This book looks at the challenges posed by classroom learning and at how these can be approached profitably from the particular perspective of semiotic theory. Although much has been written on education and learning in the last century, very little has been published on the relevance of semiotics to these two interrelated fields. Specifically, this book will look at how concepts are formed through such sign-based processes and how the research on signs can enlighten pedagogy, providing a generic framework for applying semiotic insights to education in general. By considering learning in terms of the meaning structures it entails, educational practices can be designed accordingly to maximize learning outcomes. This book gives practical examples of how this can be carried out in subjects ranging from mathematics to foreign language learning.

Marcel Danesi is Professor of Semiotics and Anthropology at the University of Toronto.