Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part II of III
Create the best learning environment for your child.
In addition to receiving and processing information, learning is
affected by how the child responds to the organization of the
material. Consider these four basic types. (Remember it is not a
box to keep your child in...these are cues to keep in mind when
you create and teach lessons.)
CONCRETE/SEQUENTIAL ... These Students:
- Apply ideas in a practical way and focus on facts. - Work well
within limits and produce concrete products from abstract ideas.
- Like to work systematically (step-by-step) and pay close
attention to details. - Want a schedule to follow that makes
sense to them. - Want to know what is expected of them. - Like
establishing routines and methods of doing things. - Do not like
working in groups. - Ask when they are learning are: What are
the facts I Need? How do I do this? What should it look like?
When is it due?
These children deal well with strict guidelines that are clear
and unwavering. They are highly systematic and function well
with clearly defines steps. Stress individual projects with
clearly spelled out goals.
Next consider:
ABSTRACT/SEQUENTIAL ... These Students:
- Are always looking for the underlying principles. - Like to
analyze ideas, research, and provide logical sequence. - Want to
use exact, well researched information and logical reasoning. -
Learn by watching, than by doing. - Want to have sufficient time
to deal with the project thoroughly. - Want black and
white...right and wrong answers. - Are not diplomatic and like
to monopolize a conversation. - Want to know: o How do I know
this is true? o Have we considered all the possibilities?
These students want clearly defined goals but can use their
imagination to find the steps to achieve the goals. They tend to
over-analyze and may get trapped in minutia. They are willing to
create their own methodology. They want a clear answer to
problems, and want to prove them.
Next consider:
ABSTRACT/RANDOM ... This student:
- Is always looking for the personal relevance as they listen. -
Seek to understand feeling and emotions of people. - Focus on
the emotional needs of others and seek to bring harmony to group
situations. - Want to personalize their learning and focus on
the broad general principles. - Need to maintain friendly
relationships with everyone. - Decide with their hearts not
their heads. - Find it difficult to explain or justify their
ideas. - Avoid exact details and resent any criticism. - Find it
impossible to focus on one thing at a time. - Ask: What does
this have to do with me? How can I make a difference?
These students evaluate ideas on a personal and emotional basis.
They are social but don't like to get bogged down in minutia.
They go for the big picture, and get frustrated when forced to
learn concrete facts.
Consider this:
CONCRETE/RANDOM ......These students
- Think fast on their feet. - See many options and solutions to
things. - Want a compelling reason for doing something and find
different ways to do them. - Rely on instinct and insight. -
Want general frames rather specific details. - Do not like
restrictions, limitations, formal reports, routines, re-doing
things, keeping detailed records or explaining how they got an
answer. - Ask - How much is really necessary?
This student is all over the place. They are a mass of
creativity and imagination. They are problem solvers and want to
discover how to do things themselves.
These characteristics give you an idea as to what your child
does after he/she has received the material. Focus their lessons
while taking their organizational mind-set into consideration.
Don't have your Abstract/Random learner write a report on the
digestive system...have them make a clay diagram of the
digestive system and tell you how everything works...get my
drift.
You have the knowledge and the power ... Now go out and create
the best learning environment for your individual child!