The Dreaded Timed Test

Abstract

Have you ever found yourself searching for just the right word as you’re speaking? Or the one word that truly matches the picture in your mind? This is precisely what happens to visual-spatials, nearly every day. The process for a visual-spatial learner to translate mental images into words (or numbers) is a lot like a computer downloading graphics. If you’ve ever downloaded a photograph on your computer, you know that it typically takes longer to bring up images than it takes to bring up text, especially if you still have dial-up! Not only must VSLs “download” their mental images, they then have to convert them to words. When there’s the pressure of a time limit, it can be particularly challenging, if not impossible, to do.