Adolescent Learning & Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences

2 Lets try to create a profile of your teenage tutees on the basis of your observations of them and by using the criteria on the next slide.

3 Cultural Social Family Emotional Identity Ethics/Morality

4 What is Adolescence? Focus on Young Adults, February 2001 Dynamic change representing the change from childhood to adulthood, beginning with puberty Period of preparation for adulthood Furious growth and development Exciting opportunities, but new risks Development of identity (Who am I?)

5 What is Adolescence? World Health Organization Progression from appearance of secondary sexual characteristics (puberty) to sexual and reproductive maturity Development of adult mental process and identity Transition from total social-economic dependence to relative independence

6 Adolescence Ages 15 – 19 years old Emotional  Develops more advanced problem- solving skills  Concerned with self- image compared to peers Ethics / Morality  Increases exposure to values and beliefs of others  Starts to question own beliefs, which may lead to conflicts with parents or family  Begins to develop own set of values

7 Adolescence Ages 15 – 19 years old Identity  Has sense of self that is largely shaped by peers, although becoming less so  May be struggling with gender identification Family  May become more removed from family and may seek more privacy  Moves away from parents toward peers

8 Adolescence Ages 15 – 19 years old Social  Peers influence leisure activities, appearance, substance use, and initial sexual behaviors.  Family influences education, career, religious values, and beliefs

9 Developing abstract thinking skills  Means thinking about things that cannot be seen, heard, or touched  E.g.: faith, trust, beliefs, spirituality Developing ability to think about thinking in a process known as “meta-cognition”  Allows individuals to think about how they feel and what they are thinking  Involves being able to think about how one is perceived by others How the Brain Learns/Sousa, David A. How Does Cognitive Development Affect Teens?

What does it all mean to me as a tutor?

11 Problem is… If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. Abraham Maslow

12 Knowledge CANNOT be transferred? Retention rate: First thing’s First…. Lecture 5% Reading 10% Audio-Visual 20% Demonstration 30% Discussion Group 50% Practice by Doing 75% Teach Others / Immediate Use of Learning 90%

13 What other tools can you use Different Learning Styles

14 An e.g. of a unique Framework that can be adopted in tutoring teenagers – HCP (Whenever applicable) An engagement with the Present: Connections to the contemporary world An engagement with the Past: Historical thinking Connecting with the Youth: Connections to their concerns, experiences, and lives 1 st inquiry Historical 2 nd Inquiry Contemporary 3 rd inquiry Personal

15 HCP Framework Historical Inquiry  Need to make sense of the world in which they live  Identity; direction Contemporary Inquiry  Need for acceptance; Purpose & meaning of life  Where and how they fit in Personal Inquiry  Moral and personal issues central to them.  Link to personal lives; Why is this important to me?

16 HCP Framework Youth Development Characteristics: Need to Belong Making Sense of Reality Search for Meaning and Values Lesson Plan Framework: Historical Contemporary Personal

17 Be aware of different learning styles or Multiple Intelligences of your tutees.

18 Take Visual for example Drawings Use Diagrams for Concept mapping. Remember this slide More in the MI Toolbox Handout.

19 Smart State Rankings 1Vermont 2Connecticut 3Massachusetts 4New Jersey 5Maine 6Seattle 7Virginia 8Wisconsin 9Texas 10New York 40Georgia 41Tennessee 42Hawaii 43Alabama 44Alaska 45Louisiana 46California 47Nevada 48Arizona 49Mississippi 50Arizona

20 How many of you remember Rankings of Virginia Rankings of California Why?

21 Does it make sense? Is meaning present? Moderate To High Moderate To High VERY HIGH VERY HIGH Very Low Moderate To High Moderate To High Is Sense Present Is Meaning Present Yes No YES Learning is most likely to occur when it makes sense and has meaning

22 Simple Things we can do to make tutoring sessions meaningful: Generate Interest by making it relevant. Maintain a Reflection Journal at the end of each tutoring session. Use Humor  Gets the attention  Positive Climate  Increases Retention

23 In the end…work to make you tutee Go from this To this

24 By.. Understanding that they are growing. Respecting and accepting that they are looking for independence. Make it relevant! Avoid the hammer! Use the whole toolbox

25 Now take 2 minutes to think and answer this Q: What did I learn from this presentation that I will apply in my tutoring session?

Informative slides on Multiple Intelligences:

27 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Dr. Howard Gardner Psychologist Howard Gardner identified the following distinct types of intelligence and developed the Theory of Multiple Intelligences as a Teaching and Learning tool

28 Linguistic Children with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles,speaking and listening. Activities: reading books, writing and telling stories. Theory of Multiple Intelligence

29 Logical-Mathematical Children with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns, categories and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments. Activities: work with abstract symbol, patterns, questioning, categorize, classify observations, experimenting, formulate hypotheses and construct relationships Theory of Multiple Intelligence

30 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Bodily-Kinesthetic This is the ability to use physical gestures to express emotions. They are often athletic, dancers or good at crafts such as sewing or woodworking. In other words – learn by doing. Activities: dance, drama, body language, role play, games, create products or invent things.

31 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Spatial These children think in images and pictures. They may be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend free time drawing, reading charts and maps, building with Legos or daydreaming. Activities: maps, charts and puzzles, design, draw and create things.

32 Theory of Multiple intelligence Musical Musical children are always singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss and are good auditory learners. Activities: Singing, music, playing an instrument.

33 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Interpersonal Children who are leaders among their peers, who are good at communicating and who seem to understand others' feelings and motives possess interpersonal intelligence. Activities: Group work, interview, managing people

34 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Intrapersonal Through this intelligence we explore our thoughts, our emotions, what we think, feel and why we do the things we do. Activities: Individual work.

35 Theory of Multiple Intelligence Natural Involves understanding the natural world of plants and animals, noticing their characteristics, and categorizing them; it generally involves keen observation and the ability to classify other things as well. Activities: exploring nature, making collections of objects, studying them, and grouping them

36 Bibliography: The Bedford Guide for Writing tutors/Leigh, Ryan/Third Edition/Bedford/2002 How the Brain Learns/Sousa, David A./Corwin Press/ Ivanco, J/1998