Embodied Scenes · PrepApp: An Embodied Scenes approach for the teaching and learning of English prepositions

Prepositions play a critical role in communicating spatial relations that involve real-world physical entities (e.g., The keys are on the dresser) and abstract concepts (time after time), yet teaching their usage patterns can be tricky (Tyler, 2012). The research question addressed by this project deals with how we can teach prepositions in a systematic way. The purpose of this study is to address five scientific problems surrounding the teaching and learning of prepositions by bridging the divides between: (1) psychology and linguistics, (2) the laboratory and the real world, (3) native speakers and students, (4) educational professionals and accessible tools, and (5) disciplines by bridging a methodological gap via a novel theoretical framework. We can bridge these divides by implementing principles from cognitive psychology that tap into the mechanisms that scaffold thought processes. The main objective is to produce profiles for high frequency prepositions, to build lessons combining these profiles with an Embodied Scenes (ES) framework, and to test the lessons in the classroom. While new methods in preposition teaching are slow to be adopted, research is moving fast. An ES approach that is compatible with Cognitive Linguistics (CL) research may increase traction for preposition course materials. This study would provide data about real world behavior and provide an accessible tool for students.