VISUAL SPATIAL APPROACH

July 6, 2010 - Math Alliance Project

Caveats for tonight

Students’ strengths and challenges are not “all or nothing”

Students can be strong in multiple areas Right brain - left brain can be misleading Language is very critical for learning

Found to be much more important than visual spatial abilities in reading

Please keep in mind

Think of how to support and use students’ strengths

Think of how we may overlook ways students approach tasks and “chalk it up” to something else

Think of how our instruction may be a mismatch to the student

Think of ways students approach tasks and difficulties they may have

Think of how we ask students to demonstrate their knowledge

Please keep in mind

Think of the knowledge we want students to demonstrate

Woman quoted a lot in this article works with students who are gifted and have strengths in visual spatial areas

Characteristics of students who have a strength in visual spatial learning(Adapted from Silverman, in Rapp, 2009) Make use of visual images a lot

Think primarily in pictures – visualize situations Relate better to space than time Are whole concept learners Have unique methods of organization Learn best by seeing relationships and

patterns Learning complex concepts sometimes

easier than simple ones

Potential problems of students with visual spatial processing strengths Takes time to process – may miss

something Difficulty showing work, especially if the

problem is not meaningful “I just know it”

May have difficulty recalling simple tasks May have difficulty with writing May have difficulty with computation

Limited attention to details

TYLER’S JOURNEY

Please read page 7-9 Tyler’s Journey.

Early childhood

Infant and toddle developmental milestones on time.

Counting stairs “Infinity”

Kindergarten

Color by number/ symmetrical 1st and 2nd grade geometry

1st grade

Transition from discovery approach to numerals on paper, equations with precise symbols and worksheets. “ I jut nu it”.

5th grade

OHI ( executive functioning,

anxiety and sensory integration). Math Reasoning 90th percentile

and Numerical Operations 27th percentile.

Strategies

Provide as many different manipulatives as possible.

Incorporate physical movement/ art. Play math games/computer games. Allow output that does not involve

writing. Allow for extra processing time. Give math problems real world

application.