Kinesthetic Learners
(Also see Auditory & Visual learner)
Formally known as Kinesthetic Modality, the Kinesthetic Learner is one who learns by doing, by placing themselves directly in the action. They need physical involvement to optimize their understanding and takeaway from a lesson or activity. When learning a new language, the kinesthetic learner progresses most efficiently through immersion and one-on-one engagement.
The Kinesthetic Learner isn’t one to sit still for long periods of time. Even when deeply engaged in a session, they’ll often twitch their leg or find some other way to move – typically in a repetitive motion. Kinesthetic Learners often struggle with visual and auditory-only presentations such as film clips, speakers, and podcasts, because there is no direct interaction between them and the person providing the information. These learners want to act and put their knowledge into play, not simply sit back and listen.
Being idle for long periods of time often takes away from what a Kinesthetic Learner remembers and comprehends from a lesson or activity. They anxiously await the opportunity to put their skills to real-life use, and manage to progress rapidly from active failures or setbacks. Always quick to try a new approach or test out a theory, they like to manipulate and modify – and their ability to remember the modification steps afterward is strikingly impressive. This movement is part of the process of memorization and is absolutely essential in their learning process.
When speaking to a group or even to one person, the Kinesthetic Learner is likely to very emphatic in their motions. Hand gestures, vivid facial expressions, and constant movement are a regular practice in social situations. As a result, they may come across as poor listeners – unless spoken to or interacted with in an actionable way. They learn and comprehend much better through back-and-forth conversation than if someone simply lectures at them.
Kinesthetic Learners often see immense success in activities that require a direct physical response such as talking, presenting, or passing a ball back and forth. Even with audio-driven activities such as music, they respond in a physical manner, often tapping their toes or nodding their head. It’s no wonder that many musicians are Kinesthetic Learners – music provides the perfect opportunity to put what they’ve learned to direct use.
Common ways to identify a Kinesthetic learner:
- Multitasking. Emailing while eating while talking on speakerphone, perhaps.
- They memorized directions on a map either by seeing them visually laid out and/or in a step-by-step bulleted process.
- Repeating things back to themselves, often over and over, in order to memorize or understand. Kinesthetic Learners are sometimes avid note takers, which not only helps them learn, it gives them something to do while someone else talks.
- Repetitive habits during down times such as cracking of the knuckles, tapping of the foot, or twitching of the fingers.
- There’s no worry of a monotone voice or boring manner of speaking – ever.
- Thinking and processing often happens while pacing back and forth, twitching a pen while staring at a piece of paper, etc.
- Constant touching of everything. The Kinesthetic Learner wants to touch that peach to judge it’s ripeness.
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