Learning About Learning
Glossary
This glossary explains terms used in Learning about Learning. It is not intended to be exhaustive in educational terms, nor does it include an explanation of every word used in the documents and movies. Instead, it seeks to clarify meanings in order to remove potential barriers to understanding and help the reader to appreciate the messages intended more fully.
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| Lateral thinking | A term invented by Edward de Bono. It involves looking at things in a different, perhaps unorthodox way, and trying out different angles, different perceptions and different ideas. |
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| Learning difficulties | Usually refers to pre-school and school-age children who have a particular type of additional support need. In more general terms, and according to the Learning and Skills Act 2000, a person has learning difficulties if they have greater learning difficulty than people of their own age, and this prevents or hinders their educational progress. It does not however include difficulties specifically to do with the language being used for teaching being different from that of the learner's home environment. |
| Learning intentions | Goals that are set for the outcome of a lesson or series of lessons. They may be related to a process or the final product. |
| Learning logs | Diaries or journals kept by learners, which are used as tools for problem solving and progression. The emphasis is on reflection and the self-evaluation of learning, not simply on simply recording dates and lessons. |
| Learning styles pyramid model | A learning styles model developed by Barbara Prashnig that identifies six key elements that determine our unique and preferred learning style: left/right brain dominance; senses; body needs; environment; social preferences; and emotional needs. |
| Linguistic intelligence | The ability to use words and language, both written and spoken. Such learners have highly developed auditory skills and are generally fluent speakers. They think in words rather than pictures. Their skills include listening, speaking, writing, story telling, explaining and teaching others. |
| Listening triads | Pupils take on the roles of talker, questioner or recorder. The talker explains his or her own point of view on an issue or problem. The questioner then seeks clarification and asks questions. The recorder takes notes and at the end of the time gives a report of the conversation. For the next discussion, the roles are changed. |
| Logical intelligence | The ability to reason, apply logic and work with numbers. Such learners think conceptually in logical and numerical patterns, making connections between pieces of information. Their skills include problem solving, classifying and categorising information, thinking logically, questioning, carrying out investigations, performing mathematical calculations and working with geometric shapes. |
| Long term memory | The final process of memory that follows the initial process of encoding of information. It is a serious of networks in our brains, helping us to create connections between what we already know and what we are trying to learn. |