Gesture, Multimodality and SLA
Convenors:
- Gale Stam gstam@nl.edu
- Laura Morett lmorett@ua.edu
Gesture and multimodality play an integral role in second language acquisition (SLA). Yet, because gesture and multimodality tend to be studied in an interdisciplinary manner in diverse fields such as education, psychology, and linguistics, to name a few, there has historically been no specific venue for applied linguists to collaborate on how gestures and multimodality function in SLA and discuss their most recent studies. Therefore, our ReN entitled “Gesture, Multimodality, and SLA” promotes multimodal SLA studies with both a strong theoretical framework and strong methodology.
The goal of “Gesture, Multimodality, and SLA” ReN is to create a place where applied linguists of different backgrounds can share their ongoing studies, get feedback, continue developing their projects, and collaborate on new projects beyond their institutions in order to contribute to the field of SLA. Our plans for the next three years include an edited empirical volume on current research in gesture, multimodality, and SLA with Routledge, a themed symposium on current multimodal-gesture-SLA research at AAAL 2023, and a symposium at AILA 2024 based on the group’s interests and current research. We also plan to recruit new members based on students who graduate and continue working in the field and authors of new papers who are not yet members of the group.
Website
https://sites.google.com/view/aila-ren-gesture-multimodality/home
Activities Since January 2022
We held two virtual meetings via Zoom in February 2022 and May 2022: one for our members in North America, Europe, and Africa and the other for our members in North America and Asia. In February, we discussed a research article as well as shared our ongoing projects. In May, we we discussed ongoing research and data. In addition, we submitted an abstract for an AILA 2023 Symposium entitled Perspectives on Gesture in Second Language Teaching and Learning, which has been accepted.
Agenda for 2022-2025
We will hold an in person meeting at the International Society of Gestural Studies (ISGS) Conference in July 2022 in Chicago to discuss the presentations of various members as well as at other future conferences such as AAAL, AILA, and ISGS. We will also be submitting abstracts for symposia at AAAL 2023 in Portland, Oregon and AILA 2024. We will continue to hold Zoom meetings every 4 months to discuss articles and ongoing research. Members of the ReN have submitted a proposal for an empirical research edited volume to Routledge. Following AILA 2024, we will publish an edited volume or a special journal issue of the talks and other work by the participants in the research network who could not attend AILA.