The Relationship Between Classroom Environment and the Learning Style Preferences of Gifted Middle School Students and the Impact on Levels of Performance

Abstract

Academic underachievement is a national problem according to the U.S. Department of Education (1993) report, National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent. The report states that 40% of the top 5% of high school graduates will not graduate from college. Not only is underachievement a problem among gifted students, it also appears to be a problem at all ability levels. A report by the Carnegie Corporation of New York (1996) indicates that by the fourth grade, the performance of most American children has dropped below grade level; it has also dropped below the performance level of fourth graders from other countries, many of which are our economic competitors.

A Match or Mismatch Between Learning Styles of the Learners and Teaching Styles of the Teachers

“…Finding of studies on English language learning indicated that in order to be effective ESL/EFL teachers, one should have knowledge about the learners' learning needs, individual differences in learning, the required teaching methods, learners' preferences as well as the necessary teaching materials required to meet learners' needs in the educational setting [32], [33], [37], [31], [34], [36], [38], [35]. Emphasis has also been paid to teaching and learning styles.…”

“…Firstly, it is clear that learners have their own preferences regarding learning and certain types of psychological characteristics are associated in certain -types‖ of individual [40], [41]. Secondly, there is evidence showing that the attempt to provide different learning styles may help learners achieve better results [33], [36]. Finally, teachers should know how to develop a classroom methodology that is based on students' learning style preferences [32], [42].…”

“…The findings of past studies stated that a learner's achievement in any class is determined by factors such as native ability, and the level of congruence between learners' learning styles and teachers' teaching styles. Many studies [33], [36] have been done to investigate the relationship between learning style and academic achievement. Matching and mismatching between teaching and learning styles exist in any academic setting, at least to a certain extent.…”

Vanintelektualni Činioci Ostvarenja Darovitosti

“…S druge strane, opstaje i uverenje da će "istinski" daroviti i vredni učenici biti uspešni u svim uslovima. Ovakvo stanovište donekle podržavaju rezultati jednog korijeg istraživanja kojim je utvrđeno da većina darovitih učenika, uprkos tome što obrazovni sistem opaža kao umnogome inkompatibilan sa sopstvenim (preferiranim) stilom učenja, ostvaruje visoko školsko postignuće; prema rečima istraživača, okruženje u kojem su ovi učenici funkcionisali nije se činilo toliko važnim koliko njihova lična volja da dosledno postižu dobar uspeh i ispunjavaju zadatke bez obzira na nivo izazova (Rayneri, Gerber & Wiley, 2006). Iako ovakvi nalazi ne oslobađaju školu odgovornosti za ostvarenje darovitosti, oni podsećaju na to da se ova pojava može dovesti u vezu sa specifičnim svojstvima ličnosti osobe koja je aktuelizovala svoju darovitost.…”

Flexible Grouping as a Means for Classroom Management in a Heterogeneous Classroom

“…Nevertheless, individual styles are most often used in higher education and, therefore, research in a primary classroom is in short supply. The few studies that have been conducted in elementary schools have tended to concentrate on special groups, such as pupils with learning disabilities or gifted pupils (Yong & McIntyre, 1992;Exley, 2003;Rayneri et al, 2006). Although research in the field of learning styles has yielded mixed results (see Romanelli et al, 2009), there is no doubt that individual differences in learning exist (Riding & Sadler-Smith, 1997;Smith, 2002).…”