Are you a kinaesthetic learner?

You've probably heard that there are different types of learners. Some people learn better with visual strategies, others with auditory strategies. A visual learner is a person who learns best when reading or seeing information, for example when reading a text or watching a film. An auditory learner is a person who absorbs information best by listening. For example, when listening to a lecture or a story read aloud.

There are also people who are kinaesthetic learners. In this article you will find out if you could be a kinaesthetic learner and how you can best study for an exam.

What does kinaesthetic mean?

The word kinaesthesia comes from the Greek and means something like, 'perceiving with movement'. So, a person who is a kinaesthetic learner can best retain information if they associate a movement with it, or try out and apply the information they have learned.

How do I know if I am a kinaesthetic learner?

It is not always easy to find out which learning type you are, because there is a lot of overlap between the different types of learning. For example, you may learn best when you read a text and listen to it at the same time.

However, there are several signs that can tell you if you are a kinaesthetic learner. For this type of learner, it often seems more difficult to sit in a classroom and simply listen. Even after reading texts, you may not remember much. This can be frustrating because it is the method most frequently used in schools.

For kinaesthetic learners, self-designed posters are very helpful. So if you found at school that you like to create posters or collages because it helps you remember the information, you are the type of person who learns best through movement.

Similarly, if you were able to memorise the human skeleton in biology lessons when you had a model in front of you which you could touch and move the bones, then that's a pretty clear sign that you're a kinaesthetic type of learner.

Which strategies are best suited for the kinaesthetic learning types?

There are many different strategies for kinaesthetic learners, but no universal one. It is best to try different techniques to find the right one for you.

Kinesthetic learning with writing and design

• Designing can be helpful. This includes making collages or posters, handicrafts or drawing.
• Writing summaries. This is because writing by hand also represents movement and so anything which you physically write down can be memorised better and in the long term. A deeper connection to the information is made because the brain and the body have worked together when writing. Summaries should be as varied as possible: use your own examples, lists, graphs or drawings. Summaries can and should be reused, and you can read through them before going to sleep.
• Create flashcards. Here a movement is made with the hand when writing down. In addition, flashcards can be taken everywhere. This way, you can add a bit of variety to your learning by changing the place where you study every now and then. Likewise, you can take flashcards with you on a walk in nature, look through them on the way to school or give them to someone to be quizzed.

Lecture and interactive games in study group

Many kinaesthetic learners find it helpful to recite or explain what they have learned to someone else, as this stimulates thinking and creates their own connections in the brain. You can also try to form a study group to discuss the topics with each other and exchange thoughts, which may lead to new ideas.

In a study group, you could even role-play to help you memorise the material. Or you can even play games to make learning more exciting. To learn more about study groups, check out the other articles on our blog.

Learning languages as a kinaesthetic learner

When learning languages, direct application and practical practise is the best solution. So if a kinaesthetic type of learner wants to learn a new language, the best strategy would be to go to the place where the language is spoken, or to speak with others in that language.

You don't have to travel to another country to do this, although that would of course be the most exciting way. You can also practice languages in study groups or look for a partner. Listening to music and watching films in your target language also helps massively to expand your vocabulary and develop a feeling for the language unconsciously.

Music and learning environment for kinaesthetic learners

Some people find it helpful to listen to music while studying. However, it is important not to feel distracted by the music. It can also help to block out ambient sounds and noise that could be distracting. Each person has to find out for themselves what kind of music suits them best, for some it is classical music without vocals, for others rock music.

There are also some platforms for this, such as Noisli, where you can mix your own sounds and create the ideal learning music and atmosphere. To find out more about apps that could help you study, read the following article: Apps to help you study and stay organised.

Conclusion

One thing is true for every type of learner, it is important to move during your breaks! Get up, stretch your feet, exercise and clear out your head. In addition, your performance when studying increases most when you use as many senses as possible while learning. So try to make your learning sessions as diverse as possible - visual, auditory and kinaesthetic.