THE EFFECT OF GESTURES ON THE COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

A gesture is a mode of establishing communication. In order for a movement to be a gesture, it has to convey a message or a piece of information. Different designations of a gesture are linked to both verbal and nonverbal communication. A gesture conveys information either on its own or together with speech. The main goal of the study is to point to the characteristics of gestures, the acquisition of gestures, as well as to the effect of gestures on the communication and educational process through the overview of the available literature. The methods of the analysis and the evaluation of the available literature were applied. Data on the specific features in the development of gestures, the classification and the role of gestures in the communication process and the process of education was gathered. A gesture represents an initial communicative symbol, which is used at an early age so that a need or a meaning is expressed. The decoding of nonverbal signals or transferring of a part of communicative intention to the modality of a gesture can compensate for the unfamiliarity with vocabulary or an inability to produce speech. When complex notions are presented in concrete terms or when the significance of any topic is emphasised, gestures and body language play a key part in the educational process. Gestures have a significant effect on the process of learning new terms as well as on the process of communication, thinking, learning and education.