Learning Styles of African American Children

1
Learning Styles of African American Children

• Krista Morris
• Multicultural Education
• Dr. Beth Christian
• November 2, 2007

2
Introduction

• Evidence suggest that African American students
  do learn differently then Caucasian students.
  However, different styles of learning should not
  be an indicator of inferiority. African Americans
  have adapted different styles of learning due to
  environmental influences that have been passed
  down through generations. I have chosen to do
  this topic because I believe all teachers will
  come into contact with African American students
  at one point in their career. I believe it is
  important to break down stereotypes concerning
  African American students and their learning
  styles. This topic is important in todays
  society because African American students overall
  score less on standardized tests than Caucasian
  students. We as future teachers need to learn
  strategies to reach out to our African American
  students so we can help close the gap on
  standardized test scores.

3
Overview

• Stereotypes associated with African American
  learners
• Environmental Influences
• African American students and their preferred
  styles of learning.
• Stages an African American child goes through
  with a white teacher to build trust
• Standardized Test Score Gap
• Strategies teachers can use to peak their African
  American students performance .

4
Stereo Types Associated with African American
Learners

• Behaviors appear impulsive
• Short Attention Span, shallow concentration,
  easily distracted, prefers movement
• The teacher is viewed as the problem
• Not motivated to achievement related goals
• External Locus of control
• Passive
• Low confidence in ability to solve intellectual
  problems.

5
Environmental Influences

• Understanding African American culture is
  essential in understanding how African American
  children learn.
• Cultural Customs passed on from generation to
  generation from specific communities in Africa
  have been very influential on African American
  learning styles.
• The African American church and family have been
  the main influence on African American learning
  styles.

6
African American students and their preferred
styles of learning

• African American children generally learn more
  successfully in ways characterized by harmony,
  cooperation, affect, and socialization.
• African American students show a preference for
  the employment of visual information processing.
• Evidence from the Myers-Brigg type indicator test
  suggests that African American students are more
  field dependant, spontaneous, open minded and
  flexible then their European American
  counterparts.

7
African American Students and their preferred
styles of learning continued..

• African American children prefer to work more
  collectively in groups and communicate more
  freely within the classroom setting.
• African American students are more subjective
  learners.
• African American students learn more new material
  where there is no reward system and where there
  is intrinsic value only.
• Desire for oral experiences, physical activity,
  and strong personal relationships. This would
  include assignments that include collaboration ,
  discussion and projects that let the student be
  active.

8
African American Students and their preferred
styles of learning continued..

• Africentric Psychology has narrowed African
  American learning styles down to four
  characteristics
• Social affective people-oriented,emphasis,on
  affective domain, social interaction is crucial,
  social learning is common.
• Harmonious interdependence and harmonic/communal
  aspects of people and environment are respected
  and encouraged knowledge is sought for
  practical, ulitarian, and relevant purposes
  holistic approaches to experiences synthesis in
  sought.
• Expressive Creativitycreative,adaptive,variable,
  novel, stylistic,intuitive,simultaneous
  stimulation is preferred verve oral expression
• Nonverbal nonverbal communication is important
  (intonation, body language, etc.) movement and
  rhythm components are vital.

9
The Four Stages of African American Students with
White Teachers ( Stage One)
10
The second Stage
11
The third stage
12
The fourth stage
13
Standardized Test Score Gap

• Christopher Jenks and Mereidth Phillips authors
  of the article The Black White Test Score Gap
  Why it Persists and What Can Be Done wrote,
  African Americans score lower then European
  Americans on vocabulary, reading, and math tests,
  as well as on tests that claim to measure
  scholastic aptitude and intelligence. The gap
  appears before children enter kindergarten and it
  persists into adulthood. It has narrowed since
  1970 , but the typical African American still
  scores below seventy five percent of Caucasians
  on almost every standardized test.

14
Helpful Hints for Teachers to use to peak African
American students performance

• Display flexibility in the context of a
  structured learning environment.
• Recognize effort as well as accomplishment
  ,especially for minority and female students.
• Encourage activity based hands on programs for
  minority students.
• To teach minority students equally well , you
  must understand how their cultural background
  may influence their classroom interactions.

15
Helpful Hints for teachers to use to peak African
American students performance.

• Use more kinesthetic/ tactile learning techniques
• African American students prefer subdued lighting
  rather than bright light.
• Teachers need to remember that African American
  students discussion style is simultaneous talk
  instead of alternating talk.
• Many African American students prefer to study
  with light music or conversation.

16
Helpful Hints for teachers to use peak African
American students performance.

• Many African American students rely on
  information from their surroundings.
• African American students are sensitive to and
  responsive to what others feel and think and how
  their actions might affect others.
• Many African American students prefer to maintain
  close proximity to other students.
• Many African American students react intensely to
  being praised or criticized.
• Evidence has suggested that African American
  students respond better to rewards such as
  praise, smiles, pats on the back and etc.
• Many African American students tend to avert
  their eyes when their behavior is being discussed
  with them.

17
Resources

• North Central Regional Educational Library
• http//www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cnt
  areas/math/ma8african.htm
• This website is funded by the US department of
  Education. It is ran by a company called Learning
  associates. It has a plethora of information. It
  also has a search engine which will help you
  locate a subject you are researching a lot
  quicker. The information located on this website
  would be useful for teachers and psychologists.

18
Resources

• The Black White Test Score Gap Why It Persists
  and What Can Be Done retrieved
  from,http//www.brookings.edu/articles/1998spring_
  education_jencks.aspx
• This website offers articles on many different
  topics. The one in the link would provide many
  answers to why and how African Americans are
  scoring less on standardized tests. It would be
  useful for teachers, parents, and society in
  general.

19
Resources

• Learning Styles and the African American Student
  can be located at
• http//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_19
  9501/ai_n8732280
• This website has a search engine where you can
  find scholarly articles. This article in
  particular offered a lot of great information
  about stereotypes associated with African
  American learning styles. It would be helpful for
  teachers, parents, and psychologists.

20

• This website lists the Four Stages that African
  American students go through in order to build a
  trusting relationship with their white teacher.
  It can be located at
• http//oneweb.utc.edu/impact/projects/thursday.ht
  ml
• The information located on this website would be
  useful for teachers, and psychologists.

21
Resources

• This article is titled Strategies For Teaching
  Science To African American Students it can be
  found at
• http//www.as.wvu.edu/equity/african.html
• Even though this article was geared towards
  teaching science it offered tons of useful
  information and strategies.
• This article would be geared more for teachers
  only.

22
Print Resources

• Morgan, Harry.(1995). Historical Perspectives on
  the Education of Black Children. Westport, CT.
  Greenwood.
• This book is offers a view on African American
  Education from Pre-Civil war to modern times. It
  explains a lot of the stereotypes associated with
  African American styles.
• It would be useful for teachers and psychologist
  because it offers insight to the environmental
  factors that influence African Americans learning
  styles still today.

23
Print Resources

• Hill, Shirley.(1999). African American Children
  Socialization and Development in Families.
  Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications.
• This book examines further into environmental
  factors that influence African American learning
  styles. It has a whole chapter that deal with
  educating African American children.
• This book would be useful for teachers, parents,
  and psychologists.

24
Conclusion

• Finally, African Americans do have preferred
  styles of learning due to environmental factors
  and not inferiority. As future teachers we must
  become more educated about the learning styles of
  African Americans. If we put some of the helpful
  hints to use that were listed in the previous
  slides maybe we can help lower the standardized
  test gap in the future.

25
References

• African Americans. Retrieved October 30, 2007,
  from North Central Regional Educational Library
  Web site http//www.ncrel
• org /sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/math/m
  a8african.htm
• Hill, Shirley.(1999). African American Children
  Socialization and Development in Families.
  Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications.
• Jencks, Christopher.(1998).The Black White Test
  Score Gap Why it Persists and What Can be Done.
  Retrieved October 25,2007, from
  http//www.brookings.edu/articles/1998/spring_educ
  ation_jenck s.aspx
• Jenkins, William. The Four Stages of Black
  Students with White Teachers. Retrieved October
  26,2007,Website http//oneweb.utc.edu/impa
• ct/projects/Thursday.html
• Morgan, Harry.(1995). Historical Perspectives on
  the Education of Black Children. Westport, CT.
  Greenwood.

26
References Continued

• Learning Styles and the African American Student.
  Retrieved October 26, 2007,
• from Find Articles Web site http//findar
• ticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_19950
• 1/ai_n8732280
• Strategies for Teaching Science to African
  American Students. Retrieved October 26,
• 2007,Web//www.as.wvu.edu/equity/afri can.html