I am not an auditory learner.
I know this about myself, so I am able to compensate by writing things down and making sure that I am watching the speaker, powerpoint, or whatever else is available to me visually.
Hey, guess what?
You have students that need that type of support, too!
In many of today's classrooms, instruction is delivered in much the same way that it has been for decades. Teachers have a manual, a script, a module, or a guide that tells them exactly what to teach.
These tools do not always inform on HOW to teach it or HOW your students will engage and process.
This is a problem when all of your students do not learn or process information in the same way.
Or have the same learning style...
Or have the same engagement style...
Some students might need to see what is being taught or what they are engaging in, so why not add some visual supports?
Visual supports are great for students who:
do not always understand what is being said
have a shorter attention span
do not process auditory information in a timely manner
do not have communication skills that are appropriate to their age/grade level
have difficulty focusing
are still building comprehension skills
How do students benefit from the use of visuals in learning?
During initial instruction and engagement:
To increase focus and processing of content being presented
Example: Teacher is engaging students in learning about the Outer Planets in the Solar System. 1. Provide students with pompoms or styrofoam balls that represent each of the planets. 2. Provide students with a graphic organizer to collect information about each planet or provide images to show the distance between each planet and the sun.
To increase independence
Example: Provide a student with a checklist of tasks to be completed upon entering/leaving the classroom or when transitioning to another space in the classroom. This might alleviate the need to repeatedly ask "what to do" during routine processes.
To improve time management and organization
Example: Provide a visual timer. A visual timer (i.e. Time Timer) can be purchased from educational stores or found online. Many of those found online are free and may be adjusted to meet your students needs.
To support comprehension
Example: If a student is reading significantly below grade level, there are supports that can be used to support comprehension and content integration. By providing visuals in the form of photos or images, students may comprehend sequence, problem/solution, etc. more independently. Photos and images may be found on various search engines or through a visual supports program (i.e. Lesson Pix, Symbolstix).
There are endless tools and supports that may be used to increase engagement, focus, and organization. These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg.
For more information and to dig deeper into specific visual support needs for your students, you need Inclusiveology. Inclusiveology supports all things inclusive. CLICK HERE
The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. - 3M, 2001
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