Abstract: Gesture is widely used in people’s daily communication, adding additional information to the verbal language. It can also be used in language teaching. Scientists began to explore the role of gesture in SLA since the last century. Gesture and speech are in an integrated language system sharing the same communication system. In communication, people tend to use gesture as a communication strategy when their words are not available, especially in L2 communication. L2 learners at high schools do not have sufficient language proficiency to help convey their meaning. They tend to gesture even more frequently when speaking with others in L2. Though gestures were used more in helping managing L2 English classroom, more focus is now on its role in facilitating L2 learners’ understanding of the contents and as a role of strategy in communication, and its role in assessing learners’ language proficiency.

Key Words: gesture; SLA at high schools; facilitating the language learning; assessing language proficiency.

摘要：手势在人们的日常生活中被广泛应用。手势除了用于日常交流中补充言语信息，还可应用于语言教学。从上个世纪开始，许多科学家开始探索手势在二语习得中的作用。手势和语言属于同一个语言系统和交流系统。当人们不知道怎么表达的时候，他们更趋向于用手势来交流，尤其是在用二语交流的时候。中学生对英语的掌握较少，所以在用二语交流的时候，他们会频繁的使用手势来传达意思。手势语在中学英语课堂中的作用除了传统的课堂管理，更重要的是在英语内容学习和语言能力评价等方面的作用。中学英语教师对手势语的恰当利用可以促进学生的英语学习效果。

关键字：手势；中学二语习得；促进语言学习；评价学习能力