Gesture difficulties in childhood may be found for some clinical populations with communication and language difficulties, while gesture may be used to compensate for difficulties in other children. Thus, the potential for gesture to supplement interaction and learning opportunities may be both limited and harnessed to support learning. Bidirectional relations during interactions between child and adult provide a mechanism through which gesture may be harnessed to support learning in clinical populations. For instance, the information conveyed in children’s gestures can influence the input that adults provide to children and this input, particularly gesture, can then support children’s learning during these interactions. Through both formal (e.g., interventions) and informal interactions, gesture provides opportunities to support rich interactions and learning in clinical populations.
Article outline
Gesture production by children from clinical populations
Children with language impairment
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Children with Down Syndrome
Children at risk for language delays
Summary
Gestural support for social interaction and language development
Child gesture can elicit responses from adults during social interactions that support learning
Gestures that adults produce when communicating with children with language delays can enrich interactions and learning opportunities
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