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Does this describe some of your students?

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  • Prefer to do rather than listen

  • Have a hard time sitting still

  • Love a hands-on approach

Jennifer Aniston, nodding her head, with her right index finger by her chin, saying 'Hmmm interesting...'

Then you may have kinesthetic learners!

A kinesthetic learner is someone who needs to be actively moving or doing something while they're learning.

Here are 3 kinesthetic learning strategies that can benefit students of all ages in the classroom.

Jeff Goldblum, smiling and shaking his hands in excitement.

Did you know?

Learning on the move can help many students learn better because they learn faster, retain more information, and build neural networks (www.theconversation.com, "Why students learn better when they move their bodies – instead of sitting still at their desks").

Kinesthetic Learning Strategy #1: Algebra Through Choreography

Connecting math to movement helps students understand the concepts more quickly.

Rhythm in dance can be expressed as fractions and algebraic notation when we describe kicks and turns.

  • Good for middle or high school students

  • Create a simple dance of three kicks followed by a turn

  • Write it down as: "3x+y where x = kick, y = turn"

Arm and body positions in dance can also be used to study geometry.

A calculator uses kinesthetic learning strategies for sine and cosine waves.

Kinesthetic Learning Strategy #2: Sit on Balance Balls

  • Good for elementary students

  • Allows for movement, which contributes to students' increased concentration and focus on learning

  • Best used as flexible setting arrangements for kinesthetic learners that could be permanent depending on their learning needs

A classroom of attentive students sitting on balance balls

Kinesthetic Learning Strategy #3: Charades

  • Promotes active learning through participation

  • Increases retention because of a high level of engagement

  • Good for elementary and middle school

  • Learn vocabulary through movement

  • Use learning stations and drama to engage more deeply in topics from history and social studies

Charades in the classroom for learning vocabulary.

Kinesthetic Learning Strategy #4: Magnetic Letters

  • Good for elementary school

  • Use for:

    • sensory play

    • learning the alphabet

    • practicing spelling and vocabulary

Magnetic Letters in elementary school for spelling practice

Quiz

Which of these activities would be effective kinesthetic learning strategies for understanding fractions? Select all that apply:

Take Action

A group of students dancing in class with their teacher.

Put kinesthetic learning strategies into practice in your classroom today!

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This Byte has been authored by

JG

Julia Golod

Instructional Design-eLearning Development

English

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