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The
Kinesthetic Learner in the Classroom
Kinesthetic
Intelligence is one of Harvard Professor Howard Gardner's eight
defined intelligences, or natural modalities, by which children
learn, as defined in his famous Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
The kinesthetic learner processes information primarily through
touching and movement. For the kinesthetic person,
processing and making sense of incoming information happens when
he or she can touch, explore, exert,
play, perform, and create. This type of learner possesses an intuitive
understanding of how to use his physical body and an inner need
to explore his world by interacting with space. Such interaction
involves movement that sometimes comes across as misbehavior. In
reality, however, the kinesthetic child is simply moving in order
to learn.
KINESTHETIC
LEARNER IN THE CLASSROOM
- Learns
better when able to move during learning
- Wants
to touch/feel everything
- Rubs
hands along the wall while in lunch line, walking down the hall
- Touches
buddies and desks as goes down aisles.
- Often
writes everything over and over
- Can
take gadgets apart and put them back together
- Has
many things to play with
- Enjoys
doing things with hands
- Is
good at sports
- Enjoys
making and creating
- Likes
to do artwork
- Likes
to trace words and pictures
- Is
successful with tasks requiring manipulation
- Often
fidgets or finds reasons to move
- Is
not very attentive to visual or auditory presentations
- Wants
to be "doing" something
- Remembers
what they DO very well
- Gestures
when speaking
- Is
often a poor listener
- Responds
to music by physical movement
- Often
finds success in physical response activities
- Likes
to move hands (doodling, tapping,) while learning
- Uses
movement to help concentrate
- Likes
to take frequent study breaks
- Often
likes to work in a standing position
- Uses
bright colors to highlight reading material
- Likes
to skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is
about before settling down to read it in detail
- Usually
exhibits good rhythmic movements and good fine and gross motor
skills
- Will
take notes to keep busy but will not often use them
- Tends
to want to eat snacks while studying
- Prefers
field trips to gain knowledge
- Likes
small group discussion (2-3 in a group)
THE
KINESTHETIC LEARNER LEARNS BEST BY DOING
1. Study in
short blocks of time rather than
extended periods.
2. Take frequent breaks when studying.
3. Change locations for breaks to offer strolls and encourage
moving about when studying.
4. Have as many experimental learning opportunities as possible,
such as lab or science experiment or manipulatives, as opposed
to straight teacher lecture.
5. Consider building models or giving demonstrations to the class
as opposed to more traditional written reports or term papers/projects.
6. Utilize
study groups.
7. Role play/simulation.
8. Engage in field trips.
9. Use memory techniques requiring movement - hand gestures.
10. Engage in body demonstrations where a motion means a concept.
11. Use flash cards.
12. Make colored strips of paper that represent different concepts
- link those papers together.
13. Structure the classroom so there are areas students may move
to work.
14. Do short energizers or other movement activities to channel
excess energy.
STUDYING/READING
CHARACTERISTICS
- Reads "how-to"
books, such as carpentry
- Reads action-oriented
books and plays
- Reads books,
plays, articles that are brief
- Studies for
short periods interspersed with moving around
- Lays on floor
or bed to study
AREAS
THE KINESTHETIC LEARNER MAY HAVE DIFFICULTIES
IN SCHOOL
- Having good
interpersonal skills
- Having legible
cursive handwriting - better with printing or keyboarding
- Sitting still;
tend to fidget and need to move
- Listening
to lectures more than four minutes
- Communicating
without getting physically close to another person
- Recalling
what is seen or heard - better at recalling what is done
- Expressing
emotions without physical movement and gestures
- Sticking
with one activity for a long period of time
Copyright © 2005 Adrian Reznik
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