Transcript Curriculum Compacting - Colorado Springs School District 11

Nonverbal Students in the
Regular Classroom
Rebecca Pfingsten
What is “Nonverbal” Ability
 Nonverbal ability includes abstract and spatial
reasoning.It is an intentional cognitive process that
involves the use of deliberate mental operations to
solve novel problems. Mental operations often include
drawing inferences and forming concepts when
language is not involved.
Right-brained processing
Whole picture followed by parts
Need clear vision of learning target outcomes, then need
time to process and connect to experiences, followed by
the details.
The result? Some of the most gifted problem-solvers and
innovators. These students become our “think tanks” in
economics and government. They are our engineers,
scientists, musicians and artists.
 Nonverbal ability is often in direct contradiction to
how a school day or classroom is typically structured.
 Standardized testing does not measure many aspects
of a nonverbal student’s ability.
 These children are most often late bloomers. Brain
research shows us that their abstract problem-solving
centers are evolving, while the frontal lobe lags
behind.
(Again, in direct contradiction for the milestone
measurements of a typical school structure).
Background As toddlers, these children like to see
how things work. They pull things apart
and some put them back together
correctly.
 Imagination is the key element in mental
processing of nonverbal learner.
 They think in PICTURES not WORDS.
 It is common for a VS-learner to be
introverted.
 They commonly rehearse everything
mentally before they attempt it. VS
children will “practice” walking, talking,
and balancing inside their minds.
Tesla
“Tesla could design, build, and operate his
inventions in his imagination so vividly and
accurately that he could balance a turbine, match
gear ratios all in his mind,” (Tesla, 1919).
“His success relied on complex interactions
between his capacity for metal rotation, vividness
of his imagery, and highly developed spatial
working memory. Without this, Tesla’s development
of the polyphase motor we use today would have
been thwarted,” (Karolyi, 2012).
Math for Nonverbal Students
 Left-hemisphere, linear thinker:
Listen to teacher explain the
lesson and steps
Copy the sample problems
from the board into notebook
Memorize the steps used to
complete the problem.
Transfer learning to new
problems; plug in memorized
steps and show work
Nonverbal Processing
Teacher is saying
something
Attempt to
translate the
teacher’s words
into a video
Unsuccessful
Stop.
Confused.
Successful
Listen to the
teacher again.
Teacher is on the
next problem
already.
Stop.
Confused.
Begin to gain
understanding
of the problem
to be solved
Math for Nonverbal Students
 Learner must see the information to make sense of it. They can
decipher auditory input, but need to translate to visual images
for true learning to occur. (Freed, Kloth, and Billett, 2006).
1) Increase processing time.
2) Do not require them to always show their work.
“Explain how you know that the digit 0 is a zero.”
3) Give complex tasks first. Nonverbal learners understand
complexity more readily than simple. “Top 5 word problems”
4) Writing is tremendously exhausting work in the left hemisphere—
their weakest area. The act of writing in math reduces visualization
and concentration. Give reduced writing assignments for story
problems when possible.
Allow output that does not always involve writing.
Allow different uses of technology.
The most important strategy is extra processing time with
fewer problems.
Give alternative word problems. (ie: 4th grader never
learned multiplication facts, but taught himself to multiply
in order to participate in division problems).
Try giving the answers to the math problems first in order
for student to teach themselves the methods to arrive at
the answer.
Use Manipulatives with the
Visual-Spatial Learner
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgN-kHG4Xa0
Breaking Away Lessons
 http://sofia.nmsu.edu/~breakingaway/Lessons/TOAC/
TOAC.htm
 http://www.math.nmsu.edu/~breakingaway/Lessons/
barrels_casks_and_flasks/Barrels_Casks.html
 http://www.math.nmsu.edu/~breakingaway/Lessons/
BASMD/BASMD.html
 http://www.math.nmsu.edu/~breakingaway/Lessons/
candybaskets1/candybaskets.html
 http://www.math.nmsu.edu/~breakingaway/Lessons/
ED/ED.html
Reading for Visual-Spatial
Learners
 Allow choice.
 Allow cartoon/comic books-especially for boys.
 Minimize exhaustion in writing. When possible, allow
word processing or oral presentation to show process
thinking responses.
 Allow books on AudioBook, especially for struggling or
reluctant readers.
 Make copies of required worksheets on pale yellow or
pale green paper.
 They are best at summary, rather than small details.
Teach various note-taking techniques to assist with
details.
 Accept graphic organizers as process and product.
Writer’s Workshop
Sylvester Stallone is a famous gifted student with
dyslexia. He was voted “most likely to end up in the
electric chair” by his Jr. High teachers and was sent to a
high school for special needs.
He “wrote” the Academy Award winning movie, Rocky,
by speaking the script into a tape player.
When teaching writing to Nonverbal learners, consider
the learning target. Are you looking for product or
process? Allow times for product without process.
Nonverbal students tend to love cartooning as an outlet
for writing.
Tips for Teaching Nonverbal Students
 Give them the Big Picture up front.
 Use visuals when teaching.
 Provide models of all expected products. Credit the
end product. DON’T REQUIRE STEPS
 Teach how to organize information pictorially.
 Teach how to take picture notes as well as word
notes.
 Teach time awareness and management.
 Increase complexity if focus decreases (many careless
mistakes made).
 Be upbeat. Let good humor, appreciation, and
positive emotions rule.
 Writer’s Workshop—Word Processing
Visual-Spatial Resource 2004-2012.
 Have the learner sit in front of the room to minimize
distractions but at least four to six feet from the
chalkboard.
 Give oral tests and untimed tests if needed.
 Find ways other than writing by hand for the learner to
demonstrate competency. Give two grades on
papers—one for content and one for writing
mechanics.
 Group students who have identified themselves as
Visual-Spatial learners together. Plan alternative
products for learning targets.
 Pause during verbal presentations so the learner can
visualize what was said. Allow EXTRA TIME.
 Use rhythm and music to enhance learning.
 Allow the learner to tape lectures and discussions.
 Relish and reward diversity and divergent thinking.
Lesson Example:
Making Inferences
 http://www.aniboom.com/animation-video/258/ThePiano/
“…if you judge a fish on its
ability to climb a tree, it will
live its whole life believing it
is stupid.”
Albert Einstein
References
M. Mattei,R. Funiciello,C. Kisse. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (1978–
2012) Volume 100, Issue B9, pages 17863–17883, 10 September 1995
Jeffrey Freed and Linda Silverman Feb. 1994
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Articles/visual_spatial/v15.pdf
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com
Baum, S (1984). Meeting the needs of learning disabled gifted students. Roeper
Review, 7(1), 16-19.
Bogen, J. (1969). The other side of the brain: II. An appositional mind. Bulletin of the Los
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Bruner, J. (1970). Man: A course of study. Cambridge, MA: Educational Development
Center.
References
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References
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