How can you engage kinesthetic learners in career management?

1 Assess their learning preferences

Before you design any learning activities for your clients, you need to assess their learning preferences and needs. You can use various tools and methods to do this, such as online quizzes, self-assessments, or interviews. The goal is to understand how your clients like to learn, what motivates them, what challenges them, and what their goals are. By knowing their learning preferences, you can tailor your coaching or mentoring approach to suit their style and maximize their engagement.

2 Incorporate physical movement

One of the key characteristics of kinesthetic learners is that they enjoy physical movement and action. They tend to get bored or distracted by sitting still and listening for too long. Therefore, you should incorporate physical movement into your learning activities as much as possible. For example, you can ask your clients to stand up and stretch, walk around, or change their posture during your sessions. You can also use gestures, props, or role-plays to demonstrate concepts or scenarios. Physical movement can help kinesthetic learners stay focused, energized, and stimulated.

3 Use hands-on exercises

Another way to engage kinesthetic learners is to use hands-on exercises that allow them to apply their knowledge and skills in a practical way. Hands-on exercises can include simulations, experiments, games, puzzles, or projects. For instance, you can ask your clients to create a career portfolio, a personal brand statement, or a mock interview video. You can also challenge them to solve a problem, complete a task, or achieve a goal related to their career. Hands-on exercises can help kinesthetic learners retain information, test their abilities, and receive feedback.

4 Provide variety and choice

Kinesthetic learners also appreciate variety and choice in their learning activities. They like to explore different options, methods, and perspectives. They also like to have some control over their learning pace and direction. Therefore, you should provide variety and choice in your learning activities as much as possible. For example, you can offer your clients different types of resources, such as videos, podcasts, or articles. You can also give them options to choose their own topics, formats, or tools. Variety and choice can help kinesthetic learners stay curious, interested, and motivated.

5 Encourage reflection and feedback

Finally, you should encourage reflection and feedback in your learning activities for kinesthetic learners. Reflection and feedback can help them evaluate their performance, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and plan their next steps. You can facilitate reflection and feedback by asking open-ended questions, providing constructive comments, or using rubrics or checklists. You can also encourage your clients to reflect and feedback on their own, by using journals, blogs, or portfolios. Reflection and feedback can help kinesthetic learners improve their skills, confidence, and career satisfaction.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?