Critical review of a chapter from 'Teaching children to learn' by Fisher. of use for any trainee teacher doi8ng a Education Studies module.
Critically review a chapter of your choice from Fisher (1995) Teaching Children to Learn in relation to school experience:
Chapter 8 - Coaching.
I have chosen to critically analyse Fisher chapter 8 on cognitive coaching. When reading through the book this chapter instantly interested me, I wanted to learn more about children's unique learning styles and the strategies we can introduce to enhance their learning. I will be looking into four fields of learning styles and investigated Fisher's six strategies within cognitive coaching and evaluating these.
In the beginning of this chapter Fisher explains how 'thinking and learning is an idiosyncratic process'. We all have individual learning styles unique to us. Many psychologists agree with Fisher and recognise the different learning methods:
'In many of his works, Piaget takes pains to point out that there exist individual differences in children's rate of attainment of the various cognitive structures.' (New directions in educational psychology: edited by Noel Entwistle)
All these styles need to be taken into account when teaching children we therefore need to understand them. In 'Reflective teaching in the primary school: a handbook for the classroom' by Andrew Pollard and Sarah Tann who describe the different styles of learning:
Holist/serialist (Pask, 1976; Kagan and Kagan, 1970): Holists get a quick grasp of information then fill in the detail. Where as serialists build up a picture bit by bit.
Field-dependent/ field-independent (Witkin et al., 1977): Field dependent learners use general context or their experience to solve problems and Field-independent learners analyse a stimulus, identify an manipulate a problems components.
Scanners/Focusers (Bruner et al., 1956): Scanners make an initial hypothesis and see if everything fits where as Focusers chose component variables and test each one then get a theory.
Divergent/convergent (Torrance 1962): Divergent learners use their inspirational flair and imagination where...
More Education
essays:
Early Childhood Research Select a topic that relates to the field of ECE and critically review Select one methodology and examine it's appropriateness in the ECE.
... difficult to match your groups when the mix of the children are so diverse given the different cultures, home lives and learning experiences (Mutch, 2005). Due to these ... the teaching is structured and even impact on who does the teaching. It ...
Bicultural Education Describe the historical development of one issue of concern to Maori and critically examine the events, attitudes and beliefs that relate to this issue. Discuss the significance for bicultural practice in early childhood education.
... Negotiation. "Children live in both worlds and affirm both identities…and use experiences…to understand ...
How Teachers are a Positive Influence on Students. written from two different passages.
... announced to the class, "Ernesto has learned to pronounce butterfly." This expresses that teachers ... teachers teaching their students the English heritage but also teaching them not to forget ... Tornado Drill" it states "As we crossed the rubble we new we had survived only the first mystery of love." This ...
Breakdown of an educated person, Refers also to articles by Mary E. Clark and William Zinsser
... it to the test by conducting various experiments. Finally this individual will ... these experiences. Anyone who has the audacity to call themselves educated needs to have a firm grasp of many different areas ...
The phonics debate in primary schools
... report Teaching Children to read (2005) reports that the study looked at 300 children in the first year of the Scottish primary school system and compared three different teaching methods ... because individuals differ in their needs and therefore they should be able to choose ...
Influential Factors Relating to the Achievement Gap
... background, differences between schools, and differences within schools greatly influence the educational outcomes of individuals of ...
Critically evaluate the extent to which the Literacy Hour enhances the teaching and learning of English as required by the National Curriculum for English.
... able to explore structures as well as being encouraged to talk, read and think their way through a text. Children are able to experience success in reading for meaning and learn how to problem solve with new text ...
A critical analysis of the work edited by Elizabeth Hatton called Understanding TEACHING: Curriculum and the social context of schooling
... in schools not very different from their personal schooling experiences, thus reinforcing a view of a hegemonic culture. Hatton (1994) believes that this apprenticeship to teaching is ...