Category Archives: Learning

October 21, 2014 · 12:03 am

“LET ME SEE, I’M A VISUAL LEARNER!”

visual“Let’s look at this differently”, “I can’t see the big picture”, “See how this works?” – stand back here comes a visual learner and a future artist, builder, inventor or musician, that is if they can get through our education system.

These right hemi-sphere thinking (that’s creative thinking) students are not wired to produce written reports on the thoughts they visualise in their mind, at least not until they learn how.  They think and learn in multi-dimensional images.  Our education system is more geared to teach left hemi-sphere thinking auditory learners who think and learn in words rather than images.

A visual-spatial learner may be good at spelling and lousy with names, needs a quiet study time, likes colour and is good with charts, maps and diagrams.  They remember pictures and are good with direction.  They will always have trouble remembering verbal instructions and have to learn by taking notes.

As a parent you can help by explaining a project you wish them to do by explaining why you want them do something, because they need to see the big picture first.

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October 16, 2014 · 1:23 am

SPEAK UP, I’M AN AUDITORY LEARNER

Auditory‘Sounds good to me’, ‘It’s starting to ring a bell’; these are a couple of the phrases used by roughly twenty per cent of the population that help to identify them as auditory learners.  Of course your little one may not be using such readily identifiable markers, but you may still be able to see qualities that help to give you an insight as to the type of learners they may be.

An auditory learner enjoys movies and music and probably notices the sound effects in movies more than other people.  They will readily put up their hands for discussion, happily participate in discussion groups and be involved in discussions without a group as they use self-talk.  These students are not afraid to speak in class and may be accused of speaking in class as they process the information through self-talk.

They will perform their worst at reading passages and writing answers relating to those passages in a timed test, but excel in responding to what they have heard and in oral exams.

The auditory learner learns best when reading aloud, receiving verbal instruction, repeating facts with eyes closed and memorising steps and procedures by repeating them.  Older auditory learners need some external sounds (T.V. or music) while they are reading their notes or processing their homework.  Writing their notes and recording them to listen to later is their best way of obtaining and retaining information.

Remember, though they may be looking out of the window while the teacher is talking does not necessarily mean they are not completely aware of what is being said.  Auditory learners do not require a visual context in order to learn.

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October 13, 2014 · 12:28 am

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A TUTOR?

The process of choosing a tutor can be daunting and confusing. Generally when a parent is told by a teacher their child is struggling it comes as sudden news to the parent but has been viewed as a gradual process by the teacher or various teachers. One wonders why measures were not taken sooner to halt this process.

For whatever reason your student now requires tuition so how do you choose? I have seen many one-on-one tutors who do very fine work helping the student with maths at their current level and at times this is successful. School results improve and grades come up, but this system has its limitations.

Learning maths is a progressive process building upon previous knowledge of various maths strands until eventually the student is able to solve complex problems by drawing on their various knowledge strands. If there is a hole in their knowledge strands this makes solving these complex problems more difficult. This hole may have appeared years before and not been repaired.

The tuition process you choose should be able to identify these knowledge holes and plug them. By doing this your student is armed with complete knowledge that allows them to move to the top percentage of their class.

Your tutor should be able to identify the time when your child started to have difficulties; set up a program to begin at the point of trouble; move progressively forward plugging up other holes as they are identified; monitor the student’s progress (we do ours daily); provide progressive reports (our parents receive monthly progress reports on students); and set goals that engage and reward students (this keeps them motivated).

This method takes time but produces the best long term results.

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October 9, 2014 · 12:11 am

The Greedy Snail – Abbie (aged 10)

Red SnailIn the winter snow many Russian people were working.  The red snail was watching them.  Just then a loud scream came when one of the workers found a giant golden nugget.  The red snail was so amused he wanted to get that golden nugget.  So off he went to get it.  When he got there the red snail found the worker had put in on the ground.  The red snail tried to move the nugget but he could not move it fast enough.  He knew he would not be able to get away without anybody looking, but he tried anyway.  When he did move it, it rolled away with him.  The man did not know where the nugget was but he finally found it beside a dizzy snail.

Abbie – aged 10

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October 6, 2014 · 11:41 pm

LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I’M A KINAESTETHIC LEARNER

mechanicTYPES OF LEARNERS – 

Type ‘student’ into clipart and you have fifty-one pages of cartoon pupils sitting quietly at their desk diligently working away.  DREAM ON.  We know all students are not alike because all children are not alike.  In a (teacher’s) perfect world all students would be just so, but …

Approximately 15% of the population are kinaesthetic learners and that means there will be no such thing as a quiet classroom.  Kinaesthetic learners just want to touch and feel everything.  Their friends are bruised because these learners just have to thump their mates.  Their homes are a mess because they have to pull everything apart, just to see how it works.  Does that sound like someone you married?

You can picture this in your husband, but how about your little one?  How do you know you have a kinaesthetic learner on your hands?  Well for starters their teacher will probably be calling you in to complain about how disruptive they are in class.  This student finds it difficult to learn through reading and writing.  They need the hands on approach so they do better in chemistry experiments, sports and acting.  They may not even be aware of their own movement and are easily distracted by the movements of others.

By the age of 6½ they are generally classed as under-achievers or worse still hyperactive.

What can you do with this learner?  For starters accept them for who they are. There is nothing wrong with them rather it is our education system that is not geared to accept 15% of the population.  As a parent, give them down time after an active session, and reward them for the tasks they perform.  These guys may be reward driven.  Kinaesthetics learn best with images so paint them a picture of what you want from them. (For more information visit www.educ.uvic.ca )

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September 9, 2014 · 1:17 am

The Black Mouse – Jack (aged 10)

Black MouseOn a deserted island in the middle of the world lived an old and curious black mouse.  He loved to explore but because of his age he was limited from going many places.  Determined to put aside his age, he was going to climb the mountain.  On his journey up to mountain he knew he was to face many challenges.  His first challenge was to climb the staggered ridges, followed by the evil wizard.  This mouse had faced all the challenges and for now, his journey was over, as he reached the village.
Jack (aged 10)

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August 29, 2014 · 11:57 pm

The man who beat the world record – Robby (aged 12)

LamborghiniBack in the 1990’s, a man drove a yellow Lamborghini all around the world to beat a world record.  The young man, who wore a yellow beany, was a millionaire because he won the lottery.

Starting at Townsville, he drove to Cape York, then went north to Russia on a private ferry which crossed the Arafura Sea, the Banda Sea, the Celebes Sea, the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea and Sea of Okhotsk.  The stop at Okhotsk ferry station was where he drove back onto land before going through Russia to Finland in his yellow Lamborghini on the bumpy roads to beat the world record.  The man, back in the 1990’s, broke the world record and destroyed the yellow Lamborghini.

Robby (aged 12)

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August 29, 2014 · 11:42 pm

The Lizard – Angus (aged 8)

Lizard

In the morning there was a lizard in the jungle.  He had a very long tongue and he could change colours.  He went up a tree and he changed to brown.  He changed to brown because he wanted to be that colour. He hopped down on the grass and changed to green.

Angus (aged 8)

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July 30, 2014 · 11:35 pm

Kookaburras – Bethany (aged 11)

KookaburraKookaburras are found in trees and in forests and when they are found, they make a laughing noise to call their mates.  Kookaburras have feathery wings and long beaks which help them catch their food.  If you are having a picnic, be careful of kookaburras as they sometimes steal your food when you don’t expect it.  They lay their eggs in a nest and the dad keeps them warm while the mother goes to look for food for the babies.  The mates all meet in trees.

Bethany (aged 11)

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July 5, 2014 · 4:18 am

The Mystery – by Oscar (aged 8)

hikerA boy named Dean was walking in the morning on a steep mountain because he was trying to get away from thinking about money. While he walked, he met Major Walnut.

Dean asked Major Walnut ‘Is money good or bad?’

Major Walnut said ‘Money is the main thing.’

Dean and major Walnut saw a pretty girl who was in trouble.  She was in danger.  Dean said to Major Walnut “What is going on around here? I just met you and now a pretty girl is in trouble and now the bad men are holding on to her?”

The girl was smiling.  She had pink cheeks which were very bright.  Silently she said “Thank you very much.” She hugged the two blokes, Dean and Major Walnut.

‘We are a pair of heroes!’ laughed the two friends as they said ‘good bye’ to the girl.

Oscar (aged 8)

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