Coaching To The Learning Styles

Gym Coach, Vol.2 (2008) 47-51

Commentary Article

Coaching to the learning styles Beth Gardner Heart of Texas Gymnastics, Temple, United States ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that individuals learn at different rates and through different learning styles. Each individual has a preference towards a preferred style/s that allows them to extract the most amount of information from their surroundings. Through a greater understanding of the different styles of learning, coaches are able to more effectively present their classes, and thus improve the athlete’s rate of learning. Creating lesson plans for groups or individuals, the use of coaching cues, which address the various learning styles, make classes most effective. This article will discuss the various learning styles and how to effectively use them to create more effective gymnastics classes, recreational and or competitive. Key Words: coaching strategy, recreational coaching, class structure, communication, teaching style

INTRODUCTION In his book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Dr. Howard Gardner addresses the different ways we learn as individuals. Each of us learns in various ways, with a blending of learning styles, but we are each prone to learning best when given specific cues that suit our individual brain patterns. Dr. Gardner categorized the learning styles as follows: • Bodily-kinesthetic (using physical movement), • Linguistic (auditory / verbal), • Visual-spatial (visually oriented), • Logical-mathematical (sequential learning), • Musical (rhythm and music-based), • Interpersonal (partner or group oriented), and • Intrapersonal (independent). Each type of intelligence has its own neurological pattern and, to a great extent, this has been confirmed by research in the behavioral and brain sciences. The use of learning styles has very practical application within any teaching situation. The gym environment is no different. It is highly beneficial for coaches to understand the various learning styles and their applications to improve their coaching strategies and communication.

DISCUSSION and REVIEW Before examining each learning style individually, its important to mention that developmental and gender©2008 The Gym Press. All rights reserved

based factors also affect learning styles and coaches need to understand them in order to most effectively apply them as a teaching tool. These factors are particularly helpful to understand in working with preschool and younger recreational students since preschoolers are still in early childhood development stages and one-hour recreational kids are often individually less familiar to the coach than team students with whom we commonly spend multiple hours per week. Developmental Factors At birth we are all born with a certain level of kinesthetic understanding. A baby, for example, will cry when he is hungry because he feels hunger pangs. Likewise, when a baby wets his diaper, he will let his caretaker know that he is uncomfortable. These are kinesthetic values that he understands. He can feel discomfort. Around the age of three years old, we begin to refine our learning styles and we generally break into three main categories at this stage: kinesthetic, linguistic and visualspatial. While we maintain our fundamental kinesthetic understanding, we also begin to split into the other two categories. A child who learns better through verbal explanation is more prone toward linguistic learning while a child who responds better to demonstrations falls to a more visual-spatial learning style. Then, around age four to eight years of age, we continue to refine our learning styles, eventually falling into one of the seven different categories. We still benefit from all learning style cues, but we respond best to those, which fit our personal brain patterns Gender Factors Gym Coach Vol.2, August, 2008

- 47-

B. Gardner, Gym Coach, Vol.2 (2008) 47-51 While we eventually fall into one of the seven categories, genders tend split into two of the categories. Females tend to be more prone toward linguistic learning while males tend to fall toward more visual-spatial learning. Hence the common jokes and stereotypes about how much women talk on their phones. This does not mean that all females are linguistic learners or that all males are visual-spatial learners. Still, it does help to understand how to tailor our coaching if we are working with large groups heavily ratioed with one or the other gender. For example, when coaching a class heavily rationed with girls and the coach is not familiar with the individual students, it can be of advantage to use a lot of explanation and have them repeat instructions back to the coach in order to reach the greatest number of students with targeted cues. On the other hand if the majority if students were boys with whom the coach is not familiar, the coaches should use a lot of visual cues, with demonstrations, landing targets and picturesque language. Doing so is more advantageous because that I will get the best response from the majority of students within such a group. Its does mean you don’t use other cue and form of communication but this is more effective when addressing the whole group, within a 45min to 1hr class. When communication the with the student one on one with within small gender groups, that coaches can employ more learning cues. Summary So, to summarize: Age Considerations When working with very young children, use all learning style cues, but tailor most cues to fit the kinesthetic, auditory and visual learning styles. Gender Differences When working with classes heavily weighted with one gender or the other, it is helpful to give cues that are most likely to reach the greatest number of students within that class. Boys: Visual Girls: Linguistic/Auditory/Verbal

Understanding the Seven Learning Styles: Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings: The Kinesthetic Learner Gymnastics, by nature, is a kinesthetic sport. Gymnasts have to learn how performance of specific skills should feel in order to make those skills learned body movements. Kinesthetic cues are, therefore, always helpful in teaching gymnastics. Cues that fall into this category include body molding or shaping the body and extremities into the correct positions. Other cues to which the kinesthetic learner will respond include incorporation of textures, utilizing repetitions, allowing the kids to write things down or construct things, and role-playing to act out ideas. Kinesthetic learners like to be involved physically, moving ©2008 The Gym Press. All rights reserved

Commentary Article as they learn. They like to work with their hands and they do not like to stand in lines or wait around for their turns. Some of the kinesthetic cues of that can be helpful to the coach in the gym include furry bear paws for hopscotch markers, building foam block towers for scoring to knock them back down, using large leggos to build things as a team, allowing boys to body slam into matted walls when they successfully complete a rotation. Language cues for the kinesthetic learner includes such things as, “Can you feel the way your arm is straight?” and "Let's do that now." Do

You Hear Me Now?: The Linguistic (Auditory/Verbal) Learner The Linguistic (auditory / verbal) learner loves to talk. They listen well and respond well to explanations. Listening to directions and then repeating instructions works well for them. They remember things that people have told them and do well at problem solving when they are allowed to discuss the issue. Linguistic learners love books, word games as well. Keeping in mind that girls tend to fall to the auditory category, if a class is heavily ratioed with girls, auditory cues will reach the majority of them. Activities to incorporate into class for linguistic learners include things like counting out loud together and placing small cards at stations that name the activities at the stations. A really fun linguistic game we have used in our gym is hangman as a class scoring system. As each kid successfully finishes a rotation through the stations, they get to guess a letter. The kids love playing the game, and they work as a team to solve the puzzle. We have had great success with this particular drill during our team workouts. Language cues that address the auditory learner include phrases like, “Can you hear me?” or “Could you repeat what I just said?” or “How many sounds did your feet make when they hit the springboard?” Monkey See, Monkey Do: The Visual Spatial Learner People who learn visually often visualize mentally, thinking in pictures instead of words. They respond well to demonstrations rather than explanations. Visual learners tend to learn best by seeing the big picture first, then focusing on the details. Repetition and drill is not their best learning technique nor is sequential learning While females are more prone to be auditory learners and males are more prone to be visual learners, I am one of those who break the mold. I am a visual learner. I don’t want to hear how a vacuum cleaner works. I don’t want to read the user’s manual to find out how it works. I want someone to SHOW me how it works. Likewise, when I am driving in unfamiliar territory, I am most comfortable when the driving instructions provide landmarks for which to watch. When I plan events such as theme weeks or end of year programs in the gym, I can “see” with my minds- 48 -

B. Gardner, Gym Coach, Vol.2 (2008) 47-51 eye the exact product I am trying to produce. The trick for me has always been translating the picture I see in my mind to other people. Visual learners love to doodle, have a strong sense of color and often enjoy artistic activities. They are prone to having vivid dreams. They are comfortable with diagrams rather than text and can navigate unfamiliar territory with ease. They enjoy doing spatial activities such as puzzles and mazes. In the gym, visual cues include such things as demonstrations, landing targets, cues for hand and foot placement, hopscotch mats, cartwheel mats, handstand mats. Visual activities may include such things as tossing games and object lessons using things like balls to teach the tuck position for rounded body and zippers to teach the difference between straddled and closed legs.

Commentary Article Language that addresses the logical mathematical learner includes “First you place your foot in front of you for a lunge.” “Next, you reach for the floor in lever.” “Then, you kick to a handstand.” You’ve Got a Friend: The Interpersonal Learning Style Interpersonal learners represent the social butterflies of the learning styles. They love partner and group activities. Socializing is their priority and they prefer to solve problems by talking them out with others and working in groups rather than alone. They frequently become class leaders and they will often help their friends. Other people tend to seek them out for advice.

Another visual spatial activity that I have often used at trampoline involves using a wooden pre-school puzzle as a team building game. The puzzles have less than twenty pieces. As the children wait for their turns, they work together to put a puzzle together. Once they have successfully completed the puzzle, it becomes their group’s turn to jump on the trampoline.

Providing group interaction during warm-up games and allowing students to partner with each other at stations are great ways to provide for the interpersonal learners. One of the drills we use in our gym that has been very effective is partnering the children to “help” their friends. Essentially, we allow partners to travel through the circuit and encourage them to “help” their friends fix their body positions, or straighten their legs. This allows for analyzing and also gives visual cueing. So, it addresses three different learning styles while incorporating interpersonal activity.

Visual language includes phrases like, “Picture this.” “Can you see how straight your leg is?” “Imagine a rainbow for your cartwheel legs.”

Language that addresses the interpersonal learning style includes phrases like “Let’s do this.” “Help your friend keep their legs straight” “We are going to the next event.”

Easy as 1,2,3: The Logical Mathematical Learning Style With the increased use of computers we are seeing an increase in logical mathematical learners. This seems to indicate that we can modify our learning styles to some extent, adapting to the learning environments to which we are exposed. Still, it behooves those of us who teach to remember individual differences as we teach. The logical mathematical learner learns in step-by-step or sequential order. These learners are curious about how things work, they are good at mental computations and they like rational explanations. They like things to be measured and they enjoy games that require logic and strategy and they understand cause and effect. ome of the logical mathematical activities that can incorporate into the gym environment include, using pegs in peg-boards to keep score, giving specific amounts of repetitions, allowing the kids to count skills against the clock either individually or as a team, sequential drills such as stations that work each step of a skill to build on the last step. I have used number cards at each station giving the kids set numbers of repetitions or using the numbers to “name” the station. Add-on games are also good for these learners. Problem solving games in which the children have to make it across a group of mats without touching the floor are great as well. ©2008 The Gym Press. All rights reserved

Get Outta my Space, I’m Intrapersonal Intrapersonal learners are the loners among the learning styles. As a young coach, I often worried when a child didn’t want to participate in warm-up circle time. I have had parents express concern when their child wasn’t participating as the parent thought they should. Over time, however, I have learned that passive participation is a valuable form of participation. I have also learned that some children just do not feel comfortable in group environments and would rather work alone. So, when I see a child who holds back from group interaction, I allow them to participate by watching and I give them their “own space” in close proximity next to the group. When a parent expresses concern over it, I always explain that children sometimes participate in groups passively and that they are, indeed, learning as they watch or as they perform the activity individually with space between them and the group. Intrapersonal learners are strong willed and independent. Trying to force them into group activities is counterproductive. They are self-directed and prefer spaces in which they can work alone. While it may appear that they are socially dysfunctional at times since they choose to stand apart from group activities, they typically have high self-esteem and are very self-sufficient. Language that addresses the intrapersonal learner includes, “Here is your space for warm-up.” “Find a carpet - 49 -

B. Gardner, Gym Coach, Vol.2 (2008) 47-51 square you would like to use while we perform our floor skills.” Nanny Nanny Boo-Boo and the Musical Learner Gymnastics is a great sport for musical learners because it requires rhythm, it requires dance, and we use music a great deal. Musical learners enjoy working with background music and they enjoy activities that include such things as lummi sticks and clapping. They often hum or sing and they can tell when music if off-key. They may play musical instruments and they often have a good singing voice. Musical learners generally know music groups, lyrics to songs and sometimes speak with a rhythmic quality. One of the best musical cues that I have found utilizes the “nana nana boo boo” song. The tonal changes in “nana nana boo boo” are the first tonal changes the human ear hears. This is a cross-cultural trait. That is why children sing the “nana nana boo boo” song. So, we use the “nana nana boo boo” tonal sequences in our gym a great deal as we sing instructions to the kids. Any segment of that song can be used in whole or in part. It is a great musical tool for addressing the musical learners within the class, and since all hearing humans can hear the tonal changes within that song, it is effective cuing for the other learning styles as well. Language that addresses the musical learner includes phrases like, “How many sounds to you hear when your feet hit the springboard?” “Let’s count and clap together.” “Listen to the rhythm as your hands hit the pommels.” Quick Hints for Identifying Learning Styles The observant teacher can pick up hints from each child as to the learning style that suits him or her best simply by watching the child’s behaviors. Here are some simple clues to watch for in order to better communicate with each child. Kinesthetic: A child who touches everything, straightens a furry foot print and pets it Auditory: A child repeating things to you (verbal), constant talker Visual Spatial: The child who stands in your space after watching you perform a skill because they want to perform the skill exactly the way they saw it performed. Logical Mathematical: The child who is addicted to video games, counts things or asks for the reason behind something (they want to know “why?”) Interpersonal: The child who is always trying to help others Intrapersonal: The child who stands away from the group Musical: The child who knows songs, groups and lyrics to songs playing on the radio, they often dance or snap while they wait their turn, and they often tilt their head when they listen to you. The Pitfalls of our Own Learning Styles Not only do we need to be alert to our students’ learning styles, but we also need to be careful that we do not make ©2008 The Gym Press. All rights reserved

Commentary Article assumptions based upon our own learning styles. It is very easy to fall into the habit of teaching through the cues that fit your own learning style the best. For example, I know I am a visual learner. I tend to teach my kids with visual cues, and I have to remind myself to use the other cues as well. Also avoid relaying on the gender stereotypes. It is easy to fall into the trap of assuming that since boys tend to be visual learners, all boys will learn visually. For example, when I noticed that a little guy in one of my classes wasn’t learning a seat-drop no matter how many times I showed him how to do it, I had to remind myself to step back and think of all the cues. That particular little boy was a musical learner. He responded to sing-song directions. Once I realized that he was a musical learner, I was able to teach him a seat-drop very quickly by singing the directions to him in a “nana-nana boo-boo” tone. Incorporating the Learning Styles into Lesson Plans Once a lesson plan is developed, it is a good idea to review each rotation and consider if cues for each learning style have been incorporated into the lesson plan. Have you incorporated textures? Have you established the activity with an explanation? Are there visual cues? As you explain the activity, are you giving them steps to follow? Are there group or partner activities? Have you provided for independent work? Have you considered music or do you have music playing in the background? Are you using rhythm?

CONCLUSIONS Effective coaching is all about communicating effectively with your athletes. To be as effective as possible the coach should consider the individuals learning style, especially with child athletes. Generally boys will tend to prefer visual instructions and coaching cues where girls will respond best to Linguistic/Auditory/Verbal instructions. However when considering the individual its important to remember that there are 7 different learning styles: Kinesthetic, auditory, visual, logical mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and musical. Each person tends to favor one method more so than the other 6, and the observant coach will aim to understand which methods works best for each athletes. The smart coach will incorporate as many different learning styles methods into his/her classes, and structure as possible in order to cater for each individuals preferences. Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information published within this article. The views and opinions expressed within this article, are those of the author/s, and no responsibility can be accepted by The Gym Press, Gym Coach or the author for the consequences of actions based on the advice

- 50 -

B. Gardner, Gym Coach, Vol.2 (2008) 47-51

Commentary Article

Address for correspondence: Beth Gardner, Texas, Temple, United States. [email protected]

REFERENCES and RECOMMENDED READINGS 1- H. Gardner (1993). Frames Of Mind: The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences. Basic Books

©2008 The Gym Press. All rights reserved

- 51 -