My thought is that when we have trouble learning in a mainstream way, but adapt to learn via another mode, we are seeing a differently able technique rather than the limitation tag learning disabled connotes.
I spent more than 20 years as a dance specialist going into preschool, kindergarten and primary classrooms as a dance specialist teaching basic language and math skills kinesthetically.
Kids that had trouble writing letters on paper were able to trace out letters in the air with sweeping strokes of their arms. And by making sweeping circles while moving left to right across a room, the concept of reading and writing left to right across the page was experienced first hand making an indelible impression.
Kids that did not understand the concept of 2 plus 2 on paper were able to form and combine sets of 2 each to make 4. Ah yes, then the concept sunk in.
By moving across the room in the rhythmic patterns of the gallop and coming to a stop, kids experienced the rhythm of speech and language patterns.
I saw with my own kids that when faced with the task of learning by listening and seeing they were missing some important concepts or they had delays in learning. Now that my grandkids have come along and have more opportunity to learn through rhythms and movement games, the academic concepts are more easily implanted.
And with computer skills and technical knowledge being expected for success in the work world, it makes sense to bring all our senses into play to get a grasp on basic academic concepts.
Learning disabled or differently able? Let's give all our kids a chance to see if by opening up kinesthetic learning to every classroom we can scoop up a greater percentage of kids into the net of academic success.
I've written a book on teaching and learning kinesthetically available at the link below this article, or alternately check the subject listing in this site for many kinesthetic math and language lesson plans.
Rhythms and Dances for School Age Kids
For grades K-12 in 100 pages, how to teach 16 rhythmic dance steps illustrated and described, plus 9 little dances, 18 ABA and other sequencing combinations, and 4 advanced group dances - for learning kinesthetically about math sets, sequencing, and language phrasing and rhythms. Can be adapted for special needs kids.
For younger kids
Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers
How to teach toddlers and preschoolers rhythms, floor exercises, large motor skills, expressive dance, kinesthetic mini-lessons and full dances in a 98 pages including photos and illustrations.
Article by Susan Kramer
