Visual-Spatial Learners

?I just wish I had a projector on my head and you had a screen on yours and
then you would  understand what I am trying to tell you,? (Adam aged 9)

When we come to this world given a pen to use, why do we try to force others
to grasp a sword?

On visual-spatial learners/other differences:
[excerpts]

The following characteristics will help in the identification of gifted
visual spatial learners,  however it should be noted that not all gifted
visual spatial learners will match all these  characteristics:

·        Likes complex ideas and tasks and does well on them yet often fails
at simple things

·        Is physically sensitive, often has acute hearing and intense
reactions to loud noises.

·        Poor listening skills, often seems not to be listening

·        Has difficulty finishing tasks/school work

·        Has poor handwriting or difficulty keeping in the lines or grips
the pen very hard and  presses on the paper when writing

·        Loves Lego, puzzles, jigsaws, computer games, television, making
things

·        Likes art and/or music

·        Has a poor sense of time

·        Is extremely sensitive to criticism

·        Is emotionally very sensitive

·        Has difficulty with spelling/times tables

·        Can remember the way somewhere after going there only once

·        Has a vivid imagination and/or disturbing dreams

·        Is distractible

·        Is very disorganised.


[Visual-Spatial learners:]
They  think primarily in images or pictures - either still like photographs
or moving like videos.  Visual thinking is very fast, complex and not
sequential. Some visual spatial learners report a  complete absence of sound
or self-talk in their heads; others experience some sound. ?Thinking  in
language and words is alien to me. I think totally in pictures. It is like
playing different tapes  in a video recorder in my imagination?. (Grandin
1996)

Often Visual spatial learners usually have a history of childhood illnesses,
such as allergies,  food intolerance, colic, tonsillitis, asthma, sinusitis
or ear infections, that resulted in ear  blockages so that they experienced
difficulty in hearing during their first years of development..  Since these
children have faint and distorted sound input, they use their eyes as a
means of  compensation and develop high visual spatial abilities. While
their hearing is not permanently  affected by these blockages, the
development of auditory information processing is impaired and  these
children commence school with a learning difficulty.

They have difficulty with sequential thinking and  poor auditory short term
memory. In  particular, visual spatial learners have difficulty in hearing,
remembering and repeating auditory  sequential instruction of 3 or more
steps. They can, however, process 6 step direction when the  information is
presented in a manner suited to their visual learning style.

Being a visual spatial learner with an auditory sequential processing
weakness is like living in a  foreign country with some grasp of the
language but no proficiency. When information is  presented to them in the
auditory mode, they have to translate the information back into their
primary visual mode. This requires them to leave reality temporarily in
order to do this  translating i.e. be unable to hear the current information
that is being  presented. Once the  translation is complete, they return to
external reality and continue to switch from taking in  external information
and closing off external reality in order to translate. The result is that
they  have a series of  gaps where they know certain information and miss
other bits of  information.  These gaps are especially apparent during
review and on tests at school. Also the translation  process takes time and
this means that they have difficulty finishing tasks and tests in the time
allotted.

Visual spatial learners frequently have difficulty with language. In order
to communicate their  thoughts, first they have to grab particular images in
their heads and place them in order. Then  they have to hold them in memory.
Then they have to find the words to describe their images.  Then they have
to hold the images of the words in order long enough to speak them aloud.
This  difficulty is magnified if they then have to write the words down.
Letters must be placed in a  particular sequence to spell words. Words must
be placed in a particular order to make  sentences. Sentences must be linked
together in order to make paragraphs and paragraphs must  be linked together
to make essays and assignments. It is understandable why most visual spatial
learners that I see will tell me wonderful stories in rich and graphic
detail and yet won?t write  down them down.

Visual spatial learners  thrive on complexity and often fail at simple tasks
e.g. math concepts Vs  times tables. Because they focus on the larger
picture, they often don't know how they have  arrived at a conclusion or
solved a problem. They do poorly on timed tests. Also, they tend to be
disorganised and have difficulty meeting time limits. This is not a
behavioural issue but a  significant difficulty for which they need
assistance to develop appropriate strategies and skills.  They need
structure and predictability, clear limits and time frames and assistance
with project  planning. It is important that they are praised for their
effort rather than concentration on  achievement as it takes considerable
time for them to develop organisational strategies and  skills.

[**** imagine how exhausting it is.]

[from conclusion:]

"We must respect the differences in children and act on them positively.
There is both hope and  help for the right-brained visual spatial gifted
child. Earlier identification and more  understanding will result in less
ostracism and shaming. Society will benefit from their  formidable brain
power as well, as we better tap into their abilities to see, take on and
solve  problems in fresh and creative ways. (Jeffrey Freed 1996)"

"Visual spatial learners are more attentive if they understand the goals of
instruction. They are  more co-operative at home and at school if they are
allowed some input into decision making  processes and some legitimate
choices. Discipline must be private as these children are highly  sensitive
and easily humiliated. If they are respected they will learn to treat others
with  respect. These children thrive on complex, abstract ideas; they are
natural pattern finders and  problem solvers. Therefore they are ideally
suited to the types of experiences in gifted programs  and activities. When
they are placed in the right learning environment, where there is a good
match between their learning style and the way they are taught, visual
spatial learners can  actualise their potential to become innovative leaders
in our society. (Silverman 1994)"

[see the whole conference article][it is excellent]
http://www.nswagtc.org.au/ozgifted/conferences/SwordVisualSpatial.html

~*~ Tink