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Is there a "One Size Fits All" curriculum?
Why is it some students enjoy curriculum that others dislike? If the program is 'really good', shouldn't it be good for everyone?
The more you learn about your children's learning style, the easier it is to understand why some things work for them, or others don't. Some children seem adaptable to most curriculum, and the issue of learning styles never seems to come up. It is when we are challenged with a student who shows a discrepancy between his ability and performance, or one who actively dislikes the assigned work, that we start looking for plausible explanations and remediation.
The following theories attempt to bridge that gap. Keep in mind that these are theories. The best theories stimulate our imagination, helping us to come up with novel ways to apply those theories in practice. Sometimes a theory metamorphoses over time, through different disciplines, with results that might have surprised the original proponents of the theory. Sometimes a theory is useful because it leads us to think 'outside the box'. Some theories may be a better fit for your student, or perhaps yourself. Don't forget that you, the teacher, have your own learning style and preferences.
The challenge is to find educational materials that are compatible with the students and the parents / teachers, or at least offer a workable compromise.
One last item of note; it has been suggested that learning disabilities are really learning 'differences', and denote a cultural issue of favoured learning modes rather than a disability. The emphasis in this argument, which in my opinion has merit, is on allowing the students to work to their strengths rather than their weaknesses. However, if a student is challenged enough with an essential skill which we take for granted (such as reading) to the point that it is difficult for the student to function in 'real life', it is important to find suitable remediation.
Of course, first we have to find the source of the problem, which is another issue. Serious learning disabilities may be hidden, masquerading as behavioural or psychological problems. Learning disabilities, we should remember, require more effort from the student, and cumulative stress from carrying the weight of long-term learning challenges can lead to secondary psychological manifestations, such as poor self-esteem, anxiety or depression.
Along with learning adaptations, it is very important that the student receive positive affirmations for his sincere efforts, and it would be ideal for the teacher to have an honest appreciation of the student's particular talents and interests. Non-academic 'talents' could include such things as being sensitive to people, or bringing a lot of enthusiasm to a task. 'Real' life requires so many diverse abilities that are not covered in any curriculum, yet are so important for success. Character traits such as tenacity, a questioning mind or a different way of seeing things can look like challenging behaviours when seen as out of context. Someone once said that what we perceive as weaknesses are often strengths that are turned upside-down!
Overview l Gardner l Felder l Kobl l Dunn& Dunn l Gregorc l Sternberg l Bloom's Taxonomy l Emotional Intelligence l Other resources l Myers-Briggs
Overview
Howard Gardner: Multiple Intelligences
- Multiple Intelligences (an overview)
"The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. "
by Thomas Armstrong
- The eighth intelligence: Naturalistic Intelligence
"For parents and teachers interested in more detail on how "nature smarts" might be recognized in children, I have tried to process, project and conceptualize Gardner's ideas and come up with apt descriptors."
by Leslie Owen Wilson
- It's Not How Smart You Are, It's How You're Smart
"The majority of teachers were fortunate to have successful experiences as students; they were able to master the requirements of a language arts-mathematics based curriculum and the narrowly designed methods used to measure progress. But what about those students, such as the boy described by Weber, who weren't able to demonstrate their abilities in traditionally rote ways? How have we penalized those students over the years?"
by Walter McKenzie
- Listen to Howard Gardner on these audioclips
- Howard Gardner; a short biography
- What's the big attraction?
Why teachers are drawn to using Multiple Intelligence Theory in their classrooms.
by Leslie Owen Wilson
- MI & Technology: A Winning Combination!
"When teachers implement both the theory of multiple intelligences and technology, they along with their students, find that their classroom experiences become more stimulating."
by Jane Carlson-Pickering
- How Technology Enhances Howard Gardner's Eight Intelligences
by Dee Dickinson, intro by Dave Keefe
- Choice Points - as Multiple Intelligences Enter the School,
"...in a sense, the theory of multiple intelligences is like a Rorschach test for educators. As educators read about and ponder the ideas, they can pursue them in a variety of directions, some of which actually conflict with other possible scenarios. Nor is it the case that one application is "right" and the other "wrong." As often as not, both can be justified and each might prove appropriate for its context. In this brief essay, I will describe some of the major "choice points" encountered in the transporting of MI ideas from the ivory town into the classroom."
by Howard Gardner
- Utopian Schools
"Parents and educators in search of a new paradigm for schools can find a wealth of inspiration in Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Dr. Gardner, a psychologist and co-director of Harvard Project Zero, is the author of Frames of Mind, a veritable handbook for educational utopias."
by Thomas Armstrong
- Born or Made? What makes a genius?
Howard Gardner considers this question in his book "Extraordinary Minds."
David Gergen interviews Howard Gardnew
- Multiple Intelligences_A self-test
Richard Felder:
- Learning Styles
"Richard Felder is developing a model of learning styles and a parallel model of teaching styles that seems to apply well to students in technical disciplines. (The model was originally formulated in collaboration with Dr. Linda K. Silverman, an educational psychologist.) The idea is not to teach each student exclusively according to his or her preferences, but rather to strive for a balance of instructional methods."
Richard.M.Felder
- Learning Styles test
Kobl:
Dunn & Dunn:
The Gregorc model:
Sternberg:
- Sternberg's Theory of Triarchic Intelligence
"Sternberg's view of intelligence has been closely linked to Aristotle's ancient premise that intelligence is composed of three aspects theoretical, practical, and productive intelligence. In Sternberg's view intelligence revolves around the interchange of analytical, practical and creative aspects the mind."
Bloom's Taxonomy:
- Blooms Taxonomy explained
"Benjamin S. Bloom, a leader in the field, developed a way of talking about learning that is useful for conceptualizing how students gain knowledge. This is known as "Bloom's Taxonomy"."
- Bloom's Taxonomy Visual Map
- Bloom's Taxonomy: a chart
"Benjamin Bloom created this taxonomy for categorizing level of abstraction of questions that commonly occur in educational settings. The taxonomy provides a useful structure in which to categorize test questions, since professors will characteristically ask questions within particular levels, and if you can determine the levels of questions that will appear on your exams, you will be able to study using appropriate strategies."
Emotional Intelligence:
- Emotional Intelligence
"Dr. Goleman’s 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, argues that human competencies like self-awareness, self-discipline, persistence and empathy are of greater consequence than IQ in much of life, that we ignore the decline in these competencies at our peril, and that children can-and should-be taught these abilities."
Daniel Coleman
Other Resources:
- Seven Learning Styles; Overview
The seven perceptual modes (pathways) included in this theory are print, aural, interactive, visual, haptic, kinesthetic, and olfactory.
- Learning with Style
by Tammy Glaser, the mother of 2 homeschooled children (one autistic)
- Learning Styles; an assessment chart
Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic & Tactile
- Learning Styles and the 4MAT System: A Cycle of Learning
The four learning styles; Innovative Learners, Analytic Learners, Common Sense Learners, Dynamic Learners
- learning styles pyramid
- Mind Mapping
Mind maps are visual tools which help you organize your thinking, and aid memory. Examples are shown.
- Graphic Organizers
Examples of various kinds of models
- Educational Psychology Illustrations
Myer-Briggs:
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