Using Movement for Differentiated Instruction

I've been learning about differentiated instruction in Cohort this semester, and I now see how kinesthetic learning ties in. I love making those connections. Effective modern classrooms are characterized by the uniqueness and diversity of the students. They make a community, celebrating each individual and capitalizing on his or her strengths.

Kuczala and Lengel state that 85% of all students rely on kinesthetic learning to understand material. Students do encompass all four learning styles (kinesthetic, aural, visual, and read/write), but the kinesthetic style dominates in classrooms. And more often than not, typical classroom instruction relies too heavily on read/write learning. Predominately kinesthetic learners also hold the highest correlation to dropout rates in secondary schools.

In response to this high percentage, it seems imperative that literacy teachers incorporate movement into their instruction. It will help increase variety in the classroom and meet the needs of all learners. The content does not need to be differentiated, in fact it should not be. But the paths to reach deep understanding of that content do not have to be identical for each student. It is up to the teacher to provide those opportunities.

It seems there could also be more opportunities for collaborative learning with kinesthetic activities too. With the whole group engaged, and physically demonstrating knowledge, it seems more difficult for a student to fall through the cracks. It also allows for more peer-to-peer scaffolding and mentoring in classroom activities.