Get 'em Moving: kinesthetic teaching & learning ideas

 

During my undergraduate education in elementary education I had to take a special education course.  I remember my professor comparing the scaffolding, accommodations and modifications that we make as teachers for our special education students to a wheelchair ramp.  He reminded us that many others benefit from the wheelchair ramp and use it rather than steps.  This is how teachers should approach their instructional design: that all could benefit from their intentional prompts and choices to make the lesson reach all learners.  

After several years of classroom teaching, I had SIOP Sheltered Instructional training and the facilitator told us something similar:  although SIOP is targeted towards English Language Learners, the approach benefits everyone in the classroom.  Finally, when I got trained on Kagan strategies, I heard this again!  That all students benefit from getting moving and being accountable for their engagement.  This idea of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has caused me to incorporate more of it into my library lessons for students in across the grades, from kindergarten on up.

Below are some online resources that focus on kinesthetic learning ideas:

More readings I recommend with highly engaging strategies to use in the classroom are: