Teaching Through Movement (Not Just Around It)

This week inside PDN, we’re focusing on building learning through movement — not just using movement before or after instruction.

When you’re doing walkthroughs, try coaching with prompts like:

Where could children show the idea with their bodies instead of only with words?
What could we swap from “sit-and-tell” to “move-and-show” in the next 2 minutes?

Then (this is the key) offer a tiny demo teachers can copy immediately.

1) Literacy: “Sound Switch Steps” (phonemic awareness + inhibition)

“When you hear /m/, take ONE step forward. When you hear a sound that is not /m/, freeze.”
Call quick words: mom, sun, milk, hat, map, fish
Add challenge: “Now let’s switch it up! This time, when you hear /m/, take ONE step backward. When you hear a sound that is not /m/, freeze right where you are.”
✅ This teaches sound discrimination, listening, impulse control, and flexibility.

2) Movement & Science: “Animal Action Freeze” (gross motor + observation + self-regulation)

“Let’s move like animals we know! When I call an animal, show me how it moves.”
Call out: “Frog! Elephant! Bird! Snake!”
After a few seconds: “Freeze!”
Ask: “What do you notice about how your body feels? Which muscles did you use? How does a frog move differently from a bird?”
✅ Builds body awareness, vocabulary, observation skills, and self-control through playful movement.

(These work great even with wiggly groups because the movement is the instruction.)

📌 One line to share with staff:“Movement isn’t the break from learning — it’s one of the ways we teach it.”

💬 What’s one part of your daily routine that could become a “move-and-show” moment this week?

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