Our numeric friends

[xthread]

silenceleigh is a kinetic learner in a world hopelessly dominated by visual and symbolic types. She recently posted a wonderful explanation of how she manages to do algebra in a kinetic mode.

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Comments

[fyfer.livejournal.com]

Interesting... in the gifted program in elementary school we learned to do algebra with a little scale (the balance kind) and counters. I always wondered why they didn't use that method for the people who might have more trouble with math (though not everyone in the gifted program thought symbolically about math).

[memegarden.livejournal.com]

Oddly, given this extreme kinesthetic approach to math, she's highly verbally skilled--she's a writer, in fact. Thought I'd add that piece of the picture in for a little more completeness.

[malabar.livejournal.com]

I wonder how she processes verbal info - maybe in a similar fashion.

[xthread.livejournal.com]

That seems like a really good hypothesis.
I'm extremely interested in the fact that counting is difficult for her.

[malabar.livejournal.com]

From her description it sounds like she gets really caught up in the "personalities" of the numbers, so instead of being useful shorthand for her, they present complex interaction problems.