People usually assume any student who can speak fluently also
should write fluently. That is not the case. To understand why,
we need to define some learning terms.
What does it mean to be verbal?
In everyday conversation, the term verbal is often used
very imprecisely. Most people associate the term with speech.
If we say someone is verbal, we usually mean that person talks
far more than we want to listen.
However, verbal actually means in words.
The words may be either spoken (oral) or written.
A predominantly verbal learner is someone who prefers
to learn through words rather than through examining wordless
devices like photographs, drawings, or objects.
Predominantly verbal learners also prefer written/spoken directions
to learning something by physically touching or experiencing it.
I've used the term predominantly deliberately.
All people learn more than one way; however, most have one way
of learning that they prefer.
Verbal-visual or verbal-auditory
Verbal learners may be predominantly verbal-visual or predominantly
verbal-auditory. The two kinds of learners have quite different
learning preferences.
The verbal-visual person likes to read. S/he is happiest
with printed directions.
Asking the verbal-visual person to listen to something that doesn't
match what s/he is reading may interfere with that person's ability
to concentrate on what is being said. For example, I have to ignore
the news scroll at the bottom of the BBC World News broadcast
because it doesn't match the newscaster's script.
The verbal-auditory person likes to hear words. S/he would
rather listen than read. Asking the verbal-auditory person to
watch or read while listening may interfere with that person's
ability to concentrate on what is being said.
Learning modes used in writing
Writing obviously involves verbal learning, since writing
uses words. But writing also uses other ways of learning.
Writing has a physical component that requires tactile
and kinesthetic learning.
Writing also has an auditory component which is distrinct
from the meaning of words. Good writers are atuned to the rhythms
and sounds of words and translate their appreciation of oral
language into their written work.
"Learning" puts information inside the student's head.
Once the information is input, the brain has to process it before
turning it into written output.
If
there is a problem inputting information, or with how the brain
processes information, or with how it outputs information even students
with predominantly verbal learning styles will struggle with writing.
Implications for teachers
Lessons that are predominately verbal will be very difficult
for some students. That does not mean those students are learning
disabled. Nor does it mean they are stupid. It just you need to
look for ways to present the material other than just verbal learning
activities.
Teach in ways that let all students learn some material in
ways that are most comfortable for them.
I rely heavily on having students help other students prepare
to write by talking
one another through the essay planning process because I have
many more students who are comfortable talking than are comfortable
writing.
Some material is verbal; you cannot change that fact. However,
if material doesn't have to have a verbal approach, use a non-verbal
one either to replace or accompany a verbal lesson.
Even though all students must learn to write, allow them to use
alternative means of demonstrating their knowledge about
writing concepts and writing processes sometimes. Students
can demonstrate:
through cartoons, maps, charts, videos, songs, skits, and similar
non-writing methods.
