How to Teach Kinesthetic Learner – Language Learning

What is a Kinesthetic Learner?

A kinesthetic learner is someone who prefers to be an ‘active participant’ rather than passive observer when learning. They love to use hands-on learning that allow them to interact with the environment around them.

How do I know if my child is a kinesthetic learner?

Take the Quiz below.

Child's Learning Style Quiz

'Learning Styles' is a term that refers to different ways in which human beings learn, process, and retain information. Though we use all of the learning styles, we tend to be stronger in and prefer one above the others. Discovering your child's preferred learning style will help you know how to teach them better you as well as assist them in developing the lesser used styles. 

1 / 7

If you are teaching about geography, your child would learn best by:

Creating a map out of playdough or construction paper.

Reading an atlas or looking at the internet for photos.

Watching a video or talking with you about the lesson.

2 / 7

You are teaching new vocabulary words about the topic, ‘family.’ Does your child:

Ask to see photos of your family?

Want to sing a song about family?

Act out different family member roles?

3 / 7

You are reading a story. What is your child doing?

Listening intently.

Being really wiggly.

Pointing at the pictures.

4 / 7

When in a group with other children, your child…

Observes what other children are doing and copies them.

Talks a lot and tells a lot of stories, real and imaginary.

Wants to play an active game, like tag or hide and go seek, or connect over a toy.

5 / 7

When doing an art project with your child, they….

Concentrate more on the art materials (paint, glue, paper,...) rather than focusing on the outcome of the art.

Are easily distracted by background noises.

Put a lot of time and effort into how the project looks.

6 / 7

When your child is not sure how to spell a word, what are they most likely to do?

Trace the letters out in the air (finger spelling).

Write it down to see if it looks right.

Spell it out loud to hear if it sounds right.

7 / 7

Which statement best represents your child?

They can often repeat back what I have said and are very aware of verbal tones and cues.

My child likes to get their hands on everything and seems to have trouble sitting still for long periods of time.

My child can read my body language and facial expressions well and likes to see charts, visuals, and images during lessons.

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Signs of a kinesthetic learner include:

Have difficulty focusing for long periods of time

Enjoy sports and physical activity

Loves testing things by experimenting and creating

Is restless when they are sedentary

They are hand talkers and expressive in nature.

Prefer to be directly involved with the material they are learning

Need multisensory learning experiences

Enjoy active problem-solving

Like to touch and manipulate objects

May tap their foot or a pencil to help them concentrate

Enjoy constructing things and taking them apart

How to teach a kinesthetic learner?

Congratulations, you’ve determined your child/student is a kinesthetic learner! Now how do you move forward with that information while teaching them a new language? Here are some suggestions:

1. Use Props While Teaching

Kinesthetic learners are hands on and like to interact with the physical world around them. Pipe cleaners, rubber bands, playdoh, sticks, blocks, props and puppets – the possibilities that you can incorporate into lessons are as wide as your imagination. For example, if you are teaching a science lesson about magma and tectonic plates, create a baking soda volcano. Instead of drawing shapes on a whiteboard, have blocks or plastic shapes that the child can pick up and move around in their hands. 

2. Incorporate Movement in Lessons

While some children will be distracted by movement, kinesthetic learners will thrive when their bodies get to play along with the concepts they are learning. Have your child jump rope while spelling a new vocabulary word. Set up two baskets to throw a ball in for “true or false” statements in the target language. As a bonus, getting to express themselves in energy might help with behavioral issues. 

3. Take Frequent Breaks/Go Outside

Kinesthetic learners need frequent breaks. After a lesson or time spent in homework, encourage your child to do something physical for 5-10 minutes. Dancing, kicking a soccer ball around, or jumping on the trampoline will give them the reset they need to jump back into lessons. 

4. Don’t neglect the other styles of learning!

While it’s important to understand and play to the strengths of your child’s preferred learning style, children will actually learn best through multisensory learning when all the sensory modes (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) are engaged. Adding visual aids such as diagrams, charts, and pictures will help develop their visual perception. Adding auditory queues, such as music and reading out loud will help your child develop active listening.

Did you know that Cultural Bytes incorporates all three types of learning (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) in our In Person and Online Classes? Don’t wait another day to sign your child up and find out what the fun is all about. 

We play games like balloon toss (Kinesthetic).

We color and draw almost every day (Visual).

We play music and language games (Auditory).