VISUAL SPATIAL LEARNERS

So, I mentioned previously this term... the VISUAL SPATIAL LEARNER... and these terms can get bantered about, tossed to and fro in conversation, and we can feel when reading them, that we really don't have a grasp... We can feel like the child on the playground in the spiel of Monkey in the Middle... the ball is JUST at the tip of my finger but I can never reach HIGH enough to grasp it... those other kids just keep thowing it so high, so fast, and won't let me have a chance...


Christianity, like the Gifted community, can do this sometimes... honestly, I don't think either means to do so, they are really just very busy talking amongst themselves... They do have each their own versions of Outreach, to find their own you know... but they have been communicating so long in and amongst themselves they sort of have developed their own lingo... a language unique to them....


So what is this Visual Spacial Learner... How can one identify a Visual Spacial Learner in the Home School, in the Co-Op, in Church Sunday School, or in a regular Classroom (welcome to you too if you are a traditional teacher :) ! )
Well, the child who is Visual Spacial really thinks, dreams, imagines everything in pictures, just like the name illudes, rather than in words. The child MAY use words well, to try and describe the pictures they see in their head, but WHAT they are seeing, HOW they think, well it is in pictures.


The child who is "Visual Spacial" is strong visually, will learn better with those diagrams, flannel grams, photo rich books, always, yes always leaning in to see if their is a picture in the book you are reading.... Unlike their counterpart, the auditory learner, who needs you to "repeat that"... The Visual Spacial Child won't say "could you repeat that", but rather, "can you show me again..."


The Visual Spacial Learner learns and grasps the whole picture before YOU are ready for them too, and frankly stresses most of us out... They are NOT step by step sequential learners, they do not do well walking through most curriculum choices we make, they FLY, or skip, or if we don't let them, they become frustrated. The complex concepts come very easy to them, it is often the simpler concepts that they struggle with. This is the child that will learn Algebra in 1st grade and not know their multiplication table..... (or third grade... feel free NOT be hindered by my example) This child is a synthesizer of information rather than an analytical thinker.


Frustrating to detail oriented teachers, and neurotic homeschooling mothers :) this child sees a BIG picture only, and never the details, the world is painted in broad strokes, and the world is complete, and working, and he/she is studying it in WHOLE, while the Auditory or also called Sequential Learner is very detailed, painting in nice neat strokes, learning JUST whatever is before him or her.... Very easy for teacher, very managable, very relaxing.... NOT like our Visual Spatial Child at all.


The Visual Spacial Child is the One who will draw the map for you giving you logical directions, most likely using North, South, East and West, and land marks, this child can read a map very well as well, and will enjoy geography class!


The Visual Spacial Child reasons through his mathematics, grasping full concepts but not always as successful with computation, for as stated above he is not detail oriented, and hasn't time to be bogged down with such details. Visual Spacial Child also learns whole words very easily, and this works even better than phonics for him or her... though throwing out phonics isn't necessary, more than one approach to anything is good for the Visual Spacial Child. Yet to do spelling well, this child generally will not memorize spelling words sequentially, as you and I were taught.... but as a word picture... as a whole, for information on how to help your struggling speller, check out my link to http://www.diannecraft.com/ for excellent resources and ideas, she even has a book to teach you some great ways to TEACH a right brained child :) including spelling !


The Visual Spacial Learner prefers the Keyboard to the pen, yes it is true, they would prefer to sit at the computer, the typewriter the notepad than sitting at the table with pen in hand to write you that essay or short story. The Visual Spacial Learner is NOT that organized child, with their room all tidy and nice; clean and dusted; bed made military fashion; clothing neatly put away; no Alex P. Keaton was NOT a Visual Spacial Learner.... a far cry from it... these children have ways of organizing that some would concider unique.... I am still considering...


Yet intuitively, as if with direct connection with God, these children will make the right decision, coming to the correct solution to various problems... unable to explain to you why... they have an inbred street smart, a common sence, a natural wisdom. They do not learn best by rote memorization, but rather by seeing relationships. So even if learning something like medicine, the child would learn better the parts of the anatomy, if they learned by seeing the relationship of the parts to the WHOLE, as well as one to another. It simply requires looking at EVERYTHING out of the box in a totally different way.


This is a child that has a long term visual memory, but may not remember what you just said :) frustrating I know, so, it might be a great idea, to look at them, and have them look at you, when you give them something to do, and have them say it back, and laugh together, so emotion, and relationship are there, and will be remembered. The memory of YOU will help. This child learns conceps PERMANENTLY. Skip the drill and repetition, it will NOT help, will not work. If they haven't got the concept, they haven't GOT it yet. Drilling into their heads will only frustrate them and YOU> and this does not make a happy family situation, does not build the relationship at all, and does not honor who God made them to be. You'll need to do some homework to find a NEW way to teach that concept, and step away from it for a season and let their mind rest a few days... Come back refreshed and try again.


The Visual Spacial Child will come up with their "own way" of doing things, their "own way" of solving problems, and the development of this ought to be encouraged not discouraged. Being that you are dealing with a "child" you have to grasp, it may be very difficult, very challenging for them to even be able to explain their methodology to you. The only question worth answering is this... does it work? Does it work every time? If there is continuity to their method, let them use it. If you are afraid, and are not sure of it's continuity, because of the LACK of detail on their part, here is my suggestion.... Let your child run with it a while, not long, and then say "can I see?" let them show you.... then say "wow!" yes BE enthusiastic :) and add...."that is sooo neat!" they NEED PRAISE! :) continue with " I do it so differently, can I show you how I was taught??? " usually the child will say yes... be sure to tell them how great their method is. How you plan to look up in your old college books to see if it is one of the methods used, ... and tell your child they are free to use BOTH methods... show your child EVERY method to math... don't hold back because a teacher manual says to. It is unfair, let their minds soar.

ok back to Examples :) You may have noticed my many comments about your approach, your attitude towards the child, well, that is because these children are sooo sensitive to YOU, to your attitude towards your moods. Highly sensitive infact, unlike counterpart who will learn despite the day you are having...


These children also learn asynchronously, quite so, or unevenly, their grades may be uneven, the may do well in algebra, but they enjoy geometry and physics, they master language from immersion rather than a class. Meaning put them with text books and their French is not so hot, but buy them tapes, hang out with French People, get Rosetta Stone, Games for French, French Books, (yes these kids cost more).... they need to be immersed... go to France :)
Visual Spacial Learners are NOT academically talented because of the way we set up our academics. What they are is Creative, Vibrant, Mechanical, Technological, Emotional, and a pure delight!

Much of the information I have in this post is based on information I obtained studying under Linda Silverman at a Seminar, and much of it is based on my own understandings and observations. I want to give credit where Credit is due, Linda is a wonderful speaker, teacher, and advocate for the gifted, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to meet her and study under her, if ever tooo briefly. Perhaps in a different season of my life it could be longer, but for now, it is what it is and I am so thankful.

more on Visual Spatial Learners and Twice Exceptional to come :)