THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
MODULE: 6
NAME : Abdulrahman Ahmed Eid
CPR : 660111292
GROUP : B team 2
EMAIL : bineid@batelco.com.bh
SCHOOL : Busaiteen Primary Boys School
Total Number of Words: 1052
Introduction:
there are many definition for learning that we can found in books and encyclopedia and one of those I believe in ” the process which develops or changes the behavior of the learner to a degree of permanence, usually with the intervention of an educator” another good definition is “The acquisition and development of memories and behaviors, including skills, knowledge, understanding, values, and wisdom” also there is a good definition which concentrate on the role of the school or organization “The concerted activity that increases the capacity and willingness of individuals, groups, organizations and communities to acquire and productively apply new knowledge and skills, and to grow, mature and adapt successfully to changes and challenges”.
in the other hand another question rise “how does learning take place?” and it quit clear from the definition above “the changes in the behavior of the learner to a degree of performance, but how can we know if the student has learnt, actually it is another issue but we can answer it in simple way by measuring the performance before and after the learning i.e. we need an evaluation.
In fact evaluation is depending on aims specification and selecting the methods and procedures of evaluation to measure the learning outcomes.
In a democratic country of course all stakeholders i.e. Governments, businesses, parents, students, voluntary organizations and all others have their own role in determine what should student learn,” but among all the Stakeholders, governments seem to wield the greatest interest and power.”(module1 topic2)
in my school we have some problem with student discipline in classes with some teachers. I think this haven because of pour strategic in teaching and not taken in account the learning style of the student, so they feel uncomfortable and they start making problems and I think we can solve these problem by integrating Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences (MI) Model and Dunn & Dunn’s Learning Styles.
Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences (MI) Model state “Intelligence as complex of abilities and skills that are differentially present in individuals.” Gardener suggest (8) Intelligence scan be presented which Leaders and Teachers can capitalise on. The concept of multiple intelligences (MI) that Howard Gardner introduced in his 1983 text, Frames of Mind, is a principle not well known to most teachers in my school even though one of seniors teacher has got his Master degree in this topic and is organizing a contest in Multiple Intelligences, but no body thought to apply it in classroom. Gardner believes that, rather than a single intelligence, we possess many intelligences in varying doses. These intelligences include, logical, mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, kinesthetic, naturalistic, existential, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. As most of us understand that we are better at some things than others, it is difficult not to accept, in theory, Gardner’s concept.
Now how can the classroom teacher committed to the personal growth and skill development of each of his students in a crowded classroom make practical use of this understanding? Since all of our students have each intelligence, it makes sense to address as many of these intelligences as possible in our classrooms and in teacher lesson plans. All students want to frame their work in the best possible way and learn in the way that will meet their strength empowering students to learn through multiple style give us a collaborative classroom where students are comfortable experimenting and letting others experiment with out any problem. Teacher can work with their students on identifying the characteristics of these varied intelligences for each student and planned with them learning strategies that will work with each. There are a number of opinion polls over the Internet to help people to identify the preferred pattern of learning for them. And can be relied upon to give a view on the educational preferences.Dr. Rita Dunn and Dr. Kenneth Dunn have attempted to provide ways in which learning style theory can take effect in the classroom In their book, Teaching Students Through Their Individual Learning Styles: A Practical Approach, they give a background of how learners are affected by elements of the classroom and follow it with recommendations of how to accommodate students’ learning strengths. Dunn and Dunn write that “learners are affected by their: (1) immediate environment (sound, light, temperature, and design); (2) own emotionality (motivation, persistence, responsibility, and need for structure or flexibility); (3) sociological needs (self, pair, peers, team, adult, or varied); and (4) physical needs (perceptual strengths, intake, time, and mobility). Redesigning the classroom involves locating dividers that can be used to arrange the room creatively (such as having different learning stations and instructional areas), clearing the floor area, and incorporating student thoughts and ideas into the design of the classroom[2]. we can apply Dunn and Dunn techniques such as Small-group techniques that often include a “circle of knowledge” in which students sit in a circle and discuss a subject collaboratively as well as other techniques such as team learning and brainstorming[2]. Contract Activity Packages are educational plans that facilitate learning by using the following elements: 1) clear statement of what the students needs to learn; 2) multisensory resources (auditory, visual, tactile, kinesthetic) that teach the required information; 3) activities through which the newly-mastered information can be used creatively; 4) the sharing of creative projects within small groups of classmates; 5) at least 3 small-group techniques; 6) a pre-test, a self-test, and a post-test. Another scholar who believes that learning styles should have an effect on the classroom is Marilee Sprenger, as evidenced by her book, Differentiation through Learning Styles and Memory and we can use her suggestion to improve teaching quality in our classes such as Methods for visual learners include ensuring that students can see words written down, using pictures when describing things, drawing time lines for events in history, writing assignments on the board, using overhead transparencies/handouts, and writing down instructions[3].Methods for auditory learners include repeating difficult words and concepts aloud, incorporating small-group discussion, organizing debates, listening to books on tape, writing oral reports, and encouraging oral interpretation[3].Methods for tactile/kinesthetic learners include providing hands-on activities (experiments, etc.), assigning projects, having frequent breaks to allow movement, using visual aids and objects in the lesson, using role play, and having field trips[3]. By using a variety of teaching methods from each of these categories, teachers are able to accommodate different learning styles.
References:
1- ELP module 6
2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles#Applications:_Learning_Styles_in_the_Classroom
3- ELP module 1
