Preparing for Parent Teacher Conferences: Part 4

Understanding the Visual-Spatial Learner

By Stephanie Newitt

What is a Visual-Spatial Learner?

"Creative, curious, out-of-the-box thinkers, visual-spatial learners (VSLs) learn by intuitive leaps. They remember what they see and forget what they hear. They may forget details but remember the BIG PICTURE forever."

Did your child score high in the "non-verbal" area of a gifted identification test? Are you wondering what "non-verbal" even means? "Non-verbal" is a phrase coined by testing companies which refers to the sub-test that contains picture puzzles with no verbal instructions. This test area identifies individuals who thinks with the big picture in mind, who prefer to move from "whole to part" as opposed to "part to whole." Individuals with this learning style can feel frustrated in an audio-sequential learning environment in which sequential steps are given verbally with little to no reference to what the end product is to look like. These are visual-spatial learners.

Qualifying as gifted in the "non-verbal" area is different from other areas. Other testing areas may be directly connected to an academic subject, but being identified as gifted in the "non-verbal" area reflects the student's learning style, not a specific academic subject, though the VS learning style can help them be successful in various subjects and cause frustration in others.

Preparing for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Prior to your PT conference, review your child's gifted assessment scores.  GPS uses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) for gifted assessment.  If your child has been identified as gifted in the "non-verbal" area, and is struggling in an academic subject, you may wish to discuss with your child's teacher your child's need to learn from whole to part, such as to view a sample finished project when a project is assigned.  Ask what strategies and resources are available in the classroom/district to support VS learners.  If your child is excelling in an academic area, thank the teacher for supporting the VS learning style in his/her classroom.

For more information on Visual-Spatial Learners, click here to visit the VS Learner page of our website.

Source: Silverman, Linda K. “Vivid Imagination.” Visual-Spatial Resource, www.visualspatial.org/.

This concludes our four-part series on "Preparing for Parent Teacher Conferences." If you found any of this information helpful, we would like to hear from you. Please email us your thoughts at gilbertgifted@gmail.com. Thank you.

Stephanie Newitt is a co-founder of Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted and a member of the GPS Gifted Education Parent Council Executive Committee. She has a B.S. in Family Science and is the mother of four gifted children, ages 14-24.

Guest Lecture - Change of Plans for April 9, 2015

We originally planned to hear from Nancy Eisenbise about non-verbal/visual spatial learners but we will have to reschedule it for next school year because the speaker isn't able to attend due to an unexpected conflict.  We look forward to hearing from Nancy at a later date.

We have this lecture offered instead on 4/9/15.

Guest Lecture Series 2014-2015

Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted,

with the GPS Gifted Education Parent Council,

present their 2014-15 Guest Lecture Series:

All Guest Lectures are open to parents with gifted students of all ages in the valley.  Guest lectures will take place at the Greenfield Elementary Library from 6:45-8:00pm.  Come to connect with other parents and learn from experts about helpful parenting strategies that focus on the gifted child’s development.

11/13/2014 -- “Executive Functioning Skills”

Join us to learn methods for helping our children learn organizational skills. Discover strategies to help our children tackle projects without so much emotional drama that often comes with giftedness.  Deedee Abaroa is an exemplary ALP teacher at Quartz Hill Elementary, and she has mastered techniques for working with gifted students.  She will share with us her understanding of how effective organizational skills can empower our gifted kids as they develop awareness of their own thinking and their own behaviors. 

1/15/2015 -- “Social Communication/Conversations ”

Are you ever concerned about your gifted child’s verbal and non-verbal communication skills in social settings?  Come hear Katherine Varga, a certified Speech Language Pathologist, share strategies that can help strengthen your child’s “SQ” (Social Quotient).  Kathy Varga, as a member of the 2012 GPS Gifted Education Vision Committee, advocated for the social developmental needs of the gifted child.

4/9/2015 -- “Nonverbal Giftedness/Visual-Spatial Learners”

Your child has been identified as a “Visual-Spatial” or “Non-Verbal” Learner.  What does that mean?  How do these children learn?  What learning strategies work best for them?  Come to our concluding guest lecture of 2014-15 to find out.

In addition, the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented will present:

Parent Day on Friday, February 6, 2015 from 8:30am-5:30pm at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix.  More information at www.arizonagifted.org