Brain Research

Comment

Comment by Bob Zenhausern on July 19, 2010 at 5:31am

Laura, I worked with Rita and Ken Dunn on the research on the Learning Style Inventory and am very familiar with the scientific basis of that model. There are two problems. Not every teacher has the $5/student to do the testing. While many of the 21 elements are valid they are not always easy to import from a research study into an actual classroom.

I am curious about your statement that left brain/right brain is "out". It is part of the Dunn and Dunn model (global/analytic) and it is part of our brain. How can it be "out"?

Comment by Laura Main on July 18, 2010 at 6:03pm

About learning styles, I would suggest learningstyles.net. It is a scientifically valid and reliable test that costs $5. You can take it online as can students as young as age 7. It will generate a report about your (or the student's) learning style. From what I understand, left brain/right brain is "out."

Comment by Bob Zenhausern on April 25, 2010 at 12:08pm

Everything we do depends on the brain and learning styles reflect relative superiority of one brain system or another. This may be inherent or learned.
I am most familiar with hemispheric preferences, know popularly (but not my choice) as left brain/right brain. This is particularly related to learning disabilities.

Comment by Nellie Makarova-Cross on April 25, 2010 at 11:14am

Is there a consensus on the Learning Styles and the Brain?

Comment by Danette Grossnickle on March 22, 2010 at 5:49am

Thanks Anne. Yes, he does have disgraphia. How was the recorder a help?

Comment by Anne Pemberton on March 21, 2010 at 9:28pm

Danette,

There is a term for the struggle with writing - Disgraphia - my son had the problem!

Bob's suggestions are good. Either the tape recorder or the computer will let him conquer this problem. If writing is easier with the computer, you can do as was done with a nephew, and have a provision in the IEP that says he is allowed to use the computer for anything he has to write. Ditto with the tape recorder.

Comment by Bob Zenhausern on March 21, 2010 at 9:18pm

How old is your son?

Writing slows him down? Is it the flow of words that is slow? That is, can he tell a story fluently. If he can, then a tape recorder of what he wants to say is at least a stop gap measure and there are computer programs that convert the spoken word to text.

Is he slow to write with a paper and pencil? Maybe the physical effort is slowing him down. How well does he write using a keyboard?

Tell me more and maybe I will have some suggestions.

Comment by Danette Grossnickle on March 21, 2010 at 3:27pm

Thank you for your insight. Yes, getting meaning from the reading is difficult, yet our son struggles more with writing than he does with reading. Yes, he is a slow reader, but he amazingly can answer questions about what he has read. The writing is really the part that slows him down. We are about ready to switch schools, and we already have him on the "504 plan". Did you have any other suggestions that we should take into consideration? I like the way you think, and I would like to know more ways to help our son.

Comment by Bob Zenhausern on March 21, 2010 at 1:05pm

Dyslexia can have many definitions and symptoms, but it all boils down to a dyslexic has a problem reading. The most important definition is the term reading.
Reading means to get meaning from the printed word. The most common way to teach reading is to convert the printed word to it sound and from that sound you will know what the word means. This is a learning technique that worked for me and works for many others. It does not work for everyone and we call those children "dyslexic".

Rather than labeling the child "dyslexic" a better approach would be to use a different approach to teaching reading for these children. The deaf should not use that technique. The Chinese (and others who have non-phonetic languages) do not use it. And when we teach speed reading we teach students not to use it.

Why do we insist on using it with those for whom it does not work?

Comment by Danette Grossnickle on March 20, 2010 at 4:53pm

No too many schools offer testing for dyslexia. In Minnesota, the Sartell School District is paving the way with Kelly Haws, a Certifies Dyslexia Specialist. She also suggested reading Mel Levines book, (he has several) "A Mind At A Time"

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page