Tactile-Kinesthetic Learner Curriculum Recommendation

Updated on September 15, 2012
M.M. asks from San Antonio, TX
8 answers

I am homeschooling my son and we are trying to find the best curriculum for him He is in second grade and we started with a regular book curriculum and it's not working well for us. Then I did research and discovered his learning style: tactile-kinesthetic learner. Now I know the best thing for him is hands-on learning.

For example: vocabulary words: curriculum said to look it up, write the definition, use the word in a sentence. This took 2 hours and he still did not know the definitions and was VERY frustrated. Change: used index cards, wrote word on one, definition on another and played a matching game with them. Every card he picks up he has to read out loud. He is learning the words quickly and the right definition.

So I was wondering if someone with a child of this learning style could recommend a good curriculum for him?

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K.F.

answers from New York on

Great way to get him to learn so far. Also it may help if you can have him bounce a ball while studying or get him things which would create a hands on experience for him. Touching and moving is very important to this kind of learning style the more he can touch and/or move the better and faster he will learn.

Investing in a set of blocks with the alphabet on them can also help. He can literally build a sentence and make a building. The same thing can be used for counting and numbers.

As long has he can have his hands on it and move it himself he can use this as a method for learning.

Congrats on discovering the best way for him to learn and being the best mom you can be.

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

YAY For you recognizing the difference in learning for a fellow Kinesthetic learner. Many people say "I learn best by hands on"...a Kinesthetic learner is not just "hands on doing"...we have to make mistakes. I only learn when I make a mistake and figure it out on my own.

Just like putting a Rubix cube together. We feel it, we see it, we may even have to "hear it". For many of us is physical. We must be moving, we must be engaged while doing.

Maybe you act out the words by relating them to everyday life.

My husband and daughter are visual/audio learners. OMGoodness! They talk and talk and talk. I'm a jump in a do!

But as a former adult work force trainer...I learned that you get better end results if you adapt to others learning styles.

I don't really have a curriculum...just keep trying new things til something works. And a big huge YAY MOM for you for being able to adapt!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from New York on

I didn't homeschool my son - so I can't give you help on the curriculum tat's best. But I did finally learn to help him with his work. He's also a kinesthetic learner - and initially homework was exhausting. Learning sight words and the the sounds of each letter in the alphabet looked to be a daunting task. But after research I learned to use his style to teach him. Instead of telling him to sit still, pay attention, put his paper in order on the table - I let him stand up while he worked. In between sight words he's run a loop around the kitchen-dining room, we'd practice the letter sounds in between throwing a ball back and forth. For multiplication tables he'd jump up and down while answering them. Clearly not something a teacher with 20 kids in a room can do!

I realized that the reason my son learns while he's in motion is because it takes all his concentration just to sit still. When he was freed up to move his brain could make the connections and learn.

Also, he did really well in pre-school becuase it was a Montessori school which focuses on multi-sensory learning. They touched and felt the letter and the corresponding letter-sound (L for lemon - they looked at and touched a L, then held a lemon while sounding out L).

I hope this helps. My son is now 13 and doing very well. He had been ranked as the very bottom of reading skills out of 80 1st graders - now he's right in the middle of the bell curve. He will never be the best reader in the group but he's good. He is an excellent mathemetician and very good as spacial skills like building and engineering so we nurture those strengths and encourage his growth in those areas.

Once you figure out how best to teach your son you'll feel as if a magic door has been unlocked or that someone turned on the light in a dark room. It will be awesome and he'll do wonderfully. How great that you can teach your son personally!

God bless you mama!

2 moms found this helpful
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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

I'd skip the curriculum and find a game he can play. We learn best when interested in something and when we find value in it.

Maybe read up a bit about unschooling?

2 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Here is the thing with hands on verbal/written the only way it is hands on is to use it. The only way I know to learn it is blogging, or something on the internet. Seriously!

I am a hands on learner and nothing has helped me as much as blogging. At least for most people you feel like an idiot if you spell or misuse a word. It takes a while to learn, as with everything learning, but if you have a good feedback loop it is a great way to teach language to a hands on learner.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from New York on

Hi Im a teacher and last week I went to a workshop and we learned about a new tactile, kinesthetic and auditory phonetic curriculum. its awesome! its the Sonday Curriculum. If you need additional information ask me.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.G.

answers from Austin on

I just wanted to reinforce that a kinesthetic learner learns best by moving, not just touching. Get him up and moving, demonstrating what he is learning or doing an exercise while learning. For example, have him spell out words with his body. Have him take 5 giant steps and then 2 more for 5 + 2 and then seven steps (forward for plus and backward for minus). Use chalk on the sidewalk to make squares to step on with bigger numbers. You get the idea...

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L.H.

answers from Abilene on

We use Math U See because it is a "hands on" program. If you go to www.MathUsee.com you can watch a video about it. My daughter is in pre-algebra and my son is in the third level. Unit studies is another great way to educate. Choose a subject he's interested in and then go to www.currclick.com They have unit studies based on subject/age etc. Also you might look at the "Charlotte Mason" method of educating. I think it's a wonderful way to learn. WWW.simplycharlottemason.com is a great resource I use frequently.

You're already doing well in establishing what doesn't work for your son. You will figure out what works best as well! Feel free to email me if you'd like.

Blessings!
L.

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