Instructing embodied knowledge: Multimodal approaches to interactive practices for knowledge constitution

Abstract

In the introduction to the special issue on 'Instructing embodied knowledge', we present a general orientation into this growing field of research, providing the relevant background for the individual contributions. The starting point for the endeavor is the basic observation that practical knowledge or 'knowing-how' is typically of a procedural, implicit and embodied nature rather than explicit-conceptual. Given this specific nature, we highlight the fact that for transmitting this type of knowledge, instructors make use of specific multimodal practices that are adjusted to these characteristics. The notion of instructional practice furthermore emphasizes that instructing embodied knowledge is a highly collaborative process between learners and their instructors. In order to provide a broad take on the phenomenon, we review both social-interactional as well as cognitive approaches to embodied knowledge and discuss how the procedural and intercorporeal nature of this knowledge may challenge different views. Independent of the specific approach that is chosen, any account of the construction/instruction of embodied knowledge should emphasize that it is essentially (i) a social activity, (ii) involving the deployment of different semiotic resources, and (iii) using different techniques and devices, such as descriptions, directives and demonstrations. Based on a review of the literature and on the papers in the special issue, we identify a set of key questions that may help to shape the agenda for future studies in the field. The questions relate to the temporal-sequential organization of instructions, the continuum between demonstrations and performances, and the relationship between perceptual access, sensation and the acquisition of embodied knowledge. © 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston 2021.

Keywords

Author Keywords

social interaction Multimodality practices Instruction body knowledge

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Funding & Acknowledgements

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, FWO

This issue is based on a symposium held at the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg (Germany), February 25-26, 2019, that was co-hosted by the guest editors of the volume. It was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg (Az: Research Seed Capital – RiSC 2017) to Oliver Ehmer and a grant from the Flemish National Science Foundation (FWO) to Geert Brône. Angelika Götz took care of the nitty-gritty organizational aspects in a lovely way. We would especially like to thank Anja Stukenbrock who provided a commentary on the papers at the end of the symposium, highlighting commonalities and perspectives. Of course, this issue would not have been possible without the support of the external reviewers, who dedicated their precious time in reading the manuscripts. For their helpful and highly supportive comments we would like to thank Elwys De Stefani, Vito Evola, Beate Hampe, Henrike Helmer, Emily Hofstetter, Dorothea Horst, Silva Ladewig, Xiaoting Li, Florence Oloff, Silke Reineke, and Ulrich von Wedelstaedt. Last but not least we would like to thank Susanne Flach, the area editor of Linguistics Vanguard, for her professional and smooth handling of the publication process.

Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg, MWK

This issue is based on a symposium held at the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg (Germany), February 25-26, 2019, that was co-hosted by the guest editors of the volume. It was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg (Az: Research Seed Capital – RiSC 2017) to Oliver Ehmer and a grant from the Flemish National Science Foundation (FWO) to Geert Brône. Angelika Götz took care of the nitty-gritty organizational aspects in a lovely way. We would especially like to thank Anja Stukenbrock who provided a commentary on the papers at the end of the symposium, highlighting commonalities and perspectives. Of course, this issue would not have been possible without the support of the external reviewers, who dedicated their precious time in reading the manuscripts. For their helpful and highly supportive comments we would like to thank Elwys De Stefani, Vito Evola, Beate Hampe, Henrike Helmer, Emily Hofstetter, Dorothea Horst, Silva Ladewig, Xiaoting Li, Florence Oloff, Silke Reineke, and Ulrich von Wedelstaedt. Last but not least we would like to thank Susanne Flach, the area editor of Linguistics Vanguard, for her professional and smooth handling of the publication process.

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Instructing embodied knowledge: Multimodal approaches to interactive practices for knowledge constitution

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