Embodied Learning of Language in Preschoolers: Emotion, Enactment, and Cognition

Abstract

Language learning in preschool children tends to be likened to school-like learning, using verbal explanations more than actions when new words are learned during storytelling. Based on previous results that showed that sensorimotor elements help language learning at this age this study aimed to investigate whether positive emotions also act like essential elements for language learning. Fifty-five 4 to 5 year olds listened to a modified version of the Town Musicians of Bremen story. There were four conditions: one that included emotions and sensorimotor elements during storytelling, one that had only emotions, one that had only sensorimotor elements, and one that had neither emotions nor sensorimotor elements. Results show no advantage of positive emotions by themselves, and a clear advantage of sensorimotor elements. Implications are discussed with regard to inducing emotions versus naturally arising emotional states, and also to the embodied learning perspective.

The Implementation of Embodied Learning: A Literature Review

“…Three articles discuss the psychological, educational, and environmental relationships that must be in the embodied learning approach, namely embodied learning: connecting psychology, education, and the world (Ionescu & Glava, 2015), embodied learning: why at school the mind needs the body ( Macedonia, 2019), and embodied learning of language in preschoolers: emotion, enactment, and cognition (Marian et al, 2019). According to Ionescu and Glava (2015), the embodied learning approach makes students aware of adapting to the world.…”

“…The characteristics of embodied learning provide answers to questions related to the way's knowledge is constructed by students while they view every-one's body as a tool for knowledge construction (Kalantzis & Cope, 2004). In particular, the term "body" in embodied practice includes the physical body, the senses, the mind, and the brain, that is the whole of the student's personality Facilitating students to learn human being provides a meaningful learning experience and is stored in their long-term memory (Marian et al, 2019). Learning to use physical activity is an activity of gaining knowledge and building a proper understanding of the brain (Ionescu & Glava, 2015).…”