Integrating Kinesthetic Learning Activities to Phonics Learning

Abstract

This study examined the effects of integrating kinesthetic activities in phonics instruction for students with specific learning disabilities in the area of reading- decoding. The purpose was to see what impact could be made for these students that struggle with reading. Over the course of four weeks, four students were given phonics instruction in the areas of onset-rime, segmenting, and phoneme isolation while engaging in whole body or hands on activities. At the conclusion of the study, all students were found to have made growth in their confidence of word attack skills (phonics) and phonological awareness. The three older students made growth in the automaticity of their phonological awareness skills. Findings support an understanding of how individualized and explicit instruction benefits phonics and phonological awareness and including in kinesthetic activities may play a role in engagement for some students.