Learning Styles - Multiple Intelligences

Learning Styles & Multiple Intelligence
From the feedback, the multiple intelligence information seems to have struck a chord with a number of people. So if we accept the idea that different children have different strengths, what are the challenges for teachers and parent as they work with the children? And how can a teacher apply this to classroom practice in a class of 30+ children, so as to meet the needs of the greatest number of students?
This week I’ve included some information about LEARNING STYLES. The concept of learning styles meshes well with what I have already covered about multiple intelligence.
There are three primary learning styles and ways of gaining information for the brain to process. ie- eyes, ears and touch.
While it would be great if we could teach using the child’s main learning style, logistics and practicalities make it difficult. Also, as with intelligences, a child may exhibit a combination of learning styles so teaching practice that addresses just one style may miss the mark. There is benefit in not just limiting our teaching to the preferred style of a child if we are wanting the child to develop a more rounded educational capability. Instead, a best practice approach may well be to try to include some aspects related to each of the learning styles (seeing, hearing, touching) in each lesson. This would provide a chance to cater for a preferred learning style, while also encouraging and supporting the development of the weaker ones. In spelling for example, for some, this may involve –looking at a word to get a picture, then tracing it with their finger and then saying the letters in order using a “sing-songie “voice.
In maths, when learning the times tables, children may look at charts, write them down, listen to them as a rhythm or chanted sound pattern. I even have a rap tape of the tables that some children have found useful Together these cues helps to cement the learning.
You may wish to try these ideas out for your child and let me know if it makes a difference.

Have a great week,

Peter

So What About The Strugglers - Part 3-

So what about the strugglers? - Part 3-

How many of us have identified ourselves as “strugglers”? For some, exploring the concept of multiple intelligence is more than just an interesting concept … it can be a journey of that involves a rebuilding of confidence has been knocked by past experiences in traditional schools—schools where academic excellence was demanded, and where some individuals didn’t feel they fitted.
If you or your child demonstrates a wide number of related skills in a particular area this may indicate that other forms of intelligence. For some parent reading this, there will be a sense of regret that the perceived value of the education they received was too narrowly focused and that their strength in what was called “non-academic” areas was somehow seen to be of little value, and maybe called a skill, but was not seen as an indication of an alternative form of “intelligence”. The statement of “…. no good at academic stuff, but being great with their hands” was one often repeated.
In this weeks newsletter I have included the other two forms of intelligence identified by an educationalist called Gardiner.

Have a
great week,

Peter

What are the types of Multiple Intelligence?

Interpersonal Intelligence
The ability to relate and understand others. These learners try to see things from other people's point of view in order to understand how they think and feel. They often have an uncanny ability to sense feelings, intentions and motivations. They are great organizers, although they sometimes resort to manipulation. Generally they try to maintain peace in group settings and encourage co-operation. They use both verbal (e.g. speaking) and non-verbal language (e.g. eye contact, body language) to open communication channels with others.
Their skills include:
seeing things from other perspectives (dual-perspective), listening, using empathy, understanding other people's moods and feelings, counseling, co-operating with groups, noticing people's moods, motivations and intentions, communicating both verbally and non-verbally, building trust, peaceful conflict resolution, establishing positive relations with other people.
Possible Career Paths:
Counselor, salesperson, politician, business person

Intrapersonal Intelligence
The ability to self-reflect and be aware of one's inner state of being. These learners try to understand their inner feelings, dreams, relationships with others, and strengths and weaknesses.
Their Skills include:
Recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses, reflecting and analyzing themselves, awareness of their inner feelings, desires and dreams, evaluating their thinking patterns, reasoning with themselves, understanding their role in relationship to others
Possible Career Paths:
Researchers, theorists, philosophers
Source: http://wilderdom.com/personality/L2-4GardenerMultipleIntelligences.html

There is also debate about the inclusion of a further intelligence related to individuals who display abilities such as “green fingers”.

Information from:

www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#usical/Rhythmic%20Intelligence

So What About The Strugglers - Part 2-

So what about the strugglers? - cont-
Can we help all our children be more powerful learners by identifying the kind of learners they are? As I indicated last week, there has been considerable academic work around “learning styles” and about “multiple intelligence” that may be helpful for you as you work with your child. The idea behind such a concept is the recognition that different children have different strengths in different areas, and that means that if we can tap into the child’s strengths, it may well make the difference for your struggling child.
On the next 2 pages I have included information on Multiple Intelligence that may help you better understand your child, your partner and yourself. One premise is that much of our education system, and the traditional emphasis on oral and written testing, has favoured some children over others, and that the usual concepts of the Intelligence level of an individual may therefore be flawed. The theory suggests that we do not have just one area of strength. Instead it is likely that individuals will have a combination of intelligences, with a tendency for some to be stronger than others.
While this is a brief summary, a wealth of further information is available via by Googling “Multiple Intelligence” including a range of online tests you can do. (The quality of such tests vary so if you want to try them out, I’d suggest you do several and see if there is a trend in the results.)
This week you may wish to share your thoughts / discoveries and let me know. I can provide an anonymous summary from responses in next week’s newsletter.

Have a great week,

Peter

Feedback about what works for your family and learning spelling.
Here is one response.

Have found that my children - not sure with others however - respond well with a routine of homework and making spelling procedures as much routine as possibly can be
- so hellishly boring but they pick it up and like the accomplishments we all make. By the end of the week the children are doing all the work easily and I just throw a spelling word at them - either asking them to write it or say it - whichever they decide at the time. The prep work is done the old fashioned way I suppose!

And less is best (ten words is too many for someone having trouble grasping spelling - 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 progressively - 20 is defeating really)

- look at the list of words
- say them out loud
- say what they mean (using a sentence or text as well)
- look at them for a while and say each letter to oneself out loud or quietly
- put them down for 10 minutes or do something else or do the next step straight away with some kiddies.
- parent or whoever pronounces the word - correctly!
- child writes it down how they think it is spelt
- some words don't sound as they are spelt - "just a little trick" to learn about the English language
- tick or mark with a dot - no crosses
- circle where the word went wrong
- write the correct word next to it as going through list with child
- compose another spelling sheet with space for writing under it
- child to look at correct spelling then write out 5 times each word saying a goes in head or out loud
- pop paper aside for the next day - never chuck it in the bin till they are competent at spelling it!

Approach next day the same with all words

Do this 3 to 4 times a week
At end of week should be able to say a word in amongst a sentence or ask them to spell it and they can. Let them chuck it all in the bin when they've learnt it well!!!!!

Times tables the same way and put them in a song - it helps. Walking a word out or whatever can help at this age also or doing some kind of movement.
Who knows - they're all different at the end of the day but this works!

Thanks for your ideas and comments Pam.


What is Multiple Intelligence?

These are only 3 of the 7, (possibly 8) that have been put forward.
span style="font-size:85%;">(The others are in later posts)

Conceived by Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences are seven different ways to demonstrate intellectual ability.
Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence
Ability to control body movements and handle objects skillfully. These learners express themselves through movement. They have a good sense of balance and eye-hand co-ordination. (e.g. ball play, balancing beams). Through interacting with the space around them, they are able to remember and process information.
Their skills include:
dancing, physical co-ordination, sports, hands on experimentation, using body language, crafts, acting, miming, using their hands to create or build, expressing emotions through the body
Possible career paths:
Athletes, physical education teachers, dancers, actors, firefighters, artisans

Visual/Spatial Intelligence
Ability to perceive the visual. These learners tend to think in pictures and need to create vivid mental images to retain information. They enjoy looking at maps, charts, pictures, videos, and movies.
Their skills include:
puzzle building, reading, writing, understanding charts and graphs, a good sense of direction, sketching, painting, creating visual metaphors and analogies (perhaps through the visual arts), manipulating images, constructing, fixing, designing practical objects, interpreting visual images.
Possible career interests:
navigators, sculptors, visual artists, inventors, architects, interior designers, mechanics, engineers

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
Ability to use reason, logic and numbers. These learners think conceptually in logical and numerical patterns making connections between pieces of information. Always curious about the world around them, these learner ask lots of questions and like to do experiments.
Their skills include:
problem solving, classifying and categorizing information, working with abstract concepts to figure out the relationship of each to the other, handling long chains of reason to make local progressions, doing controlled experiments, questioning and wondering about natural events, performing complex mathematical calculations, working with geometric shapes
Possible career paths:
Scientists, engineers, computer programmers, researchers, accountants, mathematicians


Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence
ability to use words and language. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and are generally elegant speakers. They think in words rather than pictures.
Their skills include:
listening, speaking, writing, story telling, explaining, teaching, using humor, understanding the syntax and meaning of words, remembering information, convincing someone of their point of view, analyzing language usage.
Possible career interests:
Poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, translator

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence
ability to produce and appreciate music. These musically inclined learners think in sounds, rhythms and patterns. They immediately respond to music either appreciating or criticizing what they hear. Many of these learners are extremely sensitive to environmental sounds (e.g. crickets, bells, dripping taps).
Their skills include:
singing, whistling, playing musical instruments, recognizing tonal patterns, composing music, remembering melodies, understanding the structure and rhythm of music
Possible career paths:
musician, disc jockey, singer, composer


There are 2 other formally recognized Multiple Intelligences
Interpersonal Intelligence
Intrapersonal Intelligence

Credited to : www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm

So, What About The Strugglers? -Part 1-

So what about the strugglers?
For some children a scary word is the word SPELLING. I still remember struggling with spelling - and the tears - when I was a kid about the same age as the children in our class. It was not a positive experience, and my Dad grew more and more frustrated as I got words right and then the next time made a mistake. I know some children are still struggling with learning to spell the numbers. It is NOT a lack of effort that seems to be the cause— parents have shared the same story as I have about me and my Dad. As I recall that experience I still find some quite strong feelings. I know that as a child I was doing all I knew to do, to try and achieve that illusive goal of 10 out of 10 and the acknowledgement of my parents and my teacher.
Of the children working on them last week, while about a third of the class have now mastered all or nearly all of them, the average test score for those who haven’t yet mastered them was around 12 out of 20 I wonder if it would help to identify the kind of learner your child is?
There has been considerable academic work around “learning styles” and about “multiple intelligence” that may be helpful to better understand how to best help your child. The idea behind such concepts is the recognition that different children have different strengths in different areas, and that means that if we can tap into the child’s strengths it may well make the difference for your struggling child. So this week I’m asking you to conduct an experiment. One of the recognized intelligences is kinesthetic, learning through interaction with one's environment. It promotes understanding through concrete, hands-on experiences. My Dad, a builder, was like that.
Here are several ideas.
If we had play-dough and got him to make the letters and spell out the word, would that be a fun, and an effective way for him to learn? (Just do a Google search for “play dough recipe” if your not sure how to make it.)
Or a set of magnetic letters your child sticks to the side of the fridge so that they have to be physically manipulate the letters to spell the words. Another option is to get him to type them in MSWord. In a sense it is a self-checking activity – in Word it will put a wiggly line under it if it is spelt wrong. The words can be printed out in large bold letters and put on the wall. He can look at them and say / write / spell them aloud. He then has little pieces of paper that are Bluetac-ed to cover 2-3 letters that are the tricky part of the word and tries again. By writing them he can then remove the letter masks and self-check. Or get a tray of sand and get your child to write the words, so they “feel” the letters.
For the child who is struggling, personal confidence and self-belief can often be an issue. We need to make the “bites” small enough to swallow. Let your child choose a word from their list. Eg “Today we have 1 word to learn, and only 1 – so which is the first word you’d like to choose from your list?” So before your child is allowed to watch their favourite TV program he/she has to spell the word, and before they eat their meal they have to spell it, and before the light gets turned off they have to spell it/ write it. This gives multiple exposures to the task. IF they still get it right the next morning then they move on to another word. And celebrate every gain! It doesn’t have to be a party but simple a “Well done, you must feel proud”, a hug, or a smile!
If they improve by several words in a week and consistently get it right, let them email me to let me know. When I email back to say “Well Done!” the acknowledgement may be the kind of thing that will help your child feel that their effort is worth it.

Have a great week,

Peter

Let's Hear It For he Parents!

One of the things that impresses me about our parent community is the commitment to do the best for their children. This shows itself in a number of practical ways.
· Providing the things their children need for school.
· Coming on school trips.
· Emailing or writing notes with helpful information to help me better understand their child.
· Giving their child the experience and responsibility of looking after the class pets for a weekend.
· Signing the homework sheet and writing little comments that show they are aware of and proud of their child’s achievements.
· Letting their child bring special or expensive treasures to school (e.g. valued books, digital cameras) that will help them with their learning.
· Asking for ways they can help their child at home with spelling or maths.
· Being part of the P.T.A.

It is apparent in the way another parent does road patrol supervision to help keep all our kids safe.
It has also been reflected in several conversations with parents last week—and the great questions they were asking and comments they made. After years of teaching I am convinced that the right emotional climate , including the classroom emotional climate, is an important part of creating a great learning environment for a child. When the child feels safe and cared for they are more able to face the challenges of learning. For instance they are more likely to ask questions if they know that others won’t think that they are “dumb”. A child will offer their ideas and views in a discussion if they know that what they say will at least be accepted, even if it is not agreed with.
I appreciate the way that the parents of the children in Room 4 help set the Room 4 emotional climate. For instance it is demonstrated in the way one parent often arrives at school early and sits and reads with their child on the big comfy chair in our library corner. It is great to see others, where it is part of the family culture, give their children a hug or kiss goodbye. (Yes—It is also normal for some of the older Room 4 children to be at the “It’s embarrassing “ stage, and so we don’t deliberately set out to embarrass our children.)
So this week I simply want to thank all of you as parents for your interest, and the way you support, encourage and nurture your children, and how, in turn, it makes being your child’s teacher a rewarding and satisfying experience.

Have a great week,

Peter Corlett

What ABOUT READING?

This week I have outlined a more specific theme. Having done some in-depth reading assessment on the class I have been able to regroup children to ensure that they are on the most appropriate reading material. The tool we use is called a “Running record” and it involves listening to children read while monitoring what they actually say and do especially when they encounter unknown words. We note what strategies they use and how fluent they are. We also see whether or not the phrasing of what they read and intonation are appropriate to the text. Foe instance, if a child ignores punctuation cues like full-stops, commas and speech marks, it may well mean that they are “reading” the words but have lost understanding of the text. There is further information relating to helping your child solve unknown words, on the next page.



How’s your child at reading?
Recently Room 4 children were tested for reading levels. It shows, as is usually the case, that we have a wide range of reading abilities in the class. Fortunately we have most children reading around or above their chronological age.
The reading process has two major components. The first, and arguably most important, is to be able to understand both the obvious and implied meanings the author is attempting to convey. The second component is decoding the text.
Through discussions in the reading groups and questions as part of activity sheets we endeavour to promote reading comprehension. When it comes to decoding ability I have noted a trend especially amongst those that are weaker readers—they seem to lack a range of strategies to decode the unknown words. When encountering an unknown word they seem to be able to utilise a single strategy to decode it—something they call “sounding it out” or “stretching the word”. This may have been what some of us were taught when we were at school— and sometimes it can be more of a hindrance than a help. While it may seem to work with little words like “hat” or “up” it fails when you try words with silent letters like “lamb” or double vowels like “ceiling” or “journal”.
Reading research has shown that there are alternative strategies employed by successful readers. I have outlined the way I would like the children to use when they encounter unfamiliar words. This week we will be practicing these, especially the 1st one. I would suggest that you or your child save this newsletter and use the chart below as a reminder of an appropriate method of improving decoding skills.


MY WHAT-NOW READING CHART
When I am reading and come to a word I don’t know I can......

1.) Say the sound at the start of the word and read on UNTIL I come to a comma or fullstop.

2.) Re-run the sentence 3 times.

3.) Try words that fit in and make sense.

4.) Try looking for and saying groups of letters from in the word. (i.e. Look for little words in the big words.)

5.) Look at the picture for clues.

When I have found a word that starts the same way, fits in, and makes sense, I can check that the word has the right letters to be the word I think it is.

Try this out.......
it works!!



Have a great week,

Peter Corlett

Powerful Questions, Powerful learning. - Rewards

This term we continue the theme of becoming POWERFUL LEARNERS.
I remember the stage when my own children were quite young when they learnt a to use that dreaded word —WHY?
I suspect that the purpose at times wasn’t to actually understand the statement or instruction that I, as a parent, had given them. (Please wash your hands. Sit up at the table. Share your toys with your sister. Tidy up your things.) I suspect it was more a delaying tactic or just plain designed to drive a parent crazy! As teenagers exploring boundaries and finding their place in the world, the question wasn’t always so blatant, but was never-the-less implied in some responses.
Research in education clearly indicates that ownership of learning is increased through the learner understanding three things -
WHAT they are learning.
WHY they are learning it.
HOW will I know I have succeeded.
(ie What might the outcome might look like?)
It might be that the WHY question is the key one to making learning purposeful. Classroom research indicates that this is often the one that children have the most difficulty with.
One useful way to approach these questions so as to really help children grasp what a learning task is about is to ask a child to complete the following three statements.

· I am learning to ….
· I am leaning this because ….
· I know I have achieved my goal when ...
These can be made at the start of a learning task, re-visited during the task, and again at the end of a unit of work. This principle can equally be used for any of our homework task.
CAN YOU PLEASE TRY ASKING YOUR CHILD THESE 3 QUESTIONS IN RELATION TO ONE OF THE HOMEWORK TASKS THIS WEEK.
I would be interested in hearing back some of the things your child says. Are they doing the task
· Because I have to. (ie For someone else)
· I get a sticker (i.e. For an extrinsic reward. )
· Because its fun. (Intrinsic reward—pleasure)
· Because I want to know … (Intrinsic reward)
· Because I get to do it with Mum/Dad. (Intrinsic emotional reward?)
· Because it will help me ….(Intrinsic reward)
It may well be that there are a combination of reasons at work. As children progress through the school it is desirable that with regard to learning, the balance to move from external motivation towards internal motivation. The WHAT, WHY, HOW is one of the steps to helping your child do this.

Have a great week,
Peter