Culturally Proficient Teaching Session 8 Spring 2012 Learning and Teaching Styles 1

Outcomes By the end of this session, the participant will: Gain an understanding of the connection between the student’s learning style and their own teaching style. Gain knowledge of the multiple intelligences and how they impact student learning. Identify and analyze connections between cultural factors, background experiences, and individual preferences that contribute to styles of learning and teaching. 2 2

Animal School Video Follow this link to Animal School . www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN7QfjIcVvA View the video if you can access YouTube, or read the story on Handout #1, posted on the Wiki page for Session 8. Thinking points: What kind of parallel does this story have to the American educational system? Who are the students you have in your classroom. What are some typical educator responses to students who learn differently? Think about some of the discussion we had in the last session on the under achievement of African American males. What were some of the responses you wrote on Handout #7 from that session, Cultural Tendencies Activity? 3 3

Myth or Fact Statements about Learning Some portion of our anatomy must be in contact with the chair at all times in order to learn. Statement # 2 The person doing the most talking or moving or writing is doing the most learning. Statement # 3 The best way to teach is to be a “sage-on-the-stage” and give information in a well planned lecture. Read each statement and decide whether it is a fact or a myth about learning.

If we’d only listen more, we’d remember more. Statement # 4 If we’d only listen more, we’d remember more. Statement # 5 We learn and remember best when we are engaged and enjoy what we’re doing. Statement # 6 Fun is marginal to learning. For the answers, open the document, Handout # 2, Myth or Fact Statements About Learning, posted on the page for Session 8.

Students Learn Differently Based on: Academic ability Multiple intelligences Learning style Thinking style Attitudes Gender Culture and ethnicity Socioeconomic culture Language differences Developmental readiness How we learn depends on the factors listed. Just think of all the combinations of learners we have in our classrooms. Can you think of examples of some of these among the students you have taught?. 6 6

Learning Styles Auditory- learn through listening... They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. Three of the most commonly discussed learning styles are Auditory learners, Visual learners, and kinesthetic learners. Can you identify strong auditory learners among your students? 7 7

Visual- learn through seeing... . These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs.  During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information Look at the descriptors for visual learners. Can you think of students you have taught who are strong visual learners? What percentage of your class do you think learn primarily in this way?

Tactile/Kinesthetic - learn through , moving, doing and touching...   Tactile/Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. Look at the characteristics listed for kinesthetic learners. Can you think of student who you have taught who are strong kinesthetic learners? What percentage of your class do you think learn primarily in this way?

Sensory Preferences of Students Answer- Visual 46% Auditory 19% Kinesthetic-Tactile 35% Here are the percentages for the type of learners you may find among the general public school population. What implications do these percentages have for your classroom instruction? 10 10

Learning Styles “ Learning style is that consistent pattern of behavior and performance by which an individual approaches educational experiences. It is the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment.” National Task Force on Learning Styles and Brain Behavior This is how the term Learning Style is defined by the National Task Force on Learning Styles and Brain Behavior. 11 11

Field Dependent Field Independent Other terminology that is often used to describe learning styles is field dependent and field independent. Field dependent/field independent refers to the way individuals respond cognitively to confusing information and unfamiliar situations and the behaviors that the responses produce. Field dependent individuals are considered to be more group oriented and cooperative and less competitive than the field independent individuals (Dunn and Griggs 1996). Think about what you have learned about African-American male students, for example. In general, students from the African-American culture are more field dependent. Children also go through stages of being more field dependent or independent. For example: Field independent students like to work alone. Field dependent students prefer to work in groups. 75% of middle school students prefer to work in groups. There is a general movement across an individual’s development from field dependence toward filed independence; however there are great individual differences. 12 12

Field Dependent Learners Perceiving or holistic in their approach to learning Spontaneous Open minded Flexible Conceptual thinkers, People oriented Remember material in a social context Subjective learners There is a whole body of research that supports some African American students prefer inferential reasoning, focus on people rather than things, prefer kinesthetic learning and are highly proficient in non verbal learning. The research describes these students as being more field dependent. This slide gives you some of the characteristics of field dependent learners.

Relationship Between Culture and Learning Style K.M. Everson Worthley identified five cultural factors that may influence learning style. Socialization process Society’s child rearing practices - the more controlled society the more field dependent. Sociocultural tightness The more that established social structures exert pressure to conform as in high-context cultures, the more field dependent are its people. On this slide and the next are shown the cultural factors that influence learning styles as explained by . Think about these factors in terms of the cultural groups we have talked about in class and the students you have worked with. 14 14

Ecological adaptation In some societies, survival depends upon keen observations of the environment: accurate reading of the snow, conditions in the arctic regions, facial expressions of the oppressor. Highly developed perceptual skills. Language Exerts influence on learning style. Contemporary literate societies emphasize written expression. Worthley, K.M.( 1999) 15 15

Dr. Howard Gardner - Multiple Intelligences Gardner defines intelligence as : The ability to solve problems that one encounters in real life. The ability to generate new problems to solve. The ability to make something or offer a service that is valued within one’s culture. The Eight Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist Howard Gardner has identified eight multiple intelligences. Review his definition of multiple intelligences. Each of the multiple intelligences will be reviewed in the next slides. Try to think of students who excel in some of these intelligences. 16 16

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Ability to understand nuances of meanings and multiple meanings of words, including a special appreciation for the sounds and rhythms of language. Logical-mathematical Ability to understand and solve logical problems especially involving the use and manipulation of numbers. Review the definitions for each of the eight multiple intelligences. 17 17

Multiple Intelligences Bodily-Kinesthetic Ability to learn and master physical tasks involving motion and balance, including manual manipulation of objects. Interpersonal Sensitivity to nonverbal expressions of feelings and desires of other people and the ability to respond appropriately to them. 18 18

Multiple Intelligences Spatial Ability to understand spatial relationships in the environment and to cognitively modify those relationships for particular purposes. Musical Ability to understand, reproduce, and appreciate musical sounds and rhythms in a range of musical expressions. 19 19

Multiple Intelligences Intrapersonal Ability for self-analysis, to understand clearly one’s own feelings and desires and to apply that knowledge in one’s choices and behaviors. Naturalist Ability to discern similarities and differences in plants and animals that leads to an enhanced understanding of established classifications. 20 20

Task #1 What kinds of “intelligences” do you possess? Have you ever taken a survey to find out? How do you use your own learning style in the classroom? Respond to the last question in the Discussion Tab. Task #1 - What kinds of “intelligences” do you possess? Have you ever taken a survey to find out? How do you use your own learning style in the classroom? Respond to the last question in the Discussion Tab.

How do I Teach – Survey Task #2 Complete the short survey to identify the multiple intelligences to which you teach. Compare this to your own multiple intelligences. How does it differ? How is it the same? Are there multiple intelligences you don’t address in your teaching? Do certain subjects lend themselves to particular multiple intelligences better than others? What can be done to address as many types of learners as possible during instruction? Task #2 - After you have completed the How do I Teach Survey, Handout #3, respond to the questions. Respond to these questions in the Discussion tab. 22 22

Articles Task #3 Select one of the articles on learning styles and multiple intelligences to read. Jot down two to three highlights of your article to share with the class in the Discussion tab. Task #3 - Two articles as handouts: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences Handout #4 Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences Handout #5 Choose an article to read and, in the Discussion tab, share 2-3 highlights from the article. 23 23