Cognitive individual differences in learning Spanish L2/FL emblematic gestures: multiple intelligences and learning styles

Abstract

The elements with which we communicate are verbal and non-verbal. For this reason, the inclusion of non-verbal communication is progressively gaining presence in L2/FL teaching to enhance intercultural communication. However, very few studies involve empirical approaches to understand the acquisition of L2/FL non-verbal signs in the classroom. This study analyzes the role of two cognitive individual differences (multiple intelligences and learning styles) on the learning of three types of emblematic gestures (common, different, and unique) are studied. To this end, an intervention comprising a pretest, an instruction period, and a post-test was carried out with a group of anglophone college students learning Spanish as L2/FL. The results show that kinesthetic intelligence facilitates learning the three types of emblematic gestures, while none of the learning styles analyzed facilitates learning these gestures.