 “Learning, for visual-spatial learners, takes place all at once,
with large chunks of information grasped in intuitive leaps, rather than in the
gradual accretion of isolated facts, small steps or habit patterns gained through
practice. For example, they can learn all of the multiplication facts as a related
set in a chart much easier and faster than memorizing each fact independently."
1
Organizing:
- The visual/spatial perspective is the organizing principle
Perfectionism for visual/spatial learners is a well-ordered and -designed
space with each object in its place and appealingly so.
They are uncomfortable, even restless, encountering incomplete or unsettled
situations
- With an instinctive sense of balance and completeness
they can tell when something is out of alignment, or not truly horizontal or
vertical.
They are adept at working with mirror images and rotating images in their
minds, and strive to bring order by constructing, arranging, color coding, or
fixing things
Observing/experiencing:
- Visual/spatial learners are good at seeing the “big picture”
of both simple and complex systems. Overviews or summaries are their
specialty, often at the expense of remembering details or constructing
sequences
- Personal presentation (dress, grooming, even gestures) is important
Their own presentation/dress is as important as what they notice about others.
They establish eye contact when speaking, though can be distracted by their
surroundings. So also background sounds can disrupt their listening
skills, and they often doodle during lectures, at meetings, etc.
- They prefer to read and work under subdued or natural lighting
and in comfortable conditions, and are uncomofrtable with glare/harsh
lighting, rough clothing, drafts, and temperature extremes
 Learning
strategies:
- Focus on the learning objectives of the class
Meet with the teacher to understand and apply these to your situation
- Request advanced organizers
to help you relate to new material with what you already know
- Look for opportunities to work with, manipulate and/or engage new
material
- Hands-on approach manipulating forms or objects
- Using visual clues or landmarks rather than (verbal) sequential steps
- Look for visual/spatial dimensions in your study:
Example: geometry has more visual components than algebra in mathematics;
physics rather than chemistry in science;
graphic applications in computer science and technology fields;
studio arts in the creative arts, architecture, mechanics, aeronautics,
engineering, urban planning
- Seek out independent and open-ended studies,
problem-based learning, case studies, or ways you can be more active with
the material to be learned and have alternative strategies of assessment or
demonstrating learning
Study habits
- Always have the "big picture" before you
especially when studying its parts or details
- When trying to remember things,
close your eyes to get a “picture” or image of the information to facilitate
recall or use flash cards with limited information so that you can "picture"
details and concepts
- Once a concept is grasped,
Practise applying the information to new situations or progressive stepped
learning
in place of routine drill and practice that will challenge your attention span
- Use mind or concept maps (rather
than outlines)
to organize writing assignments to visualize ideas, their connections,
sequences, and conclusions
Brainstorm using illustrations, mind maps and models
- Look for alternative sources of visual material when you study
videos, overheads and PowerPoint demonstrations, graphs, maps, and media
programs
Using technology:
- Take advantage of the visual elements
of the computer in studying or locating information
- Take advantage of stop/start/replay
in mediated programs
- Produce your own mediated programs
in place of written reports
- Develop and apply graphical and/or three dimensional models
to understand new material
 For
lectures
- Avoid visual distractions
in classroom seating (windows, open doorways, etc.)
- Look for opportunities to break up lectures
with reflective though active exercises (question-write-pair-share) and
brain-storming sessions
- Illustrate your notes
with images and graphs
- Review and organize your notes after class
with
concept maps
- Keep and organize a file of handouts
and summary documents after lectures for review
- Request "guided notes" or
blanks in handouts
that provide you with cues for completion
Reading text books
- Look through titles, charts, graphs, and pictures
to get an overall idea of the content before reading a chapter
- Use color highlighers
to emphasize important material
- Write or illustrate in the margins
to emphasize important material
Test taking/assessment
- Write out/illustrate steps in a sequence
as a checklist to keep on task
- Think of visual cues and associations in remembering information
(You may also see the location of an answer rather than the answer itself!)
- If you are challenged by standardized and/or timed tests,
meet with your teacher to discuss alternatives for assessment
- Essay and/or short answer tests, or class presentations/demonstrations
may be optional assessment techniques
1.
Effective
Techniques for Teaching Highly Gifted Visual-Spatial Learners,
Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D. Gifted Development Center, Denver,
Colorado
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Articles/EffectiveTechniques.html,
12/8/2003
See also: Grow, Gerald,
The
Writing Problems of Visual Thinkers, Florida A&M University
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