What tools might provide me insight into the learners in my classroom and how might I use this information?
Wow… such an easy question (or questions). I took me a while to wrap my head around this. I teach Kindergarten and I do a lot of inventories in the beginning of school. I assess how many letters and sounds they know. Do they know how to write their name? Do they know how to count? Do they use 1-to-1 correspondence when they count? These are just a few of the things I look for when my student enters my classroom. This does not take into account the students’ personalities. There are other things to consider of course. I make a lot of informal observations as I get to know my students. I take this information to get a staring point for my students. I use the information to help me decide where I need to begin in my teaching.
So, when the topic of learning inventories/styles and multiple intelligences came up I was at a loss for words. Are there other inventories out there for students to take other than what I have already been using? The whole idea about finding out the learning styles of my students was confusing to me because, aren’t they still trying to figure out how they learn best? As a teacher, I think it is me who figures that out first (maybe with the help of parents as well). So much of my teaching uses all kinds of learning styles. I have students who learn best through sitting and listening (auditory learners). There are others who do better with modeling (visual learners). Then there are the ones that learn better by actually moving (kinesthetic learners). So, how is this helpful to me? How am I now going to use this information? Now what? Do I teach to the students’ learning styles? Seems logical.
However, Talking with others in our twitter discussion, a link was shared www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/29/139973743/ “Think You’re an Auditory or Visual Learner? Scientists Say it’s Unlikely” The article stated, “Psychologist Dan Willingham at the University of Virginia, who studies how our brains learn, says teachers should not tailor instruction to different kinds of learners. He says we’re on more equal footing than we may thing when it comes to how our brains learn. And it’s a mistake to assume students will respond and remember information better depending on how it’s presented.” So, what am I doing in my class? The exact thing that I thought was logical, according to this, the wrong thing. But the article goes on to say “mixing things up is something we know is scientifically supported as something that boosts attention,” says Willingham. “Studies show that when students pay closer attention, they learn better.” Wow!!!! Yes! There’s my answer! We just need the students to pay attention! I am forever telling my students to “Pay attention!” So, the question is how am I going to use this information? How do I keep my students engaged in learning? Well, I happened to “change up” my sight word lesson today. I used movement. I used a visual aid. I even changed my voice to sound like a mouse, anything to get my kids to notice. My students had fun! They wanted more!
Anyways, I feel like I’ve just rambled on. I have yet to find more information on this for my grade level and I feel there is more out there. This is only the beginning.
alaskanjam 