What if?

What if every teacher understood how to integrate kinaesthetic activities into every lesson?

(From http://mams.rmit.edu.au/osea2bus7vdv.pdf)

Kinaesthetic Learners

Kinaesthetic learners engage with learning best by doing something active, using their hands or body somehow. They prefer to ‘learn by doing’. They need to apply the information and make it their own by constructing something or practising a technique or skill. Often they take notes or even draw pictures or doodle whilst listening as this helps them to concentrate. These learners remember best what they did, rather than what they listened to or observed. They tend to use phrases such as ‘How does it feel?’ or ‘I need to get more of a grasp of the subject’.

Teaching tips for kinaesthetic learners

·         Include active learning opportunities

·         Provide opportunities to test learning by applying it in new situations either through problem solving or practical or simulated activities, such as role plays

·         Build in opportunities to transform the learning input in some way, for example, constructing models, drawing diagrams, explaining to others

·         Encourage students to learn by teaching someone else a skill or technique.

It is forbidden not to touch.

This was the wording on the signs throughout the highly hands-on Nemo science centre in Amsterdam. It was certainly in evidence throughout the whole building. How many teachers spend their time saying “please stop fiddling with that …” or “put that down”.

The challenge is to work out how do we get all teachers better able to integrate kinesthetic learning into the core of their teaching practice.

“libraries need to constantly innovate so that they don’t lose their relevance” … “books don’t need silence to remain in good condition” … “books are typically read at the same time and place as people drink and have food - why not mix the two”. Librarian DOK, Delft, The Netherlands.”