We just knew yesterday,10th July 2009 from Hamdi's school when we were called by Head of Learning Support on the findings/analysis made by Unit Pendidikan Khas, that he is a Visual Spatial Learner.
What is a Visual Spatial Learner?
According to brain researchers, he has right brain hemispheres. Hamdi is a student who learns holistically rather than step-by-step fashion. Visual imagery is his learning process. His processing is primarily in pictures rather than words, ideas are interconnected (imagine a web).
He is a gifted person with well integrated abilities. By way of contrast, he is a system thinker and need to see the whole picture before he can understand the parts. He is likely to see the forest and miss the trees. He may be excellent at mathematical analysis but may make endless computational errors because it is difficult for him to attend details.Reading comprehension is usually much better than the ability to decode words.
Spatial learner like Hamdi often excel at activities such as Legos, Computer games, art or music. Any skill with this, experience success and should be encouraged and nurtured.("Wah suka tah ia mendangar ni"). His skills, interest and hobbies may lead to career in his adult life.
In adulthood, this indvidual excel in fields dependent upon his spatial abilities: art, architecture, physics,aeronautics, pure mathematical research, engineering, computer programming and photography. Frequently they develop their own businesses or CEO's in major corporation because of their "inventiveness" and ability to see the relationships of large numbers of variables. They are the creative leaders of society and we need individuals with highly developed visual spatial abilities "like Hamdi" for advancement in the arts, technology and business.("Mudah-mudahan jadi kenyataan")
That is why we need to protect his differences in childhood and enable him to develop his unique talent in supportive environment at home and at school.
Strengths
- Thrives on complexity
- Loves difficult puzzles
- Fascinated by computers
- Great at geometry, physics
- Keen visual memory
- Creative,imaginative
- A system thinker
- High abstract reasoning
- Excels in math analysis
- High reading comprehension
- Excellent sense of humor
- Struggles with easy material
- Hates drill and repetition
- Illegible handwriting
- Poor at phonics, spelling
- Poor auditory memory
- Inattentive in class
- Disorganised;forget details
- Difficulty in memorising facts
- Poor at calculation
- Low word recognition
- Performs poorly on TIMED tests
By: Dr Linda K Silverman, director of the Institue for Study of advanced development and Gifted development Center in Denver, Colarado and provided by Auerilia Escoto-Kemp(Regsitered Educational Physchologist at Unit Pendidikan Khas, Brunei)
What's Next? He will be taking learning support subject in his Year 9, in August 2009 as part of his learning tool.
Family request on his new resolution : REDUCE WEIGHT is also part of his programme at home and at school. Will see his progress on both differences.
WISHING HAMDI ALL THE BEST and this is the challenges we have to face to support him. We need team work from school and home and also members of family.
