How Does Layered Curriculumâ Compare
to 4-Mat, Multiple Intelligences, & Differentiation?
By Pam Petersen
About
5 years ago I took a class in the 4-Mat System: A Cycle of Learning. It
has you take a test to see which of the 4 major learning styles you are. Each of the four learning styles asks a
question. Why, what, how and if.
If you are a one – you like
to work in small groups and your driving question is why, twos – are the
keepers of the truth and ask what, threes – are engaged in action and ask how and fours – are self discovery
learners asking if.
This was the first time I
had been introduced to brain research.
4-Mat has you take a Hemispheric Mode Indicator to see if you are more
right or left brain.
Another concept it
introduced to my teaching was there are times that a teacher is more active and
times that a student is more active. Teachers will be important in the
discussions and information part of learning.
However, during coaching and self discovery it should be student
driven.
Students would then move their way through the
circle as they learned about different units each getting the chance to learn
in their preferred method. 4-Mat takes
into account individual learning differences. Each piece of the circle isn’t
equal. You might spend a lot more time
at practice and informing than at extend or connect.
How is 4-mat like Layered
Curriculumâ? Both methodologies teach about the brain. Also, there isn’t just one right way to do
things in both. Also, they both deal
with students being more involved and pushing their learning to
the next level.
Multiple
Intelligences was developed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983. He proposes eight different intelligences to
account for a broader range of human potential. They include: linguistic,
logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-Kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, and naturalist. “Seven
kinds of intelligence would allow seven ways to teach, rather than one.” (Smith)
You can use any of the eight intelligences to teach any subject. Words for linguistic, numbers or logic for
logical-mathematical, pictures for special, music for musical, self-reflection
for intrapersonal, a physical experience for bodily kinesthetic, a social
experience for interpersonal and an experience in the natural world for
naturalist. This methodology works
perfectly with Layered Curriculumâ too. When setting up my units I am sure to
include something for everyone. After
learning about multiple intelligences, I realized why I like to talk about my learning
with others. I was interpersonal. If we are to make school more meaningful to
our students we have to tailor it to them.
It shouldn’t be a one size fits all for education.
In How the Brain Learns by David A. Sousa he
describes how to use synergy to enhance learning.
1. Provide adequate time
for reflection.
2. Model the activity.
3. Get students to stand, move and deliver.
4. Keep in motion.
5. Provide enough time and adjust as needed.
6. Ensure accountability.
7. Clarify any misunderstandings.
8. Use variety for the pairing.
He then included barriers
to using synergy.
- Teacher should be talking.
- It takes too much time
- The students will get off task.
-
I really like this and can
relate it to Layered Curriculumâ. I love the
8 things to enhance learning. The way
Layered Curriculumâ is set up naturally provides for these things. The one that I think I was missing until I
incorporated layered curriculum was ensuring accountability and clarifying any
misconceptions. I gave homework – wasn’t
that accountability? I also clarified
misconceptions with quizzes but they came after the learning not during it like
it is now with layered curriculum. Now,
using Layered Curriculumâ there is less of me talking and definitely less of
the student being off task.
I started trying to differentiate in my classroom and
really struggled with it. I could do a
lesson but felt I needed to do more.
Some strategies include: provide
texts at varied reading levels, provide key vocabulary, provide audio taped
materials, use videotapes to supplement, use student questions to guide
lectures. Layered Curriculum was the
answer for me. It gave me overall
structure to take all the good things that I had learned and put it
together. I could now offer all these
things but not worry that everyone wasn’t all on the same page. So what if they weren’t all working on the
same thing at the same time, the more important thing was that they were all
working and learning more than ever before.
Probably the most important part of Layered Curriculumâ is choice.
My students feel that they are now in the driver’s seat of their
education. That is powerful. I’ve also found that by giving the power to
my students, I have gained so much more power.
I no longer have to regulate the classroom. The students have taken on that ownership. They pick up after themselves; they are more
respectful to the room, supplies and to each other. They truly feel that it is their
classroom now.
References:
Tomlinson, Carol Ann &
Eidson, Caroline Cunningham. Differentiation
in Practice. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 2003
McCarthy, Bernice Ph.D.,
& Morris, Susan M.A. 4Mat Foundations. Wauconda, IL: About Learning Incorporated, 2002
Sousa, David A. How The
Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press, 2001
Nunley, Kathie F. Layered Curriculum, Amherst, NH: Brains.org, 2001
Smith, M.K. (2002) ‘Howard
Gardner and multiple intelligences’, the encyclopedia of informal education,
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.