Learn Italian with Movement: 7 Kinesthetic Techniques

Ciao! 👋

Are you a kinesthetic learner?
Do you enjoy learning by doing, moving, and touching?

If so, you might find it challenging to learn a new language from books, lectures, or apps. But don’t worry, there are many ways to make language learning fun and engaging for your learning style.
If you want to find out your styles, here there are the links to the VARK test.

Here are 7 tips to help you learn a language if you’re kinesthetic.

Before going into details, I would like to repeat what I have already said to avoid misunderstanding: we all have all 3 styles, but we naturally tend to have a preference for one or two of them.
This is just meant to be a help , one more tool to use to accelerate your learning of Italian.
This way you can discover the styles that are most natural to you and make the journey of discovering Italian more enjoyable and more in your wheelhouse.

That said, cominciamo! 💪 (let’s get started)

For kinesthetic learners, acquiring knowledge through movement, touch, and physical engagement is paramount. Let’s see how they can do that!

Engage in Video Gaming in Italian

Given that kinesthetic learners thrive by actively doing, immersing oneself in a video game conducted in Italian, particularly one facilitating conversation with other players, stands as an incredibly practical language-learning approach. For example:

Explore “Hogwarts Legacy” or “Alan Wake” or where players engage in team-based interactions and discussions in Italian.

Act out dialogues

Acting out dialogues with a partner can help you improve your conversational skills and pronunciation. You can find dialogues online or create your own.

For example, there are numerous online platforms offer a plethora of scripted dialogues tailored to varying proficiency levels. Websites like iTalki, ConversationExchange, or language-specific forums (like on Quora) provide access to dialogues encompassing diverse contexts, from casual day-to-day conversations to formal interactions.
These resources serve as invaluable aids for learners seeking structured dialogue content.

Or utilizing free language-learning apps such as Tandem, HelloTalk, or Speaky offers features facilitating dialogue exchange among users.

Role-Play Improvisation

Improvise and act out impromptu dialogues based on given prompts or situational cues is an effective exercise. Simulating scenarios like making a hotel reservation, discussing travel plans, or participating in job interviews hones spontaneity and adaptability in language usage.

I often do this during my lessons , especially if you have to make a trip to Italy, this thing is essential to have breakfast at the bar or to go to the restaurant, and of course it works! 💪

Multitask with vocabulary flashcards

Let’s face it, being kinesthetic requires some creativity (I know a little bit because I am one too) to learn Italian or whatever language you want.

Therefore, an alternative way to use flashcards is:

Shuffle flashcards while walking on a treadmill or using an exercise bike to combine physical movement with vocabulary reinforcement (I talk more about this in a few paragraphs).

Practice vocabulary while cooking, for instance, associating cooking steps with words or phrases in Italian for a multisensory experience.

Gesture and Move for Memorization

The Italian language is very kinesthetic, if you think about it.
Besides food, what else are we famous for? For gestures! We talk with our hands. We are sentimental and if you don’t gesture or use facial expressions it means you are not involved in the conversation.
But I will dedicate a separate article on this. Continuing with the topic, you can employing hand gestures and movements aids in memorizing language-related information, aligning with kinesthetic learning preferences. For example:

Practice Italian vocabulary by associating specific gestures with words, creating a personalized physical memory aid for each term.

Role-play scenarios or act out dialogues in Italian, incorporating body language and movement to enhance language comprehension and retention.

Listen to podcast or audiobooks

It is very similar to the flashcard section. The principle is always do something while learning.

However, this one is easier because listening is not as challenging as seeing something.

In my case, being auditory and kinesthetic, I ALWAYS listen to something when I walk my dog or ride my bicycle.
What happens next? That if I listen to a word again, my mind says:
“Oh yes! I heard it while I was waiting for the traffic light to turn green”, or “Where have I heard it before? While I was cooking the omelet (“Frittata” in Italian)!” and so on….

Sing songs or rap

Another way I LOVE learning a new language is by singing a song. I usually listen to it many times with the lyrics in front of me. I try to hear it inside and “interpret” it somehow (but always when I am alone 🙈 )
In some crazy moments I even tried to learn Eminem songs, obviously with no results. Rap is a genre only for native speakers.

Singing songs or rapping is a fun and creative way to practice your pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. You can choose songs or rap lyrics that match your level and interest and try to sing or rap along with the music. You can also write your own songs or rap verses using the words and grammar you learned.

These are some of the ways you can learn Italian if you’re kinesthetic. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to these methods only. You can mix and match them according to your preferences and goals. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process of learning a new language.

If you need any help, suggestions or tools, feel free to write me or book a trial lesson with me, (I can help you better if I see your level).
I will be more than happy to help you.

Alla prossima! 👋
(See you next time!)