“Can’t you see what I mean?” I yelled at my grandson.
“You’re not hearing me!” he screamed back at me.
It was this moment when I realized that we weren’t speaking the same language. This kid was never going to “see” what I was saying. Seeing is not how he understands the world.
Almost everyone has a primary sensory language: seeing, hearing, or touching. The senses of smell and taste are more prominent in the person with touching as their primary language.
Do you know what sensory language you speak? Observe how you communicate, what songs you enjoy, and who makes you crazy when you talk with them?
Visual communicators use the phrases “I see.” “I get the picture.” “His story was like a movie playing in my mind.”
Auditory or hearing communicators use the phrases “I hear you.” “His words were music to my ears.” “Her laugh sounded like tinkling bells to my heart.”
Kinesthetic or touching communicators use the phrases “I get that.” “I feel you.” “My heart was dancing when he touched me.” “She makes my heart race.” “Christmas tastes like sugar cookies and hot chocolate.” “Something smells rotten here.”
Sensory language is found everywhere. Some songs that use sensory language: “I Can See Clearly Now,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Hold Me Closer.” “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman speaks in all sensory languages. It’s a great song, too.
One way to engage children in their language is through cooking. It engages all the senses. Reading the recipe, using measuring cups to measure dry and liquid ingredients, and if you’re making something like bread, there’s the texture of the dough while you’re kneading it that engages your kinesthetic kids.
The best way to know someone’s preferred sensory language is to listen to the words they use. Even if it’s not your preferred language, make the effort to speak in their language. And if you really want to expand your horizons, practice speaking in all sensory languages.
There you go. Now you have the skills to be bilingual. Today.
Onward and upward.
Watch for “Bump Up Your Yum-Yum Factor” next Thursday