How Adolescents Learn

1. How Adolescents Learn Matty, Ormonde, Alex, Shaun, Aaron

2. Agenda • The Adolescent Brain • Teaching Styles & Strategies • The Classroom Climate • Risks & Concerns • Special Needs

3. The Adolescent Brain Matty

4. The Adolescent Brain • ‘A work in progress’

5. A Pre-Adolescent Brain • Pre-puberty growth spurt • More grey matter than ever • Girls 10.5 yrs • Boys 14.5 yrs

6. Pruning • Begins with puberty • Discards any neural connections deemed unnecessary • A wave from the back of the brain to the front over many years

7. Hormones • Boys: TESTOSTERONE • Girls: ESTROGEN

8. The Adolescent Brain • Pruning still taking place, but the process very much on its way • Risk evaluation sector can take many yrs to be ‘pruned’

9. Communication • Affects 4 main parts of the adolescent brain • Cerebral Cortex, Corpus Callosum, Brain Stem, and Limbic System • Corpus Callosum ; the bridge between the left and right sides of the brain.

10. Girls – Corpus Callosum • More neural connections creating a thicker bridge • Able to access both sides of the brain easier • Verbal learners

11. Boys - Corpus Callosum • Less neural connections creating a thinner bridge • More likely to depend on one side of the brain, as access is difficult • Visual learners

12. Left & Right Sides Of The Brain Which one are you?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilaHDcfA9Eg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-yhtXAzYwc&NR=1

14. Teaching Styles & Strategies Aaron

15. What does this mean for teachers? • Learning styles • Teaching styles • What does this mean for the classroom?

16. Learning Styles • Just a Few: • Dunn and Dunn’s Model of Learning Styles (1974) • Grasha and Riechmann’s Classification of Learning Styles (1975) • Kolb’s Model of Learning Styles (1976) • Reinert’s Classification of Learning Styles (1976) • Jung’s Theory of Learning Types (1977) • Gregorc’s Classification of Learning Styles (1982) • Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) • Honey and Mumford’s Learning Preferences (1986) • No one learning style has been found to have significant difference on student achievement.

17. Learning Styles • Many scholars believe that learning styles do not exist. • They argue that learning styles are more accurately referred to as a learning preference the students has over other preferences. • Regardless of preference, learning takes place. • A teacher, should however, be accurately aware of learner abilities. However… Riener & Willingham, (2009)

18. Teaching Styles • There is a difference made on student achievement according to teaching styles. • According to a study conducted in 2008: People-orientated teacher leadership resulted in higher student achievement as opposed to task orientated leadership. • Furthermore the study found student perception of people-orientated teacher leadership was the most important factor in student success. Yildirim, Acar, Bull & Sevinc, (2008)

19. Teaching Styles • The effect learning styles should have on teaching styles is debated. • Learning styles can be changed and adapted, however it is a lengthy process. • It is argued therefore, that for teachers it is much more effective to cater for a diverse range of learners rather than force the learner to adapt to the teacher’s style. Yilmaz-Soylu, Akkoyunlu (2009)

20. What does this mean for the classroom? Different Pedagogical Approaches: Graphing, Oriented interpretation, Examples, Expert in classroom, Films, Portfolios, Reading texts, Role playing, Analogy, Study guidance, Speaking loudly, Three stage study group, Consecutive performance, Collaborative learning, Conference, Complete learning, Recalling technique, One minute studies, Intermittent discussion, Projects, Proofs-Theories, Study guidance, Term projects, Hypotheses, Assumptions, Case studies, Collaboration / internship, Fieldwork, Homework problems, Process following, Laboratory work, Similar environment, Caricature, Four square, Group discussion, In-class presentations, Diaries (newspaper), Posters, Panel discussions, Student-teacher discussion.

21. What does this mean for the classroom? Planning • The need to know the level of learning. • The need to know previous learning. • Pace. • Clear and Concise instructions. • The type of learning taking place. • Different learning styles in the class.

22. What does this mean for the classroom? • Teacher & Student Relations. • ‘Differentiation by task’ & ‘Differentiation by outcome’.

23. What does this mean for the classroom? • As teachers we all have own particular styles. • We will also have a mix of learning styles in our classes. • Discussion: • What is my particular style of teaching? • What style would I struggle with the most? • Taking the above into account, what pedagogical approaches can I take?

24. What does this mean for the classroom? • Is it beneficial for students to identify their own learning styles?

25. The Classroom Climate Shaun

26. Classroom Environment Defined as ‘a combination of variables within a classroom that work together to promote learning in a comfortable environment.’ Can be divided into two aspects: • The physical environment • The emotional environment

27. The Physical Environment

29. The Emotional Environment • Student-teacher relationships • Role of the teacher • Student involvement • Expectations • Self esteem

30. Risks & Concerns Alex

31. Risks & Concerns • Essentially, educators want to teach and students want to learn. • Certain risks may threaten that system, and we have discussed a few: • Cognitive development • Physical changes • Students present a number of different issues, and so as teachers we need to identify these and adapt accordingly.

32. Risks & Concerns • Students bring a myriad of issues to the table: • Dealing with emotional, physical, hormonal, & psychological changes in social context • Students developing at different rates • Variation in development of parts of the body • -> Sources of embarrassment • Social issues and relationships • Social status • Peer groups • -> It’s all about fitting in! • Parental issues and problems at home - and more!

33. Oh, The Possibilities! • Can you identify some possible risks to learning in the following situations?

34. Strategies "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” - Ignacio Estrada • Be mindful, observant of the risks and issues • Get to know your students (as best you can!) • Engagement, motivation • Environment for positive emotions • Promote the social aspect of learning e.g. group work, discussions, etc • Promote hands-on activities • Student-teacher relationship

36. Students withSpecial Needs Ormonde

37. Students with Special Needs • Encompasses a wide variety of situations: • Physical/behavioural/intellectual disability • Indigenous • Gender/sexuality • Race/culture/language/religion • Gifted & talented • Substance dependency • Experiencing trauma • Excluded

38. Why we should consider them? • 8% of Australian children under 15 yo have a disability (ABS, 2006) • May have quite different learning style, and learn at a different level/pace to cohort • Challenge to you and fellow students • Not just integration, but inclusion • Good preparation will maximise positive outcomes • Your class may be one of the few places they can feel safe/accepted • Opportunity to expand/stretch pedagogy

39. Students with Disabilities • Disability is defined in Australian legislation as: • “a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction”. (Disability Discrimination Act, 1992).

40. Disability ≠no intelligence(s)! • Albert Einstein (Asperger’s Syndrome) – theoretical physicist • Christy Brown (Cerebal Palsy) – author and poet • Helen Keller (deaf-blind) - author, lecturer & activist • John Nash (Schizophrenia) – mathematician • Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (Apraxia) – boxer • Evelyn Glennie (deaf) – xylophonist & bagpiper • Frida Kahlo (polio) – painter • Joseph Merrick (Neurofibromatosis) – aesthete • Temple Grandin (Autism) – animal scientist & professor • Zhou Zhou (Down Syndrome) – conductor • GurrumulYunupingu (blind) – musician • Monica McGhie (Total Amelia) - painter

41. How did these adolescents learn? • They are human beings with a desire to learn • Faith and interest of teachers/families • Love and support • Positive and negative reinforcement • Adaptations/compensation in learning style/multiple intelligences

42. What can WE learn from them? • Never judge or write-off a student based on a disability • If you don’t feel you can be a positive influence – try at least to not be a negative influence • Model acceptance and faith • Question: If you can envisage a child whom you cannot teach – should you be teaching?

43. Disability Discrimination Act (1992) • It is unlawful for an educational authority or educational provider to discriminate against a student on the ground of the student’s disability. This includes: • Denying or limiting the student’s access to any benefit provided by the educational authority • By developing curricula or training courses having a content that will either exclude the person from participation, or subject the person to any other detriment

44. Disability Standards for Education (2005) • Education providers have an obligation to ensure that students with disabilities are able to participate in education and training on the same basis as students without disabilities by: • Making reasonable adjustments where necessary • Taking reasonable steps to ensure that the course or program is designed to enable participation in the learning experiences • Ensuring staff are proficient in interacting with students in ways which do not discriminate against people with disabilities • Having strategies and programs to prevent harassment and victimisation of persons with a disability

45. ACTIVITY!

46. Conclusions • Adolescent learning depends on a number of interacting factors including: • Physical/developmental changes • Preferred learning styles • Teaching styles • Social/psychological factors • Classroom climate • Special needs