The MCT curriculum’s multi-layered approach naturally suits different learning styles. If you think you might be working with a kinesthetic learner, this blog post will help you adapt MCT to fit your learner’s needs. Not sure if you’re working with a kinesthetic learner? Here are some tell-tale signs:

Key Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learners:

1. Preference for Movement: Kinesthetic learners prefer to be active and may struggle to sit still for long periods.
2. A Strong Desire for Hands-On Learning: These learners excel in situations in which they can physically interact with materials, such as through experiments, role-playing, or building projects.
3. A Need for Physical Engagement: Kinesthetic learners often remember information best when they can relate it to physical movements or activities, such as using gestures while speaking or engaging in simulations.
4. Learning through Trial and Error: They usually enjoy learning by doing, discovering new concepts through exploration and practice rather than just listening to instructions or reading texts.

To help kinesthetic learners get the most out of the Michael Clay Thompson (MCT) language arts curriculum, here are some effective tips and tricks for teaching the concepts while leveraging students’ strength in learning through movement and touch.

1. Incorporate Movement into Learning

Engage with Language through Action: Kinesthetic learners thrive on physical activity, so try integrating movement into your lessons. For example, have students act out grammar rules by using gestures to represent different parts of speech. This could mean jumping for verbs, squatting for nouns, or stretching for adjectives. If you are working with a group of students, assign each of them a part of speech, and have them arrange themselves in the proper order to construct a variety of sentences—either sentences that they write themselves or sentences from literary sources. By linking physical movement with language concepts, learners can create strong mental connections.

🌟 Tip: Use props or manipulatives to represent different grammar elements. For example, colorful cards for direct objects, indirect objects, and subject complements can be placed around the room, and students can move to each card as they discuss them or practice using them.

2. Build Words with Blocks

Construct Vocabulary with Stems: Kinesthetic learners can benefit from hands-on activities that involve building words. Use blocks, letter tiles, or index cards to create words from different word stems. For example, provide a stem such as bio, and have students combine it with other stems or letters using the blocks to form words like biography, biology, or biodegradable. Both volumes of MCT’s Caesar’s English have flashcards available for purchase, each in a set of 150, that include every stem and every classic word from the corresponding book, offering a comprehensive (and easy!) way to let kids participate in hands-on learning. This tactile approach helps reinforce the connection between word stems and their meanings.

🌟 Tip: Challenge students to create as many words as they can from a single stem and then to use each word in a sentence. This not only engages them physically but also enhances their vocabulary and understanding of word formation.

3. Use Role-Playing for Language Exploration

Explore Concepts through Role-Play: Role-playing can be an effective way for kinesthetic learners to delve into language arts. Create scenarios in which students can act out dialogues or story scenes, incorporating vocabulary and grammar rules from the MCT curriculum—for example, giving one character the inability to hear the adjectives spoken by another! Michael has written some delightful stem stories into some of his texts, which could be the basis for students to create their own stories that they can then act out. This active engagement helps solidify kids’ understanding through experience.

🌟 Tip: Incorporate costumes or props related to the characters or themes in the stories students are exploring. This not only enhances the learning experience but also makes it more memorable and enjoyable.

4. Implement Writing in Motion

Write while Moving: Allow kinesthetic learners to engage with writing while incorporating movement. This could mean using a standing desk or having students write on large whiteboards or flip charts while standing or walking around the room. Encourage them to jot down grammar rules or vocabulary words in a way that feels active.

🌟 Tip: Take learning outside! Organize writing sessions in a park or around the school, where students can brainstorm or draft ideas while enjoying the fresh air and movement.

Implementation Tips for Other Styles

Check out these tips for adapting the MCT curriculum for other learning styles! Remember: The goal isn’t to limit students to their preferred style but to use their strengths as a gateway to developing competency in all areas.

Tips for using MCT with auditory learners

Tips for using MCT with visual learners

Tips for using MCT with reading and writing learners