As a way to make things a bit easier I combed through all the forum entries for similar type gestures and put them on one document. It was not my original intention to create a “dictionary” for others but rather just an easy to read reference list (cheat sheet) for my own clarity. However, as it grew it became clear that the list could help others.

I am only responsible for a very few of the gestures, the rest come from Power Pix and the many teachers here on this forum plus a few from teachers on my team. Please forgive me for not providing authorship if you see your gestures here. I did not collect that information when gathering the information and it is too late to go back to do it now.

If you have additional gestures that you would like to have included please let me know and I'll put them on the list.

Attached is: Language Related Gestures
It is attached as a word doc because at 11 pages it is too long to post here.

With gratitude for everyone’s input,
Jason

edit September 2011: lnickles ideas below are added (thanks Laura)to the language gestures. Math Gestures are added.

Very cool! Thanks for making this.

My fifth graders came up with the following gestures for the writing process:

brainstorming: begin in front of you rolling your hands at your belly and working your way up over your head (storm is buidling big). Then take your hands and circle around, above your head like a storm going on, while saying brainstorming in a BIG, booming, shaky voice

prewriting: draw an imaginary piece of paper and with you finger act like you are writing on it, while saying prewriting

rough draft: fold your arms in front of you (like I Dream of Jeanie did) and rub them back and forth, while saying rough draft

editing: in the air alternating making a question mark, hit your right fist on your left palm for exclamation mark, poke the air for period, say misspelled words shrug your shoulders, while saying editing

final draft: open and close a book, while saying final draft

rubric: say rubric while make a HUGE checkmark and say an exaggerated CHECK!

My students loved reviewing the writing process! Your list you have compiled is great!

Thanks,

Laura
2011-2012 WBT Intern

These are great! Thanks so much! I will use them with my groups next year.

Susan Floyd
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

Awesome job, Jason! I'll share this with my WBT friends!
Karen Chavez

Thank you for taking the time to type it up....

Thank you so much!

Thank you! I'm looking for ideas for gestures to teach "generalizations" to fourth grade. Other than making wide arms for broad idea and maybe saluting to indicate a general I haven't hit on much.

this is fabulous

This is one of the reasons why I'm having hard time with mirror and teach ok. It's hard to think of gestures especially when you're just starting. Some gestures I already taught are so funny (Ha! Ha!) Thanks for this. This will be a big help.

Love it!!!!!!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Going to post this to the BLOG!!!!


Roxi,
Intern 2011/12

Thank you for sharing!

This is great!!!!

This is awesome, thanks for posting!