Asperger Syndrome Support Group

Asperger syndrome - also referred to as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's, Aspergers or just AS - is one of five neurobiological pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), and is characterized by deficiencies in social and communication skills, normal to above normal intelligence, and standard language development.

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learning styles

deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi all-
I am writing a paper on a suggestion that I have that schools should provide classes based on different learning styles that students have; this means that a student would go to a core class (english, history, etc.) then be separated into different groups to reinforce what they learn through an emphasis on the respective learning style that they possess- groups would be together for the core class, then separated into these groups based on their learning style. I think that this may allow schools to better integrate some students who do not do well in the traditional curriculum. I think this would help to at least partially mainstream some special education students. My question for you guys is, what is your kids' (or your, if you are on the autism spectrum) learning style and what works best for him or her? I would like this information so I can figure out how different teaching methods could help kids with special needs. To help you out, here are the learning styles:

-visual learners

learn through seeing... .

These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.

-auditory learners

learn through listening...

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder.

-tactile/kinesthetic learners

learn through , moving, doing and touching...

Tactile/Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.

These explanations were taken from http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Learning%20Styles%20Explained.

A free online learning style test is offered at http://www.businessballs.com/vaklearningstylestest.htm

Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it!
Sally
deleted_user
deleted_user
Actually, a harder question than you might think. My older daughter and I have excellent auditory and visual memories. I would say that I am a visual learner mainly, though I don't learn much watching a teacher, I can remember most of the details of things I read. I can also remember most of the facts that I have heard. My daughter can remember details of just about every conversation she has ever heard. But, rote memory and true understanding are different things indeed. My husband is visual and reads voraciously and remembers the tiniest of details. Yet, he almost flunked out of highschool, and did not finish college. I made it through graduate school, but hated actually attending the classes. My older daughter likes the learning part of school but not any of the social stuff. Maybe if there were a Cliff's Notes version of school where you could get only the facts without all the fluff that would be our thing.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Sally20 if you are going to make a curriculum that people on the Autism spectrum can adhear to then you need to realize that Autistic people dont or hardly ever recognise the nonverbal cues that most people give off because that alone will give Autistic people a whole other learning style of their own I am a spatial thinker myself and learn through patterns and routine. the way I can learn the best is by going through certain routines and makeing them habits and I would say that the more Predictable the class is the better and other things that could help are how a certain point or person or chapter in the curriculum relates to everything else in the process because that creates a kind of logic about the whole thing and that is how some if not most aspies think also it can help to find out what the perticular aspie or Autistic Person is interested in and what keeps their attention for a long time because that can acctualy help when you want to reward the child or person when they have done a good job and they need for the room that they are in to have NO strong smells, NO Bright sorces of light and NO loud noises this alone will help the person with Autism to focus and learn.
So you need to realize that Aspies as well as other Autistic People have a whole other mind set when it comes to learning because we dont precieve the world as other people who are not on the spectrum do we precieve the world more like animals do as a matter of fact and that alone will give you a small idea of just how differant we are from people who are not on the spectrum.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I appreciate the thought going into this and what you are trying to achieve. However, I personally believe it is the compilation of all three learning styles which reinforces everything one learns. I agree, we all learn better through one method. However, it is through doing other activities involving the other two which reinforces the material learned.

I think its imperative for teachers to realize the different multiple intelligences we all have and utilize this as a means for children to demonstrate what they have learned in whatever format works best for them. This too, reinforces what they have learned through the three various learning styles.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I understand that all three learning styles must be used in all groups. However, I don't think school today does this. My assertion is that not all students should have to learn in the way of the mainstream in order to be successful. What I think is also a useful differentiation is levels of structure in the group, some students need their activities to be very structured while some like more freedom and creativity. Some learn well through projects while for others it is a waste of time. Students learn at different paces. I don't think all students should have to sit and take notes, but some students learn best that way. What I'm saying is each group would still be complete, but tailor to completely different strategies of learning that the kids have. No educational method is black and white, so this isn't a method of using just the one learning style to teach students. However, it is acknowledging that the other extreme, all kids learning the same way, may not work either.
deleted_user
deleted_user
My son's school split kids up according to learning styles up until this year. Because of his advanced academic level they assumed he should be in auditory with the so called "smart kids", but he wasn't diagnosed when that was decided. Knowing what we now now, I would think that visual would have been better suited for him. It goes at a bit slower pace.
deleted_user
deleted_user
You have the right idea Sally20 and Ciador (sp) I had a strong visual learning style, and had a hard time listening, since I had a cerabellar stroke, a psychonuerological test showed I had visual memory problems with faces, come to find out AS has problems with face recognition. I am almost 60, I still like to try to learn things, there are problems with learning as we get older, but we should not give up, shrivel up and die, many people do. life-long learning is important too. cross-generational interaction is important, this too is avoided with a passion in the educational system, I think they do it on purpose, the system depends too much on peer review. yes we have a communicational problem between the old and the young. but keep pressing on the learning style thing Augie
deleted_user
deleted_user
My son is 8 years old and has Asperger's. He needs to see it and even then, he might not believe it. He reads so fast that he can't remember what he reads unless it is something that he has an interest in. So if you can find out what they are interested in and you give visuals, written, and facts. That will keep their attention and they will remember better. Repetition, repetition, repetition.
deleted_user
deleted_user
primarily my son is a visual learner, however, the lesson is more cemented by the use of all three techniques.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I say agian the more predictable the clases structure is the better and just like grantje said,repitition repitition repitition,i.e. do it untill it is second nature to the aspie,untill it is a HABIT, then it will be concrete,other wise like grantje also said the child will not remember because he or she is not INTRESTED in it.
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