I was really interested and greatful for Peter's post on the Visual Learner...
A Visual Learner Learns Best By:
*Taking notes and making lists to read later
*Reading information to be learned
*Learning from books, videotapes, filmstrips and printouts
*Seeing a demonstration
THE VISUAL LEARNER WILL NEED TO SEE ALL STUDY MATERIAL.
1.Practice visualizing (mental imagery) or picturing spelling words.
2.Write out everything for frequent and quick visual review.
3.Analyze words by tearing them apart and putting them back together (to-get-her- together).
4.Use color coding when learning new concepts (x and y axis different color when graphing).
5.Use enlarged paper for graphing, making it easier for the visual learner to plot lines.
6.Use outlines of reading assignments which cover key points and guide your reading.
7.Draw lines around the configuration of printed words and structural word elements.
8.Use charts, maps, timelines, and filmstrips when learning new material.
9.Use notes and flash cards for review of material, vocabulary, and terminology for a specific course.
10.Use a dictionary. All the visual cues are present: syllabication, definitions, configurations, affixes, etc.
11.Use graphic organizers and diagrams.
12.Use videos.
13.Utilize "mapping" techniques and draw pictures symbolizing information.
14.Highlight and underline key concepts.
15.Retype notes - use different fonts, bold print, and underline important concepts and facts.
VISUAL LEARNER STRATEGIESMATHEMATICS
*Use visual cues such as flash cards and concrete items.
*Use graph paper for organizing math problems.
*Color code math problems.
READING/LITERATURE
*When learning new vocabulary words, look up their meaning in the dictionary and write down their definition on flash cards.
*Sit close to the instructor for writing board demonstration, etc.
*Use sight words, flash cards - then close your eyes and visualize what you have seen.
*Use charts, graphs, and other visual cues.WRITING/SPELLING
*Use visual study methods rather than recitation of words.
*Write each spelling word several times.
*Trace words with colored marking pens.
*Visualize words mentally and then reproduce them on paper.SOCIAL SCIENCES
*Learn new material with visual stimulation (videos, computers, etc.).
*Use colored pens when taking notes - each color represents a degree of importance--blue notes are main themes, red notes are supporting details, green notes are specific details.
FACTS ABOUT THE VISUAL LEARNER
Is A Natural AtDressing well, putting clothes together easily
*Remembering details and colors of what he/she sees
*Reading, spelling and proof reading
*Remembering faces of people he/she meets (forgets names); remembers names seen in print*Quietly taking in surroundings
*Creating mental photosStudying/Reading Characteristics
*Reads for pleasure and relaxation; reads rapidly
*Can spend long periods of time studying
*Requires quiet during study
*Learns to spell words in configurations rather than phonetically
Difficulties in School
*Having to take action before either seeing or reading about what needs to be done
*Working in an environment with noise or movement
*Turning out sounds (not very easy responsive to music)
*Listening to lectures without visual pictures or graphics to illustrate
*Working in classrooms with drab colors
*Working under fluorescent lights (makes it hard to concentrate)
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Digital Imagery in the Classroom
Digital imagery is an easy and important way to incorporate many different learning styles in the classroom. The advantages of using the digital camera include being able to see and edit the photos immediately, share an infinite amount of copies with students and being able to incorporate more of the students perspectives on topics into the class. All of these reasons (and more) allow for the easy application and inclusion of digital imagery into the everyday classroom.
In my grade seven science class, I am going to incorporate a greater use of digital imagery in a variety of ways. My first project for the students will involve using visual examples of items on our terminology list. Our school year is divided into three terms and I have the students keep a running terminology list for each term. Currently in term three, we are discussing structures, products, stability and forces. I am fortunate enough to be in a school environment where technology is on the forefront of a lot of discussions and fundraising. As well, being at a private school, the students themselves mostly have access to their own digital cameras. My first new incorporation of digital imagery in the classroom would involve the students taking digital pictures to correspond to words we discuss and incorporate onto their terminology list. Concepts such as solid, frame and shell structures could better be understood with the pictures of the items as opposed to just the word listed as n example. The students could be required to find and create images that fit into these categories. This would not only help them to remember the words, but also reinforce a real life application of the concepts discussed.
Many of the students also create flash cards when studying these terminology words, and another use would be to create flash cards with corresponding photos to replace the whole idea of a list in the students notebook. It could be an ongoing project to be added to throughout the term, and it would be really helpful come test time. Another spin off of this use would be for me to replace the traditional pen to paper quiz, and I could show images instead of stating the terminology word and the students would have to use the photos to describe and define the related concepts.
In math, you could actually incorporate the same idea of relating terms and new ideas to digital images. In math, you could actually show the math in society and allow the students to make a meaningful connection between the concepts and their applications. We actually already do a “math quest” in our class. In the past, this has involved creating a series of questions and problems that the students actually physically go out onto the school campus and answer the problems. One example would be calculating the shortest distance from the front door of the school to a specific bus. Because the bus and the school doors create a right angle, the shortest distance is the hypotenuse, and they can calculate this using Pythagorean Theorem. One way to incorporate digital imagery would be to have the students take pictures of themselves at each station working out the answers by measuring and calculating. In the past, I have set up some kind of tag or marker to show that they have been to each station. This way, I can easily see the group working together to solve the problem. I would also like to challenge the students by having them create a problem of their own that they could solve (or have another student solve). The students could create the problem, and take a picture of the site so other teams could go to the site and solve the problem that was created.
Terminology could also be clarified in a similar manner to my ideas for science. In math, I would take pictures in the real world that show or enforce some of our concepts. One of the first examples I thought of would be the concept of unit rates or values. We calculate how to determine the price of 1gram of an item when we start with a price for a whole package. Sometimes, the students don’t see the value or use of this concept, but I could take pictures at the grocery store of a number of different things to reinforce this concept. I could take pictures of many different products with their price tags, and have the students calculate what products are better values. They could select or take a copy of the products that are the best deals, and compare their chosen products to a final key.
Finally, in science, the students could incorporate some original digital imagery into oral presentations that they create. These presentations are created by the students on a scientific career that they are interested in, and part of the requirements involve the students creating a Powerpoint presentation. I find that many students interview professionals in the related fields, and I would love for the students to take digital pictures of these encounters and of the types of places the people work in or some of the equipment that they use. I think this could really enhance the impact that the projects have on the other students in the class.
Overall, digital imagery and the use of using them in the classroom are endless, and I look forward to incorporating them into my classroom.
In my grade seven science class, I am going to incorporate a greater use of digital imagery in a variety of ways. My first project for the students will involve using visual examples of items on our terminology list. Our school year is divided into three terms and I have the students keep a running terminology list for each term. Currently in term three, we are discussing structures, products, stability and forces. I am fortunate enough to be in a school environment where technology is on the forefront of a lot of discussions and fundraising. As well, being at a private school, the students themselves mostly have access to their own digital cameras. My first new incorporation of digital imagery in the classroom would involve the students taking digital pictures to correspond to words we discuss and incorporate onto their terminology list. Concepts such as solid, frame and shell structures could better be understood with the pictures of the items as opposed to just the word listed as n example. The students could be required to find and create images that fit into these categories. This would not only help them to remember the words, but also reinforce a real life application of the concepts discussed.
Many of the students also create flash cards when studying these terminology words, and another use would be to create flash cards with corresponding photos to replace the whole idea of a list in the students notebook. It could be an ongoing project to be added to throughout the term, and it would be really helpful come test time. Another spin off of this use would be for me to replace the traditional pen to paper quiz, and I could show images instead of stating the terminology word and the students would have to use the photos to describe and define the related concepts.
In math, you could actually incorporate the same idea of relating terms and new ideas to digital images. In math, you could actually show the math in society and allow the students to make a meaningful connection between the concepts and their applications. We actually already do a “math quest” in our class. In the past, this has involved creating a series of questions and problems that the students actually physically go out onto the school campus and answer the problems. One example would be calculating the shortest distance from the front door of the school to a specific bus. Because the bus and the school doors create a right angle, the shortest distance is the hypotenuse, and they can calculate this using Pythagorean Theorem. One way to incorporate digital imagery would be to have the students take pictures of themselves at each station working out the answers by measuring and calculating. In the past, I have set up some kind of tag or marker to show that they have been to each station. This way, I can easily see the group working together to solve the problem. I would also like to challenge the students by having them create a problem of their own that they could solve (or have another student solve). The students could create the problem, and take a picture of the site so other teams could go to the site and solve the problem that was created.
Terminology could also be clarified in a similar manner to my ideas for science. In math, I would take pictures in the real world that show or enforce some of our concepts. One of the first examples I thought of would be the concept of unit rates or values. We calculate how to determine the price of 1gram of an item when we start with a price for a whole package. Sometimes, the students don’t see the value or use of this concept, but I could take pictures at the grocery store of a number of different things to reinforce this concept. I could take pictures of many different products with their price tags, and have the students calculate what products are better values. They could select or take a copy of the products that are the best deals, and compare their chosen products to a final key.
Finally, in science, the students could incorporate some original digital imagery into oral presentations that they create. These presentations are created by the students on a scientific career that they are interested in, and part of the requirements involve the students creating a Powerpoint presentation. I find that many students interview professionals in the related fields, and I would love for the students to take digital pictures of these encounters and of the types of places the people work in or some of the equipment that they use. I think this could really enhance the impact that the projects have on the other students in the class.
Overall, digital imagery and the use of using them in the classroom are endless, and I look forward to incorporating them into my classroom.
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