Also from Freeman (1813), "...the learning of the letters in their detached situation, is a dry, tedious, discouraging process. But learning them, in learning words, is, it is presumed, much more tolerable. Indeed, the difference resembles that which is experienced by two travellers engaged in a toilsome journey, one of whom is amused with a variety of objects that attract his notice, and thus beguile the tediousness of the way; while the other sees no beauty in the surrounding scenery, but is perpetually poring over his present toil, and the disheartening distance that separates him from the end of his journey. We always like to observe too, that we are making a progress; and this animates us, in encountering difficulties. On the other hand, if we seem to make no advances, we are in great danger of abandoning our pursuit." (pg. 17)
"A useful distinction in the discussion of student characteristics is trait versus state. Traits are student characteristics that are relatively constant over time...whereas states are student characteristics that tend to vary during individual learning experiences, such as level of content-specific knowledge." (Reigeluth, 1983, p. 32) Reigeluth also states that "many strategy components have been shown to help students with all kinds of traits to learn" [p. 32]. My position is that we do not know a priori which aspects of our instructional strategies, learning environment, motivator, etc... will generalize across many or all students. However, with a localized learning theory we can learn over time which do and which do not. At the same time, we will likely find ways of grouping students that we never would have before imagined.
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