A Curricular Solution

In class today I brought up the idea of matching learning styles with curricular topics. Here is a visual demonstration of the process I was talking about.

1. Make a list of the typical curricular topics
2. Make a list of learning styles/ ways to learn
3. Take each curricular topic and match them with all of the learning styles that logically correspond.

*Think of eighth grade when looking at the following*

Curricular topics
Language arts
Math
Social studies

Science

Learning styles (Stahl & Garlikov)
Analytical- learning by parts
Global- learning by whole

Auditory- learning by sound

Visual- learning by sight

Kinesthetic/ tactile- learning by moving body or hands on activities

linguistic- learning by speech and writing

Musical presentation- learning through song

Curricular topics and their corresponding styles
Language arts
Analytical- Interpreting the parts of a book, for example the characters and specific events.
Global- Interpreting a book as a whole, for example the storyline and theme.
Auditory- Hear sentences and point out which sound grammatically incorrect.
Visual- See sentences and correct grammatical errors.
Kinesthetic- role play
Linguistic- reading and writing
Music- Make a parody about the theme of a book or grammar rules using a popular song.

Math
Analytical and Global- Figure out mathematical problems using a formula. (Mathematical problem solving could be seen as either or both).
Visual- seeing the problem
Linguistic- word problems
*tactile in the form of using manipulatives may be helpful in earlier grades, but it is not useful for algebra. Music and auditory also do not apply.

Social studies
Global- for subjects like history, I see it more as learning the whole picture rather than the parts. When you learn about the civil war, you learn about all of the aspects.
Auditory- listening to a recording of a famous speech
Visual- Pictures of past events or watching a movie
Linguistic- reading about history
Kinesthetic- role play an event in history
* I do not really see music as being effective in this area, music history is a large subject on it's own. I guess one could make a song to help remember past events though.

Science
Analytical- Learning the parts of a cell
Global- Learning what the cell as a whole does
Visual- Seeing pictures of cells under microscope as well as diagrams
Linguistic- read about different cells
*Auditory, Kinesthetic, and musical learning do not fit in the science realm.

Questions: Do you think that math is the most difficult to understand? Do you think that it is the most difficult because there are less ways to understand it?

Alternate questions: How do your eighth grade subjects reflect these types of learning? Have you learned each of these subjects through all of or most of the corresponding methods I paired them with? Does this make you think differently about learning styles?

Re: Drew 2/8/11

In Drew's latest post, he humorously addressed how Americans are monotonously confined within boxes, which contradicts the popular proverb: Think outside the box. He ends with the question, "Are we afraid of exiting the box because of our fear of changing social structures?"

To think outside the box is to think in an innovative fashion, unrestrained by the conventional. In short, to come up with ideas that no one else thinks of. Social structure does dismantle unconventional thinking to a large extent. Let's take for example a classroom situation where the students are brainstorming topics to discus throughout the semester. Unconsciously, their ideas are shaped by conditioned conventional thought that has been crystallized throughout their life. Also, before a student raises their hand to suggest an idea, they consider their peers' opinions. If they predict others will not like their thought, chances of them sharing it are lowered. Teachers are partly to blame too because they may give a student an attitude when they do not consider their view to be a good one. When students see this happening, it reinforces their caution.
I do not think that we are afraid of changing social structures, because one person alone cannot change part of or the entire social structure of a society in most cases. (You would have to be trying very hard, or be in a state of political power.) Yet, we are afraid of breaking social structure and norms. Humans are social animals, who feel the need to receive others' approval. It is innate in us to conform. Try to break a social norm, it feels strange and wrong.

Questions: How do we teach students to think outside of the box? Why is it important to think innovatively?