child Language Teaching and Therapy 39:2 ► pp. 119 ff. DOI logo
Nathalie Frey, Jana Seidel & Carina Lüke
2023. Bedeutung von Gestenrezeption und -produktion beim Worterwerb. Sprache · Stimme · Gehör 47:04 ► pp. 205 ff. DOI logo
Goppelt-Kunkel, Madlen, Anna-Lena Stroh & Barbara Hänel-Faulhaber
2023. Sign learning of hearing children in inclusive day care centers—does iconicity matter?. Frontiers in Psychology 14 DOI logo
Lee, Crystal & Casey Lew‐Williams
2023. The dynamic functions of social cues during children's word learning. Infant and Child Development 32:1 DOI logo
Pronina, Mariia, Jelena Grofulovic, Eva Castillo, Pilar Prieto & Alfonso Igualada
2023. Narrative Abilities at Age 3 Are Associated Positively With Gesture Accuracy but Negatively With Gesture Rate. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 66:3 ► pp. 951 ff. DOI logo
Susanne Vogt
2023. Von der Hand in den Mund – Das Potenzial von Gesten im Spracherwerb. Sprache · Stimme · Gehör 47:04 ► pp. 193 ff. DOI logo
Goppelt-Kunkel, Madlen, Anne Wienholz & Barbara Hänel-Faulhaber
2022. Sign learning and its use in a co-enrollment kindergarten setting. Frontiers in Psychology 13 DOI logo
McGregor, Karla K., Erin Smolak, Michelle Jones, Jacob Oleson, Nichole Eden, Timothy Arbisi‐Kelm & Ronald Pomper
2022. What Children with Developmental Language Disorder Teach Us About Cross‐Situational Word Learning. Cognitive Science 46:2 DOI logo
Vest, Nicholas A., Shawn E. Fagan & Emily R. Fyfe
2022. The role of gesture and mimicry for children’s pattern learning. Cognitive Development 63 ► pp. 101196 ff. DOI logo
Lüke, Carina, Ute Ritterfeld, Angela Grimminger, Katharina J. Rohlfing & Ulf Liszkowski
2020. Integrated Communication System: Gesture and Language Acquisition in Typically Developing Children and Children With LD and DLD. Frontiers in Psychology 11 DOI logo
Aussems, Suzanne & Sotaro Kita
2019. Seeing Iconic Gestures While Encoding Events Facilitates Children's Memory of These Events. Child Development 90:4 ► pp. 1123 ff. DOI logo
GOODRICH SMITH, Whitney, Alexis K. BLACK & Carla L. HUDSON KAM
2019. Learning speech-internal cues to pronoun interpretation from co-speech gesture: a training study. Journal of Child Language 46:3 ► pp. 433 ff. DOI logo
Grimminger, Angela
2019. Die Integration von Lautsprache und Gesten in Lernkontexten. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Germanistenverbandes 66:4 ► pp. 408 ff. DOI logo
Jackson, Emily, Suze Leitão, Mary Claessen & Mark Boyes
2019. The evaluation of word‐learning abilities in people with developmental language disorder: a scoping review. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 54:5 ► pp. 742 ff. DOI logo
Cook, Susan Wagner
2018. Enhancing learning with hand gestures: Potential mechanisms [Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 69], ► pp. 107 ff. DOI logo
Yang, Ping
2018. Journey to the East: Intercultural Adaptation of International Students in China. In International Students in China, ► pp. 47 ff. DOI logo
VOGT, SUSANNE & CHRISTINA KAUSCHKE
2017. Observing iconic gestures enhances word learning in typically developing children and children with specific language impairment. Journal of Child Language 44:6 ► pp. 1458 ff. DOI logo
Vogt, Susanne S. & Christina Kauschke
2017. With Some Help From Others' Hands: Iconic Gesture Helps Semantic Learning in Children With Specific Language Impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 60:11 ► pp. 3213 ff. DOI logo
Hupp, Julie M. & Mary C. Gingras
2016. The role of gesture meaningfulness in word learning. Gesture 15:3 ► pp. 340 ff. DOI logo
van Berkel-van Hoof, Lian, Daan Hermans, Harry Knoors & Ludo Verhoeven
2016. Benefits of augmentative signs in word learning: Evidence from children who are deaf/hard of hearing and children with specific language impairment. Research in Developmental Disabilities 59 ► pp. 338 ff. DOI logo
van Berkel-van Hoof, Lian, Daan Hermans, Harry Knoors & Ludo Verhoeven
2019. Effects of Signs on Word Learning by Children With Developmental Language Disorder. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 62:6 ► pp. 1798 ff. DOI logo
van Berkel-van Hoof, Lian, Daan Hermans, Harry Knoors & Ludo Verhoeven
2020. Sign effects in spoken word learning by oral deaf and hard-of-hearing children, and by hearing children. First Language 40:3 ► pp. 300 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 9 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue