How Kinestemas Is Changing Early Literacy in Texas Classrooms

When Victoria Independent School District (VISD) introduced the Kinestemas Program in its bilingual Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, the goal was simple but ambitious: help young learners build reading and writing skills in Spanish more effectively. By the end of the 2024–2025 school year, the results spoke for themselves.

From Data to Impact

A district-wide study tracked student growth at three key checkpoints — Beginning of Year (BOY), Middle of Year (MOY), and End of Year (EOY). These assessments measured phonological awareness, decoding, and emergent writing — the foundation of literacy.

The numbers were clear:

• Phonological awareness: 97% mastery (vs. 70% state average)

• Initial decoding: 89% (vs. 65%)

• Emergent writing: 93% (vs. 73%)

• Overall gain: +22 percentage points — a 35–40% relative improvement over state benchmarks (TX-KEA 2023–2024)

That’s not a small bump. In practical terms, Kinestemas students achieved roughly one extra quarter of academic growth compared to the typical Texas student at the same grade level.

Why It Works

Kinestemas isn’t another workbook series. It’s a kinesthetic, multisensory literacy system rooted in brain-based learning. Students don’t just read and write — they move, trace, tap, and engage multiple pathways of perception and memory.

This approach reinforces phoneme–grapheme connections and improves fluency through movement and embodied cognition, aligning perfectly with the Spanish Language Arts and Reading TEKS (SLAR TEKS).

Evidence That Matters

Unlike many literacy programs that rely on anecdotal success, Kinestemas brings quantifiable evidence. The study compared district results with the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) data, applying both absolute and relative performance measures — a method consistent with TEA evaluation standards.

The formula was straightforward:

Relative Improvement (%) = ((Kinestemas – State Average) / State Average) × 100

The results held steady across every literacy domain. Students not only met state standards — they exceeded them by margins that matter.

What This Means for Bilingual Education

For bilingual and dual-language programs, Kinestemas shows that Spanish literacy growth can be both accelerated and measurable. When foundational skills are built through motion, memory, and meaning, students gain a stronger base for biliteracy — in both Spanish and English.

The Bottom Line

In a field crowded with claims, Kinestemas delivers evidence, not slogans.

+22 points above state averages.
A 40% boost in early literacy outcomes.
And a clear model for how multisensory instruction can transform the first years of reading and writing.

Kinestemas: Where movement meets literacy — and results follow.