To think that schools should be more accomodating to visual spacial learners

[kissmyassdotcom]

Both Ds 9 and Dd 5 are VSL. No matter how much their school make them copy out the same bloody spellings over and over, they still don't seem to get that it doesn't work for them.....and never will. They constantly point out how they "know what they are capable of by the way they speak" but continue to expect them to do the impossible by teaching them in ways that will never help them reach their potential.

They expect them to sit still, listen and learn with the occasional drawing on the whiteboard. I have now come to the conclusion that my DC will NEVER learn ANYTHING in a school environment which involves more of the learning styles which have absolutely no impact on them what-so-ever other than completely killing their self esteem and motivation to do well.

After 4 years of hunting (and many failed attempts with other strategies) I have finally found a way to teach both of my DC to spell and they only had to write the word once and why? because I have used their preferred learning style rather than expecting them to fit in the one size fits all category. So far this same technique has also helped my DS to learn some of his multiplication facts too, after he has spent the past 2 years trying to learn them!

AIBU to expect schools in this day and age to recognise the stronger VSL and supply them with an alternative curriculum to help them to succeed???

You need to open your mind a bit. My DDs are both VSL too and they're both top of spelling tests weekly.

I teach them in a different way to the way school advises.

I sound the words out...so "What" becomes "Wuh-hat"

Or W said in the baby way....and then hat.

Yacht is YAC H T and I repeat these whilst we look at the words...then we write them...then I test them...first test they need a reminder...then they get them.ALL right every week.

And I think yabu really. You need to give your DC the tools to manage. You're doing that I see...so what do you want school to do? Implement too many varieties of learning? They don't have time.

Teaching to preferred learning styles is discredited nonsense.

I was just about to post what noblegiraffe said. Learning styles - all completely unscientific bollocks, I'm afraid.

there is no evidence that different people have different learning styles, or that students benefit from being taught in different ways according to learning style.

I think it's important to use a range of methods in the classroom rather than rely on just one technique.

I'm a visual learner. I can't recite spellings like in a spelling bee but I can write them down in a written test perfectly ok as I need to see the shape of the word.
Your school should offer written and oral testing. Does it not?

Noble - please could you give some sort of evidence for the discrediting of people having preferred learning styles. This is something that is used at my work and I'm interested to read more.

I think YABU. Most schools are moving away from learning styles, not towards them. We all learn in a variety of ways. Just because you prefer one doesn't mean you can't or should not learn in the other ways.

As I understand it, preferred learning styles (and teaching styles) has pretty much been dismantled as a pile of crap.

museum a useful link with research here: www.aft.org/ae/summer2005/willingham

Thanks noble. Very useful. I don't do classroom trsaching but leisure time learning opportunities but still useful / interesting.

I don't think it's all bollocks. I think it's been overdone but there are definitely people who learn more effectively in different ways. I just don't agree that we have only one way. My Dd can remember almost anything she has heard word for word including song lyrics and stories but she can't do that by reading alone. She's also a fantastic mimic as a result of this too!

I disagree gccprimary1

My dos, now 6, has had a very obviously learning style for several years.

He is home educated because he couldn't learn a thing in school. op is home ed an option for you?

Schools cannot adapt the teaching style to individuals. It just not possible with so many children (plus the teacher doesn't have the same bond with your child as you do and won't pick up on nuances of behaviour)

My son is excelling at home, learning his way.

She's 5, how on earth do you know what her 'learning style' is?

What?! You mean the My Little Pony episode on learning styles is all horse-feathers?!

The research shows it's teaching styles that matter, i.e. the most efficacious way of getting the knowledge and understanding across, which is why we don't learn to ride a bike by reading a book.

I'm glad your son is excelling at home, Iam but it isn't because of bogus learning styles. We all learn in a variety of different ways dependent on material and context. You have changed everything about the way your son is learning so to attribute improvement to just one aspect is even more unscientific than learning styles! Have a look at noble 's link or have a quick google - the science is clear!

Most people use the learning style appriopiate to the task. For example the majority of children learn to read, write and spell using phonics regardless of learning style. Children's spelling improves when they are taught all the different ways of representing sounds. Learning spellings by copying them out is a waste of time. Similarly learning multiplication tables without understanding is fruitless for most children.

I think the OP children are doing well with her methods because she is helping her children to understand. It's good teaching rather than learning styles.

Indeed echt, or learn to read in a sustained way by doing drama. It's horses for courses.

DS and DD have tried Look, cover, copy. Flashcards. Having their words broken down for them verbally. They know all of their phonics but can not relate them to their spellings (but TBH I find them quite confusing ).

Really don't think I need any scientific evidence to know what my Dc's strengths are...sorry.

Mrsflannel That is what my Dc have just started doing only they say the sounds out themselves. I then get them to spell each section then forwards and backwards. My Dd finally got 10/10 on her spellings this week for the first time ever, she was really chuffed.

Totally agree that a varied teaching style should be used but as it stands my Dc are only picking up a fraction of what is being taught.

Howard Gardner's work on learning styles is under fire now...but if you are concerned, you could look into schools teaching the IB PYP, where different learning styles may be more likely to be addressed.

iam

A learning style for many years and he's 6

So it probably wasn't reading or writing things down. Does he learn by listening? Doing? Tactile stuff?

At such a young age, learning is mainly about doing and very hands on concrete stuff especially in maths.