STUDENT QUALITIES EXPLAINED
RECOGNITION
the “what” of learning
what a learner identifies and best interprets.
Strengths
Visual–learners easily recognize information represented
by written language, images, pictures, colors, and maps.
Challenges
Visual—learners have difficulty recognizing information
represented by written language, images, pictures,
colors, and maps.
Spatial—learners easily recognize space-related
Spatial—learners have difficulty recognizing spaceinformation, including physical directions,
related information, including physical directions,
packed/organized items, and relationships among
packed/organized items, and relationships among
objects.
objects.
Auditory—learners easily recognize information
Auditory—learners have difficulty recognizing
represented by spoken words, sound, and music.
information represented by spoken words, sound and
music.
Vocabulary—learners easily recognize information
Vocabulary—learners have difficulty recognizing
represented by advanced terminology and a broad
information represented by advanced terminology and a
vocabulary.
broad vocabulary.
Math—learners easily recognize information represented Math—learners have difficulty recognizing information
by numbers, symbols, sequences, and formulas.
represented by numbers, sequences, and formulas.
Languages-learners easily recognize information
English proficiency—learners have difficulty recognizing
represented by the English language, spoken and written, information represented by the English language, spoken
or foreign languages.
and written.
Reading—learners easily recognize information
Reading—learners have difficulty recognizing information
represented by text structures, author styles, and words
represented by text structures, author styles, and words
that require phonemic awareness.
that require phonemic awareness and comprehension.
Use of hypertext—learners easily recognize information
Use of hypertext—learners have difficulty recognizing
represented by online text, including Web links and
information represented by online text, including Web
electronic documents.
links and electronic documents.
Language play/rhyming—learners easily recognize
Interpreting figurative language—learners have difficulty
information that requires language manipulation and
recognizing information represented by figurative
phonological awareness (ability to hear and adjust onsets, language, and may have a tendency to literally translate.
rimes and syllables).
Deducing key information—learners have difficulty
recognizing information represented by indirect
language, and may struggle to derive key points and
objectives.
STRATEGIC
the “how” of learning
how a learner plans, executes and monitors actions and skills.
Strengths
Challenges
Artistic—learners demonstrate skill with drawing,
Fine motor skills—learners have difficulty demonstrating
skill with activities that require the functioning of small
crafting, and designing 3-dimensional objects.
muscles. Some examples are: writing, drawing, sculpting,
and play instruments.
Kinesthetic—learners demonstrate skill with physical
activities and manipulatives.
Gross motor skills—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with work that requires the
functioning of large muscles. Some examples are:
walking, kicking, sitting upright, lifting, and throwing.
Musical—learners demonstrate skill with music, song,
and rhythm.
Handwriting—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill
with work that requires neat or legible penmanship.
Written expression—learners demonstrate skill with
selecting writing topics, planning, organization,
proofreading, and addressing audience.
Written expression—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with selecting writing topics,
planning, organizing, proofreading, and addressing
audience.
Speaking/presenting— learners demonstrate skill with
public speaking, communication, and oral presentations.
Computer skills—learners demonstrate skill with
computer graphic design, online media, and software
programs.
Speaking/presenting—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with public speaking, communication,
and oral presentations.
Speech impairment—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with work that requires speech. This
challenge may be due to articulation, voice, and
communication disorders.
Spelling—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill with
work that requires correct spelling. This challenge may be
due to dyslexia and/or the inability to write (disability or
illiteracy).
Flexible/adaptable—learners demonstrate skill with
work that requires flexibility, adaptability, and is
susceptible to change.
Transitions—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill
with work that requires transitioning between content
and material.
Constructing/building— learners demonstrate skill with
work that requires assembling, composing, and fixing
items.
Self-monitoring—learners have difficulty demonstrating
skill with work that requires proper behavior and task
completion.
Problem solving— learners demonstrate skill with work
that requires adherence to directions, application of a
process, and/or analyses.
Identifying key concepts—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with seeking relevant information and
identifying the processes necessary to complete work.
Concentration/attention— learners demonstrate skill
with work that requires silence, concentration, and/or
close attention.
Concentration/attention—learners have difficulty
demonstrating skill with work that requires silence,
concentration, and/or attention.
Organization— learners demonstrate skill with work that
requires organization, strategy, and time management.
Organization—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill
with work that requires organization, strategy, and time
management.
Summarizing— learners demonstrate skill with work that
requires summarizing, abstract thinking, and thorough
comprehension.
Reading Comprehension—learners demonstrate skill
with work that requires a thorough understanding and
interpretation of visual text and messages.
Written memory—learners have difficulty demonstrating
skill with retaining written information.
Math Comprehension—learners demonstrate skill with
work that requires a thorough understanding of math
problems and a determination of possible solutions.
Spoken memory—learners have difficulty demonstrating
skill with retaining spoken information.
Note taking—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill
with work that requires note taking.
Prioritizing—learners have difficulty demonstrating skill
with prioritizing work, planning, and meeting deadlines.
AFFECTIVE
the “why” of learning
why a learner evaluates and sets priorities (based on emotional/preferential tendency).
Strengths
Challenges
Persistence—learners have a tendency to persevere and
Persistence—learners have a tendency to give up easily
remain dedicated to their coursework, in spite of
and leave work incomplete.
challenging material.
Confidence—learners have a tendency to be secure about Overconfidence—learners have a tendency to be overly
the quality of their work and their future success.
confident in their work, despite low performance/actual
success.
Optimism—learners have a tendency to maintain a positive Self-esteem—learners have a tendency to maintain low
attitude toward a variety of content and materials in the
expectations of themselves and doubt their ability to
classroom.
succeed.
Leadership—learners have a tendency to seek out
Group work—learners have a tendency to find group work
leadership opportunities, excel in leadership roles, and
difficult, and may prefer working in pairs or independently.
naturally earn the respect of peers and teachers.
This may suggest challenges to communicate, collaborate,
trust, and share responsibility (with multiple classmates).
Subject interest—learners have a tendency to derive
Pair work—learners have a tendency to find pair work
pleasure from and develop a genuine interest in classroom difficult, and may prefer working in larger groups or
content and materials.
independently. This may suggest challenges to
communicate, collaborate, trust and share responsibility
(with another classmate).
Independence—learners have a tendency to be
Independent work—learners have a tendency to find
independent of the support of classmates and teachers to independent work difficult, and may prefer working in
clarify/repeat instructions and complete coursework with small or large groups. This challenge may be due to fear
accuracy.
and/or anxiety of working alone.
Consideration—learners have a tendency to respect
Communication—learners have a tendency to avoid
classroom rules and be sensitive to the learning needs of
participating in conversations with, and asking questions
their peers.
to, classmates and teachers. Language barriers are also
communication challenges.
Collaboration—learners have a tendency to work well in
Domineering attitude—learners have a tendency to see
groups, engage in discussions, and share responsibility
themselves as superior to their peers and often do not see
equitably.
the value of collaboration.
Seeking challenge—learners have a tendency to set goals Home-life stability—learners have a tendency to be
beyond the minimum and seek out opportunities to further emotionally preoccupied and distracted by problems
advance skills and content knowledge.
outside of school.
Focus/attention—learners have a tendency to remain
Independence—learners have a tendency to depend on
focused on content and material, are emotionally stable,
the support of classmates and teachers to clarify/repeat
and are not easily distracted by factors outside of the
instructions and complete coursework with accuracy.
classroom.
Offering/addressing constructive feedback—learners have Behavior/compliance—learners have a tendency to be
a tendency to communicate insight to peers and teachers disruptive, withdrawn and disengaged. They may disregard
respectfully, and make use of constructive feedback to
class rules and/or disrespect classmates.
improve their future work.
Communication—learners have a tendency to comfortably Focus/attention—learners have a tendency to lose focus
participate in conversations with, and ask questions to,
on content and material, either due to a lack of interest or
classmates and teachers.
disorders, such as ADD and ADHD.