Spiral Learning, a superior approach?

by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger

03 May 2007 12:00 PM

In my homeschool curriculum glossary today, I mentioned Sunrise Math, which talks about spiral approach to learning. I wanted to learn and talk more about that now.

Spiral Learning aims to strengthen students' understanding of the basic concepts by revisiting the concepts periodically with different contexts and with increasing sophistication throughout the curriculum.

According to a Virginia Tech document entitled Department Level Reform (An Implementation Grant Sept 04-Aug 07). In other words, the study shows that through repetition and gradually increasing difficulty, a student can learn effectively. I recently came across a blog that supplied an awesome illustration of spiral learning. The website says that "Learning should work like a game" in a spiral that gets a child interested, gives them challenging activities, gives a reward, and repeats while adding new skills. This reminds me a lot of my Tae Kwon Do training. Video games are also based on the spiral model. The Virginia Tech study describes other principals of spiral learning such as teamwork, problem solving, and hands on learning.

Most children these days are taught through a linear learning process. This would mean to learn one task at a time in a certain order. Even I, in previous posts have talked about mastering one area before moving on to the next. This is linear thinking. Besides Sunrise Math, which I have recently discovered, the only other math model that uses a spiral model is Saxon Math. Such curriculums have a repetitive nature and for children who need to review what they have learned, this could be very helpful.

To teach using a spiral approach, daily instruction is necessary. This cannot be taught sporadically. I found this out personally, when a math class my son took two years ago started the year using Saxon Math. It was a once a week class, and so, curriculum had to be changed and adjusted. I could tell, however that by examining the textbook that if math were done daily, and the book were completed in order as designed that the child who used it would have a full and thorough understanding of what had been taught.

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homeschooling, learning styles, spiral learning