Learning Styles and the African American Student

1. Learning Styles and the African American Student “It is the teacher’s responsibility to assist ethnic minority students in their endeavors, and to help them become effective learners”

2. Education: There are two overriding considerations that influence the ways African Americans think about education. One is racism and the history of slavery. The other is the desirability of Afrocentricism as a foundation in the schools Afrocentricism is a school experience rooted in African American history and experiences. Culture: Both the African American church and family have been highly influential in learning styles. African American Students and Culture

3. Social/Affective: people-oriented, social interaction is crucial, social learning is common. Harmonious: interdependence is respected and encouraged, knowledge is sought for practical and relevant purposes,. Expressive creativity: creative, adaptive, stylistic, intuitive, and oral expression. Nonverbal: nonverbal communication is important (body language), movement and rhythm are vital. Four Characteristics of African American learners

4. Field-sensitive • African American children tend to be field sensitive in there learning. Ex: tend to be global in their views, react better to rational academic material, and perform in accordance to the teachers confidence or doubts. • The opposite of a field sensitive children are field independent children are typically the of the majority. Ex: view parts of a whole, excel in analytic tasks, react better to material that is impersonal, and tend to be self directed.

5. Teachers need to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population. Local schools need to provide information on different cultures such as the African American culture. Learning styles need to be discussed and applied in the classroom Teachers need to adapt their teaching techniques to multicultural learners. Activities such as exploring different cultures or countries needs to be included to help students understand multicultural differences in the classroom. Teachers should be aware of personal beliefs and bias concerning their students. How teachers prepare for a diverse classroom...

6. Conclusion • Change for African American learners will require the reconstructioning of the entire school system including educational organization and curriculum. With the inclusion of diverse teaching techniques ethnic minority participation will hopefully gain support.