Embodied Pedagogy in Action: A Qualitative Case Study of Chinese Mandarin Teachers' Beliefs, Practices, and Challenges in Integrating Gestures for Pronunciation Instruction
List of Authors
Ahmad Abdul Rahman, Jingyuan Xiao, Julia Tan Yin Yin, Liming Liu, Wei Yu
Keyword
embodied pedagogy, gesture teaching, Mandarin pronunciation, dialect-informed teaching, teacher cognition, Chinese language education
Abstract
This qualitative case study investigates Chinese Mandarin teachers’ beliefs, practices, and challenges in integrating gestures for pronunciation instruction, addressing a critical gap in embodied pedagogy research within linguistically diverse classrooms. Drawing on embodied cognition theory, we conducted a 6-month multi-method inquiry with 8 teachers across northern and southern China, combining semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, stimulated recall protocols, and artifact analysis. Findings reveal that ’Teachers’ dialect backgrounds fundamentally shape gestural priorities—northerners emphasize consonant articulation (e.g., hand-as-tongue demonstrations for sibilants), while southerners deploy hyperbolic tone gestures (e.g., 30-50% amplified contours to override Cantonese transfer);Despite strong belief in efficacy, contextual barriers—exam pressures, large-class constraints, and cultural dignity norms—trigger “gesture rationing” and belief-practice misalignment. Teachers demonstrate adaptive ingenuity through culturally transposed techniques (e.g., mapping Tone 3 to calligraphic brushstrokes).