This morning I was reading some research about reading and came across some information about how our brains turn print into language. The idea that sent fireworks exploding in my brain is the very last step when words receive meaning: ”Reading a word such as stagger, limp, or tiptoe activates the motor areas in the brain that are involved in controlling the legs and feet, whereas reading a word such as chop or carve activates those controlling the hands. Whereas understanding a sentence about eating activates the areas related to gustatory sensations, understanding a visual description activates areas of the visual cortex (Adams, 2011, p. 8).
How cool is that! The next step is a response or completed circuit. Doesn’t that just give us all the more reason to include kinetic learning in our reading repetoire?
Samuels, J. & Farstrup, A., Editors (2011). What research has to say about reading instruction. Neward, DE: International Reading Association.