Module 5: Embodied Thinking

How Do I Love Thee:  Embodied Thinking

Embodied Thinking Activity:  Learning to read through movement

Phonological Awareness: Reading Words through different Modalities

The children in my class use a kinesthetic approach to learning how to read.  They use embodied thinking to interact with textured letters, Elkonin boxes, and bodily movement in order to connect movement with learning.  

Sandpaper letter tracing and blending CVC words.

 Using finger to guide reading.

Using Elkonin boxes to move chips for each phoneme.  


Embodied Thinking:  Written Reflection

          Embodied thinking is using our bodies, both physically (kinesthetically) and emotionally (empathizing) to learn.  Using our bodies to physically interact by touching and feeling builds a stronger connection between our physical self and the knowledge to be learned or gained.  Root-Bernstein state, “…individually or together, sensations of muscle movement, body feeling, and touch act as a powerful tool for imaginative thinking.” (p. 164) Learning through creative touch or movement can be used in the classroom for many subjects.  For young learners, the need to move is essential due to their developmental needs.  For this reason, learning sounds of letters or beginning reading skills through kinesthetic activities or approaches is very beneficial. 

          There are several kinesthetic activities I employ in my classroom to help students identify letters, sounds, and words.  “All people need explicit practice in moving their bodies, manipulating instruments or tools, and gaining awareness of their kinesthetic and proprioceptive responses.” (Root & Bernstein, p. 178)  Once students understand how to use their bodies and have the time to explore and practice, the learning begins.  It was difficult to focus on one topic, but in the end I felt that learning to read words by identifying letters and their corresponding sounds, along with learning to blend sounds to create words was an area that is crucial to phonological awareness.  Using the embodied thinking of bodily movement, I identified activities that would allow for movement that would reinforce the skill.

          My pictures identify several kinesthetic activities for learning how to read.  The first physical activity I use for students still learning the names and sounds of their letters is to use sandpaper letters.  This tactile input, of tracing the letters, helps to establish the name/sound for letters. Another approach I taught students was to use Elkonin boxes to build and blend words.  They physically need to move chips into boxes for each sound that they hear.  It provides movement that helps to make their listening for sounds astute. The last activity identifies children using their fingers to point while reading. This has proven to significantly improve their ability to track the text and read the words.  When students do not use their fingers and try to read without the use of their hands or fingers, their ability to read significantly decreases.  This simple movement is crucial for learning to read until fluency and automaticity is learned. 

            The connection of using a kinesthetic approach to learning was one identified by Howard Gardner in the early 1980’s.  Early in my teaching career I learned about Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences he wrote about.   It has been evident to me throughout my years of teaching that children are more engaged with learning and find opportunities for creative learning when kinesthetic methods are involved.  Using your whole body to move around the room, or touching objects for tactile sensations, along with moving your hands or objects directly connects to higher levels of thinking.  I have found it much more difficult to identify opportunities for embodied thinking by using empathy for phonological awareness.  It’s possible that using a reader’s theater approach to reading may help students to empathize with other children that need to stand in front of a large group, or to empathize with the character’s feelings, but I found this to be a stretch for learning how to read.