Embodied learning

Embodied learning refers to pedagogical approaches that focus on the non-mental factors involved in learning, and that signal the importance of the body and feelings. The chapter includes a wide conceptualisation of embodied learning, including arts and design-based learning, new approaches to physical education and the maker culture movement. Then the discussion focuses on key elements in the effective implementation of embodied learning pedagogies, including the identification of particular challenges that need to be addressed. One area of special interest is the need to re-think the way physical education and arts are taught in schools, and to use these domains as platforms for introducing new pedagogies and fostering non-cognitive skills in the whole curriculum. The chapter ends with two dimensions that are key for planning and integrating embodied learning in the school: the scale of the implementation, and the level of expertise required.