Quiz
1. Does your child excel at talking out ideas, opposed to writing them?
2. Does your child tend to draw out ideas as opposed to writing them or use visual cues like shapes or colors to identify or remember ideas?
3. Does your child struggle with the mechanics of writing like spelling, grammar, and handwriting?
4. Does your child think laterally -- i.e. do they tend to bounce from point a to point z?
5. Does your child talk about ideas or writing assignments in functional terms, i.e., how things work?
6. Does your child excel at projects over writing assignments?
7. Is your child "hands on?"
8. When writing, does your child struggle with traditional Roman numeral outlining structures?
1. Does your child excel at talking out ideas, opposed to writing them?
No.
2. Does your child tend to draw out ideas as opposed to writing them or use visual cues like shapes or colors to identify or remember ideas?
Yes.
3. Does your child struggle with the mechanics of writing like spelling, grammar, and handwriting?
Sometimes.
4. Does your child think laterally -- i.e. do they tend to bounce from point a to point z?
Sometimes.
5. Does your child talk about ideas or writing assignments in functional terms, i.e., how things work?
Sometimes.
6. Does your child excel at projects over writing assignments?
Sometimes.
7. Is your child "hands on?"
Sometimes.
8. When writing, does your child struggle with traditional Roman numeral outlining structures?
Sometimes.
The Alternative Outliner
Good news! Your child is truly a dynamic thinker and has a tendency to construct knowledge in visual, non-linear, outside-the-box fashion. The bad news is that it can often be very difficult for this kind of thinker to write in a traditional manner. Your child is often going to have a very difficult time with the busy work of writing; the spell checking and the editing will be a challenge. Many non-linear thinkers also excel at tactical/kinetic learning. Even though tactical thinking is a very difficult and time consuming skill set to integrate into the outlining process, it can be done.
Use a non-linear outlining structure such as talking it out or extreme mapping. These structures will allow your child's non-linear and visual brain to roam free without getting lost. Think about using a form of diction, skipping the act of writing altogether. Empower your writer to get help with the rewriting and editing. Use the Editor's Review Sheet and pay close attention to ways to make spell check more effective. If you are working with tactile/kinesthetic thinker, pay close attention to the model method, developed by Landmark College.This is a time-consuming outline structure, but the best way to integrate tactile thinking into the outlining process.
The Traditional Outliner
Are you in luck?! For the most part traditional outlining structures work for your child. Your child has a tendency to think logically, linearly, and linguistically.
Use the Roman numeral structure or the modified Cornell Two-Column method -- the ultimate in linear outlining structures. If your child uses the latter, they will outline a stellar five-paragraph essay! If you feel your child could benefit by trying to integrate more visual elements to her outlining, experiment with the box method, a great hybrid for linear thinkers with a visual bent.
The Middle-of-the-Road Outliner
As always the vast majority of kids fall into this category.
Try the box outlining method.