Kinesthetic+Activities

Kinesthetic Activities

What is a Kinesthetic Activity?

As teachers attempt to effectively deliver information to all students in their classrooms, they will often use different strategies to reach different types of learners. One strategy th﻿at can be implemented in the classroom is the use of Kinesthetic Activities. According to Marzano (2001), these learning activities involve the use of whole body physical movements. During the learning process, a learner generates a movement, which effectively creates a mental image. This mental image helps the learner to remember the information. During kinesthetic activities students might stand, walk, talk, point or even work with props or games. Critical characteristics of these activities are that the student is actively, physically engaged in the assimilation of classroom material and that the engagement directly supports a specific learning objective.

Which learners benefit from Kinesthetic Activities?



The simple answer is that kinesthetic activities in the classroom channel the energy of kinesthetic learners. Kinesthetic learners are students who require whole-body movement to decode new and difficult information (Dunn and Dunn, 1993). They may be students who are frequently disciplined for not sitting still or staying in their seats during instruction. Gardner’s (1983) theory of Multiple Intelligences recognizes bodily-kinesthetic learners as those who master a skill after they have had the opportunity to manipulate their environment using kinesthetic or active learning activities. These students are often categorized as learning disabled, or as having Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyper-Activity Disorder. This is in part because as much as 80% of classroom instruction is done through lecturing, which leaves many kinesthetic learners wiggling, inattentively in their seats. Studies performed by Dunn and DeBello (1999) demonstrated that standardized test results and behaviors improved for at-risk learners who were taught using kinesthetic activities. Once these students are engaged, they cease to be a distraction to the teacher and other students.

In addition to meeting the needs of a specific learning style, these activities can be used in the general classroom to engage all students. When used during general lessons, kinesthetic activities can maintain the attention of the entire class. Connecting student movement to the lesson can result in students paying greater attention; watching for their next turn, instruction or movement instead of being disinterested or disengaged.

How do Kinesthetic Activities benefit teachers?

Paivio reported that when information is received through a variety of pathways, a reader’s retention of information increases significantly. Subsequently, Gardener (1999) found that action and activity are essential components for elementary learners. The 2000 National Reading Panel summarized that data supports the idea that readers understand and retain more information when they can relate what they read to mental representations in their memories; which when tied into the idea that kinesthetic tools are effective for creating mental representations for abstract concepts leads to the conclusion that kinesthetic activities can provide additional pathways for learners to understand and remember what they are hearing and reading in the classroom. This makes teaching more effective.

Kinesthetic Activities in the Classroom

Virtually any topic or lesson can be adapted to include kinesthetic activities. Below are several links to reading comprehension, and writing lessons that use this type of activity. The key to the success of these lessons is movement. Other types of lessons that can be considered kinesthetic activities are index or flash cards to manipulate, field experiences, and hands-on lessons.

media type="custom" key="8464244" Language Art goes kinesthetic

Multi-Media Exploration of Kinesthetic Activities:



Softball Reading Comprehension Lesson



Persuasive Writing Lesson Writing Conclusions Lesson

For more information about learning styles:

media type="file" key="Study Skills

Feedback: ﻿ I really enjoyed the video. It was a great example of Kinesthetic activities. -K Kittinger