Kinesthetic+Learners+-+ABC

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= What is Kinesthetic Learning? =

Kinesthetic learners benefit the most in an environment that fosters a hands on approach or physical approach. Kinesthetic learners cannot learn well from a lecture or watching a demonstration. It is common for this type of learner to be classified as a "do-er" - they learn by discovery.

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Basic Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learners

 * 1) Sitting still for long periods of time can be hard for a kinesthetic learner. They will often start tapping their hands or feet and start wiggling in their chair when they sit for too long.
 * 2) Usually children who are kinesthetic learners are labelled "hyperactive" because they cannot control the urge to always be moving as they explore their surroundings.
 * 3) Kinesthetic learners often do well as performers, or any other task that involves the use of their hands.
 * 4) Kinesthetic learners often have a strong sense of body timing and movement coordination.

= Strengths and Weaknesses of Kinesthetic Learners = Kinesthetic learners must engage in whole-body activities and/or real-life experiences to assimilate content (Dunn & Dunn, 2005). Like all learning styles, kinesthetic learners posses different strengths and weaknesses in relation to their learning style. Kinesthetic learners must be "touching" or "doing" to learn best and this causes both positives and negatives for educators attempting to teach these students.



To maximize lesson plans and assessment strategies geared towards kinesthetic learners, it is imperative that educators first learn the strengths and weaknesses that are associated with kinesthetic learners. The following table lists some of the most common strengths and weaknesses associated with kinesthetic learners that teachers should consider when dealing with a student with this learning style.

Comparison

 * < Strengths  ||<  Weaknesses  ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** tend to excel at Physical Education and in multiple sports. They often posses advanced physical and movement skills in comparison to other students.They also have excellent hand-eye coordination. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** require very interactive lesson plans. This can often be difficult to prepareas not every lesson can have an active component. ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** tend to excel at Drama and Art. They are often good actors and have very little trouble expressing themselves. Kinesthetic learners tend to be more emotional and have an easier time displaying emotions about how they are feeling. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** are often the students that are always grabbing and touching objects. Although they learn best by touching in some situations it is not appropriate for them to be grabbing at everything. Also this can be distracting for other students. ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** tend to be strong leaders and have outgoing personalities. They will be the ones __#|l__leading activities especially in subjects like P.E., Drama, and Art. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** must constantly be up doing things or moving. You cannot simply give them a worksheet to work on because a worksheet might bore them quickly. ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** can process information quite fast if they are able to be exposed to the necessary resources. If they can physically perform the assignment or feel a resource associated with the assignment they are able to retain the knowledge quickly and efficiently. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** are often poor listeners and will often have to be told to stay on task. They tend to be rather restless and have a difficult time staying on task. ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** have fast reaction times and reflexes. They are able to react to a situation quickly and make a decision without hesitation. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** have a more difficult time demonstrating what they know in a traditional classroom because they do not have the internal pictures of neatness and organization in their minds (Ross, 2001). ||
 * < * ** Kinesthetic learners ** have excellent motor memory skills, meaning they are able to duplicate tasks or movements after doing it only once. ||< * ** Kinesthetic learners ** have difficulty sitting still. They are often labeled as hyper active and will tend to fidgit or tap their feet. ||

= = = Teaching Kinesthetic Learners = media type="youtube" key="__qPxeg0EdU" height="251" width="448" align="right"

**Ways to Enrich Kinethetic Learning**

 * Movement**, **touch** and **Visual Aids** are excellent for teaching kinesthetic learners.
 * Flash Cards
 * Written Assignments
 * Creative Diagrams
 * Role Plays
 * Presentations
 * Group Projects
 * Activities
 * CTI Integration (Power Points, Smartboard, Computers)

All of these can enhance a kinesthetic learners experience in the classroom. The experience of **writing**, **drawing**, **role playing, creating, and presenting** allows the students more hands on time with the knowledge and helps facilitate the learning process for the students.


 * Tips for Lesson Plans**
 * Provide plenty of time for students to practice what is being taught (kinesthetic learn by //doing//)
 * For every 20 minutes of lecturing, have 5 minutes of group discussion or practice time
 * Taking notes or drawing tables and diagrams during lectures to keep students engaged
 * Using highlighters, flashcards, jeopardy, or markers to physically to allow kinesthetic students to get engaged

Challenges

 * Quickly become bored without physical element incorporated into learning process
 * When distracted or bored can become fidgety causing a possible distraction to other students
 * Long lecture times without discussion breaks are challenging to kinesthetic learners
 * Teaching multi-process skills without allowing students time to explore each process
 * Teaching something without the opportunity to explore (students may appear bored when in fact they just want to engage their learning and practice it)

Example Lesson Plans
[|Lesson Plans]

= How to Assess Kinesthetic Learners =

Assessment for kinesthetic learners requires students to incorporate movement to demonstrate their knowledge and misconceptions of a topic or concept. It is a great way to get the class moving and ives students an alternative way to express their understandings. This can be done through a presentation, simulations, role play, skits, art projects and music.

5 formative assessment examples

 * Math Graphing: Students become coordinates and must decide where on the grid labled with a x and y axis to stand.
 * ELA Grammer: Given index cards containing words and punctuation, students create sentences by organizing themselves in proper order.
 * Instrumental Music: Using a students performance for assessment.
 * database Circles: Students form groups according to their stance on a subject, then after forming their arguments, stand in lines facing each other to debate.

Inside out circle assessment example
A great way to get every student interacting and talking with each other, where each student will eventually interact with every other student in the class. The teacher is performing a formative assessment throughout by listening and monitoring to the conversations as they go along. Here are the steps for this activity:
 * 1) Students read a section of the text.
 * 2) Students are split in to two groups. Group A stands in a circle in the middle, Group B pairs up with a member of group A and stand in a circle outside of the middle circle. Teacher will stay in the centre of the circle to monitor the student's responses.
 * 3) Each member of group A will their group B partner a summary of what they have just read, they have a one minute time limit.
 * 4) Then, group B will be allows the same amount of time to add on to the summary.
 * 5) Group A then switch to two partners to the right of them and continues on with the summary.
 * 6) Group B then switches two partners to the right of them and continues on with the summary.

__Assessment Strategies for Physical Education__
[|Sample Assessment, Evaluation and Communication Strategies]
 * Example assessments and how they are translate into the classroom

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= = Additional Resources = Ideas for learning through movement: []

Study Strategies for older students: media type="youtube" key="Vv52LKfFpnM" height="315" width="420"

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= = References =

@http://suite101.com/article/kinesthetic-learning-style-a162063

@http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_Keep_Your_Eye_Ball/

@http://education.alberta.ca/PhysicalEducationOnline/TeacherResources/

@http://0-www.jstor.org.darius.uleth.ca/stable/30192127?seq=2