4 multisensory learning strategies for students of all ages 👁️‍🗨️

As teachers, we're told each child learns differently and we need to accommodate everyone.

Easier said than done, right? But most days that can feel like this:

This is where multisensory learning comes into play.

Bringing it into the classroom can help ease the burden of catering to all the unique ways your students learn with their senses.

Multisensory learning involves using visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile methods to engage students and deepen their understanding of content. Multisensory learning strategies can:

• Meet diverse learning needs

• Enhance memory retention

• Keep students engaged and motivated

Try these in your classroom:

• Charts and diagrams

• Color coding

• Video and animations

Elementary School Visual Activity Example

• Activity: Use colorful flashcards with pictures of animals and their habitats. Have students match the animals with their correct habitat using color-coded categories (e.g. blue for ocean, green for forest).

• Outcome: Young students will be able to visually connect concepts, strengthening memory through color associations.

Middle School Visual Activity Example

• Activity: Create a large, colorful mind map on the board showing different ecosystems. Students use colored markers to add more details or categories.

• Outcome: Middle school students will visualize complex information to improve understanding and organization.

High School Visual Activity Example

• Activity: Use a color-coded graph to analyze data in a science experiment, with each variable represented by a different color.

• Outcome: High school students will be able to organize and interpret complex data through color-coded variables, improving clarity and comprehension.

Quiz Time!

Which of the following is a benefit of using color coding as a visual strategy in the classroom?

A. It helps students remember key concepts by associating them with specific colors.

B. It allows students to listen to important information while writing.

C. It provides students with opportunities for physical movement.

D. It encourages students to read aloud and engage in discussions.

Try these in your classroom:

• Reading aloud

• Songs and rhymes

• Classroom discussions

Elementary School Visual Activity Example

• Activity: Sing a simple song or rhyme about the alphabet, where each letter is linked to a corresponding object (e.g. A is for apple).

• Outcome: Help younger students connect sounds to letters and objects.

Middle School Auditory Activity Example

• Activity: Play a podcast or audiobook related to a historical event and then have a class discussion to explore different perspectives.

• Outcome: Enhance listening skills while aiding learners in comprehending historical content.

High School Auditory Activity Example

• Activity: Have students listen to a speech from a historical figure and then summarize it orally or write an analysis.

• Outcome: Promotes active listening and critical thinking about the speech’s message.

Try these in your classroom:

• Interactive activities

• Gestures and movements

Elementary School Kinesthetic Activity Example

• Activity: Set up a classroom scavenger hunt where students physically search for objects representing different shapes or colors.

• Outcome: Supports physical activity while strengthening understanding of concepts like shapes, colors, and patterns.

Middle School Kinesthetic Activity Example

• Activity: Have students role-play a historical event or science process (the water cycle) by acting out each stage.

• Outcome: Supports students in understanding abstract concepts by incorporating movement and physical participation.

High School Kinesthetic Activity Example

• Activity: Organize a debate where students take on roles of different characters or viewpoints and physically move around the room to present their arguments.

• Outcome: Promotes physical engagement with learning while fostering critical thinking and presentation skills.

Quiz Time!

You're planning a lesson on the water cycle and want to use a kinesthetic strategy where students act out the stages of the cycle. What is the best approach to ensure the students understand the water cycle through this activity?

A. Let students choose their roles and act out the cycle without prior explanation.

B. Explain the water cycle first, then have students act out the cycle step-by-step.

C. Have students act out the cycle and explain it afterward.

Try these in your classroom:

• Manipulatives (e.g. blocks, counters)

• Writing by hand

Elementary School Tactile Activity Example

• Activity: Use textured letter blocks for students to trace and learn letter shapes.

• Outcome: Engages young students in learning through touch, reinforcing letter recognition and developing writing skills.

Middle School Tactile Activity Example

• Activity: Have students use clay or playdough to create models of geometric shapes and then measure their dimensions.

• Outcome: Offers hands-on tactile interaction with mathematical concepts, making abstract ideas more concrete.

High School Tactile Activity Example

• Activity: Use sandpaper or fabric swatches to teach students about different textures in science or design projects.

• Outcome: Supports involvement in hands-on exploration of physical materials.

Want to start incorporating mulitsensory learning into your classroom? Here are some great first steps!