[SENco-forum] Proportion of VAK

I looked at this in some detail with my new intakes during my last eight
years of teaching - my figures are more like yours BUT it was very rare to
get any child who just said that they were one type of learner - 80% of our
students tend to be "combination learners" - that they heavily rely on at
least two forms of input - and about 10% need all three.  And each year
group is never the same with its final breakdown - I never found a "norm"
distribution.

I finally used a good quick questionnaire for my students - from Fil Came's
study skills pack (brilliant publication and worth every penny - no
financial interest here) for both VAK learning styles AND for the Alistair
Smith "talents" areas - and my study skills lessons were based on how to
utilise the talents you naturally used TOGETHER WITH HOW TO PRACTISE AND
DEVELOP THE TALENTS YOU DON'T HAVE.  If you are not a natural listener - you
MUST learn to develop and extend this skill - or a great deal of importance
will be missed - teachers will talk for a great deal of input.  Equally it
is of importance to your teaching staff that they know the "make up" of
their groups and they do their share by adding input in an appropriate way
for that group.

It is actually no good concentrating on what you are naturally good at

And that mnemonics - or little key sayings are really important learning
"keys" for about 50% of my intakes.

Regards

Ruth
-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of
SEN at tringham.net
Sent: 09 December 2007 11:48
To: kngbrndn at aol.com; Becta Senco
Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] Proportion of VAK 

My course said 60% auditory, 20 % visual & 20% kinaesthetic - most people
using a mixture of each.  Teaching how to use each style brings the best
results for many.

More boys are kinaesthetic than girls hence the larger representation of
boys being disaffected at school and playing up as a result.

Sharon Tringham

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of kngbrndn at aol.com
Sent: 08 December 2007 22:15
To: kngbrndn at aol.com; mary.kelly4 at ntlworld.com; saylon_uk at yahoo.co.uk;
senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Re APD indicators and other info -
andTesting-URGENT

BTW -- I've read in different 'learned' research accounts that singularly
'kinaesthetic' learners are relatively rare -- numbering around 5% of the
population. But other accounts suggest that up to 60% of the population are
kinaesthetic learners. What are parents and teachers to make of such
contradictory statisitcs -- except to have grave suspicion of the notion at
all.

-----Original Message-----

From: kngbrndn at aol.com

To: mary.kelly4 at ntlworld.com; saylon_uk at yahoo.co.uk;
senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk

Sent: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 9:57 pm

Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Re APD indicators and other info - and
Testing-URGENT

As I mentioned previously, I've been advising on a young person diagnosed
with   all the key deficits for dyslexia / specific learning diffs -- in the
1% in   these areas and unable to read, write legibly or fluently, spell
well, and to   undertake simple number operations.?The young person?is quite
rightly?considerd   as severly?dyslexic, dysgraphic, and dyscalculaic.
?      The LA?Ed Psych has analysed?the?young person's?'learning style'.?and
states the   young person as unable to attend and learn?when lessons are
demonstrated by   visual or?auditory means.?And only learns in a tactile /
hands on way.   And?learns precociously in this manner.?The young
person?presents with all the   characteristics of a
singularly?'kinaesthetic', 'natural discovery' learner.      ?      This
also means?s/he gets restless and fidgity?within a few?minutes into any
lesson other than those?such as?art or practical science or sport -- which
are   ideal for such a?singular learning style and where s/he remains
engaged and   happy -- and acheiving well throughout the session.      ?
S/he is described as a bright, popular caring, young person with
good?language   and broad?and deep knowledgea about the areas s/he is keen
on. But recently   diruptive behaviour is occuring??      ?      S/he has a
'behaviour and reactive management plan' with one target being 'to   learn
to?stay seated during lessons'. Yet the US recommendations for
accomodating kinaesthetic learners is to allow hem to?stay standing up, or
even   walk around during the learning process (we all recognise the
charactature of   the learned barrister who paces up and down when arguing
out a case).      ?      The young person's?first SEN?statement stated that
s/he was?a 'kinaesthetic'   learner. But this 'jargon' terminlogy?was not
elaborated upon or explained.?This   is being requested to be?altered and
expanded, with programmes and adjustments   to accomodate the young person's
singular?learning style.      ?      I've searched the internet for
programmes to suit kinaesthetic learners. But   nothing much of use -- othr
than detailed descriptins of theis particular   'learning style. ?And I
found it?there is?a specific?area devoted to it on the   APDUK site But no
information?is currently?on this part of site other than 'this   area is
being researched'.      ?      As with APD?(it seems in my experience)??a
diagnosis or recognised 'learning   style' is worth nothing if there are no,
or liimted,?valid approaches and   expertise?to assist in the actual
learning platform upon which such affected   children can flourish in
school.      ?      In the meantime, parents will have largely to rely on
tried and tested methods   developed to support dyslexic children --
particularly where the child is judged   to be such. Trouble is -- the
traditional multi-sensory approaches to support   dyslexic children have
largely failed for this young person -- as the auditory   and visual aspects
are hoplessly inappropriate.      ?      And, whilst the 'kinaesthetic'
learning style jargon has been bandied about --   very little attention has
been paid to developing programmes to suit her/his   style in the basic
skills lessons which s/he postively hates. S/he has been   driven to
'disruptive behaviour' because of this -- including getting restless
during standard taught basic skills lessons and insisting on standing or
wishing   to move around to assisit her/his learning? -- a recognised aspect
of?such an   individuals?'learning style' but is being seen as diliberate
disruption by the   young person' teachers and support assistants.      ?
So what to do? It's fine giving the youg person a label such a
'kinaesthetic'   learner -- or having APD, or CAPD. But it seems, so
far,?that only the 'dyslexia   camp' have developed comprehensive teaching
and learning appraoches for those   long-term?failing in basic skills (very
able)?young persons.      ?      So it's no wonder parents look to high
levels of specialst provision in the   dyslexia areas -- and appeal for
places in special independent schools at upper   primary / secondary?phases
(as with Ruth Kelly)?for their children.       ?      Parents are
pragmatists when it comes to their own children. They don't have   time to
wait for 'future research' and they soon detect which areas of
described?diagnosis or difficulty lead them only up 'blind allies' in terms
of   provision or school placements. And drop?any interest in such lables
immediately.      ?      Those of us who advise such?parents have to help
them 'head for' areas of   provision and placements that actually exist as
areas of provision and   placements! With specally trained practitiioners
and where substantial materials   already exist and appear to work?for
whatever reason.      ?      If these assumptions of mine can be shown to be
wrong or misguided?in any way, I   will be very happy to pass on the
appropriate advice for alternative action to   parents of such children that
I advise. But all my advice has to?have   authenticity and have achievable
options. Desperate?parents of failing and   completey demoralised young
people?don't welcome 'pie in the sky'.? Brendan King
        -----Original Message-----    From: Mary Kelly     To: 'Alyson
Mountjoy' ; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk    Sent: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 5:44 pm
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Re APD indicators and other info - and
Testing-URGENT               Dear Alyson and All,    I would really
appreciate some good solid, practical   advice on this. There  are children
in my school who have listening difficulties   although they have  hearing
that is within the levels the medical professional   deems acceptable.  I
have no doubt about their very real difficulties. APDUK   tell me that the
only place I can get APD diagnosed is at GOSH, and that, in   any case, it
has  no treatment other than the strategies that we already have in   place
anyway.      On the other hand, Speech and Language Therapists talk about
auditory  processing DIFFICULTIES, and recommend sound therapies as
intervention. I  have hunted in vain for the scientific data to prove the
efficacy of these  therapies but there are knowledgeable individuals who are
very genuinely  convinced that they are helpful in many cases. I think I'm
right   in  including Dilys Traherne among them (from memory of reading her
article    "From Sceptic to Convert").    I want to do something for these
children. What   is the right and proper  thing to do?
Mary    -----Original Message-----    From:
senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]   On Behalf Of Alyson
Mountjoy  Sent: 08 December 2007 14:01  To:   senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Re APD indicators and   other info - and
Testing-URGENT     Hi,    For those that are interested can I   draw your
attention to the following link regarding assessment  of APD in the   UK by
GP referral to Great Ormond Street  Hospital, with criteria etc, and an
email link direct  to the Chair of the UK professionals APD Steering
Committee   for any questions on testing.
http://apd.apduk.org/adpdiagnosisuk.htm      WARNING  Please note;    Both
APDUK and the the APD Steering Committee are very    concerned by reports
that orthoptists and behavioural  optometrists are now   claiming to be able
to diagnose  APD, giving presentations on a scientifically   untested  and
unproven visual model of APD (I'm quite frankly  speechless!!) and   citing
scien  tifically untested  therapies that can cure APD - which is blatantly
untrue.   These claims are dangerous and unfounded. This  is a very worrying
trend both to   APDUK and  professional experts in this field.    APD is a
medically-based   physical condition that needs  to be diagnosed by  a
trained expert in that   field,  i.e. an Audiologist. You wouldn't go to a
chiropodist  for a suspected   heart condition or to an oral surgeon  to see
about diabetes. It's like taking   your pet to a  car mechanic when they're
ill! Common sense should  prevail, but   it obviously doesn't.    Please do
not refer to these people for APD testing.    If you are one of these so
called professionals,  please refer those with   suspected APD to those that
are trained to diagnose it efficiently. Otherwise   you  are putting your
professional reputation firmly on the  line.    I would   appreciate anyone
who has come across any  orthoptists/optometrists or any other
professionals  claiming expertise in APD to PLEASE email me offlist  with
details, all of which are being passed to the  Steering Commiittee for
serious   investigation.    Thank you.    Best wishes,  Aly    Chair
Auditory Processing   Disorder in the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm   www.apduk.org
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