Multi-Sensory and Kinesthetic Ideas

As the holiday break approaches, our kids have even more energy than usual! Try some of these mutli-sensory ideas to provide a constructive way for kids to move around.

Syllabication: In addition to the old favorite of clapping out syllables, try having student hop out syllables on one foot.

Long/Short Vowels:

·      Tutor says a word, student uses hands to “measure” whether the vowel is long or short. Hand closer together means a short vowel, hands spread out is a long vowel.

·      Give student two index cards, one says “long” one says “short” (also helps to color code them). Tutor says a word and student has to hold up the right card.

·      Picture sort—have students look through magazines and catalogs and make a collage of pictures with short vowels on one side and long vowels on the other.

·      Write vowels with long/short notation on full sheets of paper. Place them on the ground. Tutor says a word, student has to toss (underhand) a beanbag or something else that won’t bounce onto the correct vowel. It is important to lay out the rule at the beginning that if the beanbag gets tossed anywhere else intentionally the game will stop. You can use this for long/short of the same vowel or with all of the vowels, just change what you put on the pieces of paper. Also, spread the papers out enough so it is not too hard for them to throw it towards the right one.

Sight Words/Dolch Words:

·      If you have a group all working on the same words, have them line up facing you, you hold the cards, who ever is in front says the word and then goes to the back of the line.

·      If there are words that students consistently mix up, have them create a signal for themselves to remember the word. Ex: through/thought: for through, the student could walk with their fingers through something, for thought, they could tap their head like they are thinking. Have them do the motion when they get to the words.

·      When working on encoding, or spelling, the sight words, have the students write the words in the air, on sandpaper, or on something else that has a unique texture

Fluency Passages:

·      If students are having trouble following punctuation and are rushing, have them stand up and then sit back down at every period to emphasize the pause they should take.

·      Bring something that could be a “microphone” (paper towel roll, etc) and have them read their passage into that as if they are a news announcer or reporter.

Comprehension Passages:

·      Before reading, to assess prior knowledge and to introduce a topic, make a list of statements relating to the topic or theme of the story for students to decide if they agree or disagree with. Then designate one side of the space as agree and one side as disagree. You say the statement, the students move silently to the side or where they fall in the middle. For example, before reading a passage about skydiving, statements could be “I am afraid of heights”, “I consider myself pretty brave”, “I have been in a plane”, “I would like to skydive”. You can also do this with the students and place yourself on the continuum. Another variation is to have students do a thumbs up and down or middle instead of moving around the room.

·      Have student(s) or you and student do a short skit to retell the passage rather than just saying it, let the student be the director and tell you what to do to “retell” the story using details from the passage

·      Vocabulary/Character Charades: you choose vocabulary words, characters, or events in the plot for students to act out, you guess

·      Post-It Notes: place vocab words or characters on a post it note on student’s back; they have to ask yes or no questions to figure out which word it is or which character.