Purposeful Movement
It is no secret that students spend more and more time in the classroom sitting in seats than they do moving around. Lucky for us ASL teachers, our instruction already connects to movement in our daily communication. But is it enough? Incorporating more purposeful movement in the classroom helps teachers meet students’ cognitive, emotional and physical needs while allowing students to retain up to 30% more information than just sitting. Kinesthetic movement helps students connect meaning with what they are learning. ASL signs already incorporate this type of learning. So how do we add more purposeful movement in the classroom?
How to Add Purposeful Movement
It is said that at least once during a class period students should be up and moving around. A while back I shared an idea to infuse yoga movements with animal vocabulary. It is important to choose words wisely and not overdo purposeful movement. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Plan
Think ahead to where and when you want to add movement. Really think about concepts that need help enhancing concentration, boosting on-task behavior, and improving student attitudes. Also, think about incorporating purposeful movement in order to decrease stress levels. In other words, plan where in the daily lesson you want students up and moving around. Like planning a Gallery Walk while teaching art.
Add Movement
Get students up and moving around the classroom. Use dance moves, stomping, and other choreography to engage students. Label the 4 corners of your classroom with responses and have students move to a corner and explain why they chose that response. Use learning stations that have students move from one location to the next. Create a play or a skit when incorporating reading.
Use Cooperative Learning Activities
Use random partners and small groups. Anytime you change groups, students are up and moving around. Activities to use cooperative learning with are Inside-Outside-Circle where students are split into half. One group is the “inside” and the other half is the “outside” circle. Rotate for new partners. Another activity is Share and Switch where students create something like art or a presentation and they move from partner to partner sharing until the teacher calls stop. The Great Race is where half the students in the class have a Post-it with their name stuck on the board. The other half of students without a name on the board run and grab a Post-it. Then those are partnered up to work on a project. You can use this with research topics, grouping, and speaking (signing) activities.
Brain Breaks
Once students leave elementary school they are given less and less time to move around, participate in physical activity, and just let loose. High stakes testing seems to have taken over the bell schedules and curriculum at many of our schools across America. GoNoodle has a ton of ideas to get students up and moving around. Many of the activities are geared to younger learners but I know the big kids secretly love them too. Let them get up and get the giggles out. Play a random Kahoot about Disney movies that don’t require stressful thinking. Play 5-4-3-2-1 where a leader picks 5 movements in descending order. For example, do 5 turns, 4 jumping jacks, 3 hops on one foot, 2 squats, and 1 high five to your neighbor. Trading places is another quick activity to get students moving. Have all students stand then call out a trait like everyone with brown hair. Then everyone with brown hair will find someone with that trait and move to that new seat. Everyone else stays put. You can also say things like if you ate eggs for breakfast or if you are wearing a red shirt.
Conclusion
Movement is critical to student learning yet we forget to incorporate it into our lessons. Using purposeful movement has so many benefits to learning so don’t forget to put it into your daily lessons.
What do you do to keep kids moving?
Get Social
If you have questions, let’s talk in the Creative ASL Teaching Facebook group.
Join the conversation in our Facebook group.
Don’t miss out on a sale, FREEBIE, or new product. Follow Creative ASL Teaching on TpT.
