Spelling Techniques for Visual-Spatial Learners

Today we will look at spelling techniques devised by Linda Silverman in her article,  "A Visualization Approach to Spelling."  She has a list of suggested techniques that are offered on the website for The Gifted Development Center.  Silverman points out how often the VSL is challenged by traditional spelling conventions.  Below, you will see some images that demonstrate some useful techniques.

In order to learn more, visit the link to the site above and browse the articles on spelling.

Here the student writes his spelling words in two different colors

The student begins his visual word study by writing each word in two different colors.   He breaks the words down visually not by using syllables.  After writing all of the words in color, the student holds one word at a time at arms length and studies the word briefly.


He then closes his eyes and imagines the word in some silly or dramatic way.  He then places the word in space somewhere above his head.  He then spells the word backwards with his eyes closed and then spells the word forward with his eyes closed.  Finally, he writes the word correctly one time.  As you might imagine - this review proves to be a very effective method of study.

The student holds the colored words at eye level

Here the student begins to create a visual image of the word 'torture.'

In this picture, our spelling challenged artist has created a hangman's noose to represent the spelling word.

Another technique that reaches the visual learner is the use of dramatic imagery to associate and illustrate a word.  Above you can see one student's interpretation of how he sees the word 'torture.'

In an upcoming post, we will look at some more helpful techniques to teach the challenged speller.

Story Boards - Visual Tools

I came across an excellent tool to engage a classroom of writers: accomplished, emerging, developing and reluctant.  While storyboards are not new, I think they are undervalued.  Roger Essley in his book, VISUAL TOOLS for Differentiating Reading and Writing Instruction makes an excellent case for using storyboards to begin the writing process.

I began this area of exploration when my 5th grade son needed to write a script for a "commercial" he was writing for a book report project.  He was stuck and wondering how to go about writing his script.  I suggested he try a storyboard first.  We searched the internet for examples.  He started his storyboard shortly after and I started to look into Roger Essley's work and the application of storyboards for reading and writing instruction.  My son's first attempts at storyboarding are below:

Beginning a 6 box storyboard

Making progress imagining his "commercial"

Completing the storyboard scenes

Essley also calls storyboards 'telling boards' and the description is apt.  Simple pictures can help a student begin the process of expressing his ideas before any writing happens.  This can be a unique and refreshing starting point for a student who is reluctant to write or who is blocked in getting started.  Essley also makes the very important point that simple pictures can communicate complex ideas.

A further extension of the in-class telling board is to allow students to tell their story and then take class questions.  During this process, the student learns what further information his writing will eventually need.  It also allows the student to begin the revision process without the lengthy writing and rewriting process that so many students seem to resist.

If you're interested in exploring this topic further you can follow the link to Essley's website above or take a look at these short videos of his on the Scholastic site.
My son's storyboard was a success for him.  It fueled his thinking so that when he approached the writing of the actual script, it flowed easily.  I see more storyboards in our future.

Multiplication Grid continues...

Big salty crocodile tears splashed onto the table top.  Our young mathematician was deeply defeated the other day. His comment:  "I hate being wrong.  I can't make my numbers go right."

That is a common problem for many visual spatial learners and a stumbling block to feelings of success in school and at home when doing homework.

Note the 36 and 63 in the 9's column

As you can imagine, the two numbers look as similar and as confusing to him as if the answer to 4 x 9 and 6 x 9 were the same number!  He struggled and finally the big tears landed on the table.  We talked about everything he did know and all that he could do.  We also spent some time practicing the 9's tables with the techniques below.

Multiply 9's by bending the multiplying finger...

4 x 9 = 36 Thus 3 fingers on left and 6 to the right of finger 4

This was a fun exercise but our student preferred the method below:

This student finds patterns quickly and noted the above with triumph

In the photo above, before I could finish writing, the student exclaimed: "I get it.  It just goes backward!"  He then explained easily how to arrive at the answers for the 9's table. 

Below is a brief video where he explains how to multiply any number above ten times eleven.

 

He explains that the factor 12 in 11 x 12 is split apart and then added.  The result, 3, is placed in between the split factor 12.  The answer is 132.

In addition to the above activities, we clapped, counted and sang.  I'll close this entry with links to some of our favorite School House Rock multiplication songs:
3's
My Hero Zero
7's
8's

Visual Math App

We will catch up with our second grade mathematician in an upcoming post. However, in today's post, I want to briefly review a math app for iPhone or iPad. The app is called Visual Math by Wiley Aps and is presented as a great visual learning tool for primary grade students.

Unfortunately, the promise is diminished in the real world experience with this app. Now admittedly, my VSL son had some fun playing with this app but the format is lacking in planning or vision. Below are some screen shots of the app.

Players are moved through a series of activities in rounds of 12 activities each.  Those twelve activities are comprised of the same four or five games.  The games require some basic skills: skip counting, money recognition and addition, pattern recognition, time recognition from analog to digital and shape identification.

While the games are somewhat fun and engaging there is little substance here to extend understanding. In addition, the activities quickly become predictable. A random series of exercises appear on screen. They are too varied in expectation to offer consistent practice. The user cannot chose an activity, such as money, to practice due to the random selection of activities.

As a result of the above limitations, I was disappointed in this app and did not find it to be a very useful instructional tool.  On the positive side, the existence of this app offers hope for the development of better visual math resources for the future.

View this link to see one program offering visual math curriculum and sample lessons for high school algebra.  In our next post, we will revisit our 2nd grade math student as he completes his grid.

Math Facts Grid Continued

Today we are revisting our 2nd grade student as he works through the process of completing his multiplication facts grid.  You will notice a collection of colored pencils and pens on the table around him.  There is also a box of counting "jewels" but this young learner doesn't need them to complete his grid. 

The images demonstrate the process for filling in the grid as suggested by Alexandra Shires Golon in her book, Visual-Spatial Learners: Differentiation Strategies for Creating a Successful Classroom.  This is also an excellent strategy to use at home.  As discussed in an earlier post, VSLs often struggle with the memorization of basic facts as well as with handwriting and number formation. 

You will see in the images below some of that struggle in our 2nd grade student.  Note for example how he writes the number 4 before the 1 when writing the number '14.'  This type of "reversal" is not uncommon.  It should be noted that this young man has worked hard through the course of his school year to reduce reversed numbers such as backwards 3's, 4's, 5's and 6's and 9's.

Note the '4' written before the '1' in the number '14'

The process for completing the facts grid should start with a discussion about all that the child already knows.  Together this second grader and I discussed all of the facts he knew and he began his chart by filling in the 0', 1's and 10's column. 

 Note that he chose to use 'guide' lines throughout the grid to keep his columns 'straight.'  He has recently had his vision evaluated and was found to have oculomotor dysfunction.  That's a 10,000 dollar phrase for problems with eye muscle control and with tracking letters and images on a page.  In many cases, vision therapy is prescribed as is the case for this young man. 

A half sheet of blank paper reduces the work load

In the above image you can see that a sheet of blank paper was used to cover half the grid.  This was an opportunity to discuss the commutative property of multiplication.  It's also a great way to boost the student into realizing they really only need to learn half the grid!

a + b = b + a

 In the above example, our 2nd grader and I discussed how a + b = b + a.  He pointed out that really the equation should read: a + b = c and b + a = c.  Clearly, this student's understanding transcended my explanation.
 With enthusiasm, the student continued filling in the chart and moving on to the 5's.  Most students learn the 5's early in the primary grades.  This boy and I sang the song to the 5's from School House Rock.

Be sure to point out that all 5 facts end in a 5 or zero!

 In an upcoming post we will explore a few other methods for guiding our friend through developing meaning and visual connections to his process of learning his multiplication facts.

Begining the Multiplication Chart

In the photos below, our young math student is beginning the process of completing a multiplication fact chart.  While this activity, with all of the empty boxes, can appear daunting to a student.  There are many ways to break this exercise into manageable "chunks" of learning.

By breaking the process into known and easily completed segments the student is able to develop a sense of confidence and control over his knowledge of the number facts.  It is very important that this exercise not be timed.  VSLs typically struggle with time management and time awareness.  Their struggles to perform are then exacerbated by their difficulty recalling these basic facts.  The image below shows the multiplication chart with the first zero written in for the student as part of an introduction to the process of filling in the chart with all of the facts 0 to 12.

This model comes from Alexander Shires Golon's website and her downloadable PDF: Nothin' But the Facts 

In the following two images we can see that the student has begun to enter his facts.  Before he began entering the numbers he and I discussed what he already knew about multiplication.  In a previous post, this student and I explored and reaffirmed his readiness to begin learning the multiplication facts.  This student demonstrated a clear understanding of grouping,  the ability to skip count (counting by 2's, 5's, 10's, etc.), and an awareness of doubling.

We then worked together to explore his chart and fill in all of the facts that he was surprised to see that he knew.

Note the one's facts and the series of 6's.  He corrects below.

With a new chart, student corrected his error above.

Although there is much we don't yet know about this student, we can view the two images above and learn a great deal about how he learns.  In the first image this 2nd grader has begun his chart with enthusiasm.  A close look at that first image shows a brief line sketched across the numbers.  Even though the student has a chart with small boxes with one for each number, he chose to create another level of control by adding a line before he entered the numbers.

VSLs often struggle with handwriting, letter and number reversals and organization.  This student said out loud as he drew the line: "I do this to keep it all together."  It was clear in watching him work that writing each number was a thoughtful effort for him.  He did not reverse his numbers in this exercise, although that has been a problem for this student.

The first image also displays a series of 6's entered by mistake.  This is another clear example of how much a VSL can struggle with a seemingly simple task.  The task will take longer for this student, result in more errors, and cause it to appear that he knows less then he does.  In helping this student gain mastery over this exercise and in recognizing his prior knowledge of the basic facts, this student is on his way to developing a meaningful understanding of the facts which will transfer into a deeper learning experience and retention.
In an upcoming post, we will watch this student continue to fill out the chart using prior number sense to guide his efforts.  We will also learn some tricks!

Math Techniques for Visual-Spatial Learners

In upcoming posts we will be exploring some techniques for teaching visual-spatial learners basic math facts.  One of the common challenges for a VSL is memorizing or storing some of the basic concepts in language and mathematics.

It can seem confusing or contradictory to a parent to have a child who can solve complex mathematical concepts and yet can't remember the multiplication tables.  Sliverman points out in her book Upside-Down Brillance: The Visual-Spatial Learner that we need learning to be meaningful to engage the right-hemisphere.  Therefore an individual who learns best when the right-hemisphere is engaged is at a distinct disadvantage when asked to perform basic, rote memory tasks as that is a left-hemispheric skill and lacks the necessary meaningfulness that a VSL (and any learner) requires for deep learning and understanding.

Often, the quick retrieval of basic skills are timed and expected to be immediate.  This can cause additional stress and pressure for a child who is already struggling to retrieve the required information.

We will be watching a 2nd grade child,  seven years nine months old, as he learns his multiplication tables using Alexandra Shires Golon's suggested methods for teaching the basic facts.  You can find her downloadable PDF from her website here: Nothin' But the Facts: Teach the Times Tables in One Week or Less!

As we examine this process with our young learner, I will point out some of the indications of his struggles as a VSL trying to learn concepts in a school setting that rewards auditory-sequential style learning and instruction.  To get around those auditory-sequential weaknesses, I will try to tap into the strengths of this very visual-spatial child.  We will use color, kinesthetic resources like the "jeweled" counters you will see below, song, dance and rhythm and pattern recognition.  VSLs are often adept at puzzle making and "puzzling through" complex concepts.  Thus, I will be discussing algebraic concepts and explaining the commutative property to our second grade student.

Below are some images of our student going through prelearning exercises about grouping and the difference between addition and multiplication.  This is a great method to use with VSLs because it teaches to the student's strengths in understanding big picture concepts or as one researcher calls it the gist of what is being taught.

 Basic grouping: understanding groups of 2's

Commutative Property: 2 x 5 = 10 is the same as...

5 x 2 = 10 represented with "jeweled" manipulatives.

5 x 2 = 10

 











Since this child is in the second half of his second grade year, he has been skip-counting (adding by 2's, 5's, and 10's) since the end of his first grade year.  He has developed the number sense to begin learning his multiplication tables.  This student has mastered his addition tables yet has proven to lag behind his peers in automaticity, or speed of retrieval.  I will be less concerned about speed of retrieval in the upcoming lessons and more focused on using the student's VSL strengths to help him create mental images and kinesthetic sensibility about what he is learning.

Please visit again as we continue to watch our 2nd grade student work toward mastery of the multiplication tables!

Opening Bibliography

The following is intended to be a research tool for anyone - parent, teacher, or student- to dig deeper into an understanding of what visual spatial learning means, how it is identified and what tools can be employed to assist the visual spatial learner (VSL) to achieve academic success.

The following books are excellent starting resources to understand how a VSL learns and what unique talents and academic challenges these individuals experience.

Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual Spatial Learner by Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D.

(This is the definitive tool and many note it as a life changing discovery to read)

If You Could See the Way I Think: A Handbook for Visual-Spatial Kids by Alexandra Shires Golon

(A great resource for VSLs and parents to learn about self-advocacy and how to communicate to others about this learning style)

Visual-Spatial Learners: Differentiation Strategies for Creating a Successful Classroom by Alexandra Shires Golon

(Another excellent resource with many useful strategies for working with VSLs)

Unicorns Are Real: A Right-Brained Approach to Learning by Barbara Meister Vitale
(This book contains a collection of techniques for teaching VSLs and most are very easy to use at home)

Visual Math:  See How Math Makes Sense by Jessika Sobanski 
(This excellent resource demonstrates mathematical concepts from basic number sense to probability, algebra and geometry and measurement)

Math for Smarty Pants by Marilyn Burns
(Burns presents an assortment of math techniques such as shapes for math, logic puzzles, and big math concepts which are presented visually and boost the confidence of math learners who struggle with basic memorization but need the challenge of the broader concept.)

Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World: Unlocking the Potential of Your ADD Child
(Freed offers a unique insight into tools, strategies and approaches that can benefit the VSL child.)

Of course, you will have noticed that I used color to differentiate the books in my list above.  That happens to be a great technique to use to help the VSL memorize or identify bits of learning that might otherwise escape his or her memory.  Color can be used to keep material interesting and engaging or to separate varied concepts into color coded chunks.  It can also be used as an effective organizational tool.

LINKS
Following are some links which are highly informative and useful resources to understand the VSL and how to assist them in learning in the style in which they learn best.  The list starts with a link to the Gifted Development Center (www.gifteddevelopment.com).
Below you will also find a link to the Visual-Spatial Identifier which is located at the site Visual-Spatial Resource.  The identifier is a great starting tool to determine if you or someone you know is a visual-spatial learner.


http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Visual_Spatial_Learner/articles.htm
The above link accesses a host of articles from the Gifted Development Center


http://www.visualspatial.org/index.php
This site offers a comparison and contrast chart of Visual Spatial Learning and Auditory Sequential Learning as well as the Visual Spatial Identifier


http://www.visual-learners.com/
This is the link to Alexandra Shires Golon's website which offers books and resources

I Think in Pictures, You Teach in Words

The above link will access an excellent article which synthesizes so much of the current understanding and research on VSLs and how best to modify instruction. 

 

http://www.thersa.org/

The above site links to a broad range of topics that support a visual form of communication and interpersonal and emotional awareness concepts

Above is a small collection of resources to assist someone who is beginning to explore the visual-spatial learning style.  In the posts to follow, I will offer further reflection and access to resources and information that might shed more light on how to assist the visual-spatial learner struggling within an auditory-sequential educational model.

In closing, please view the YouTube video of picture note taking by Sir Ken Robinson.