Quick Facts for Teachers on Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence and Learning

Quick Facts for Teachers on Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence and Learning
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“Body Smart People”

Learners with Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence love activity and movement. Their body is their learning, experiencing and expressing

tool, thus they are also referred to as ‘Body Smart People’.

These students will have good motor skills. Balance, coordination, suppleness, speed and adroitness are the words that describe kinesthetic learners the best. Therefore, these students will learn best through movement and experimentation.

These types of learners typically have the following traits:

  • They learn and remember by “doing”
  • They take the initiative to touch and feel, rather than just look
  • Well coordinated motor skills
  • Like figuring out how things work
  • Have a lot of physical energy and enjoy the outdoors
  • Likes to work and create with their hands
  • Can’t sit still for too long
  • Like to be active and enjoys sports and exhilarating experiences
  • Have a lot of physical energy
  • Good at dancing, sports and athletics
  • Are agile, dexterous, and have quick well coordinated body movements.

Teaching Tips

An active, fidgety student who has a tendency to touch and explore everything may have bodily kinesthetic intelligence. Knowing this can help your understanding of these students’ behavior in the classroom and how it relates to academic performance.

In order to help these types of learners, employ a lot of ‘hands-on experience’ in the classroom. Lessons incorporating drama, games, activity, role playing, etc., are best. These students are very expressive and when excited will use their entire bodies to show it. As a teacher, be aware of your own body language, as well as your students, and make sure you are communicating correctly.

The following activities can be undertaken to enhance the skills of these learners further:

  • Performing Arts – drama, dancing, anything creative
  • Role Playing
  • Mimicry and Charades
  • Field Trips
  • Sports and Athletics
  • Lab Experiments and Projects

Student Career Track

Some famous bodily kinesthetic people are David Copperfield, Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jordan, Tiger Wood, Jim Carrie, Joe Montana, Kerie Strug, Tom Cruise and Jim Abbot.

When thinking about the future career track for these types of students, kinesthetic learners will often find themselves opting for careers that require them to use their body and the energy stored in it. A stationary job is not meant for these people.

Potential future careers are:

  • Actor / Actress
  • Artistic painter
  • Athlete
  • Builder
  • Carpenter
  • Choreographer
  • Crafts person
  • Dancer
  • Factory worker
  • Farmer
  • Firefighter
  • Forest ranger
  • Gardener
  • Jeweler
  • Mechanic
  • Mime
  • Paramedic
  • Park Ranger
  • Performer
  • Physical Education Instructor
  • Physical Therapist
  • Recreational Worker
  • Sculptor

Talk about career opportunities with your kinesthetic learners even when they’re young. It will help them develop a focus on the intriguing choices that await them.

References