Willingham's Learning Theory

• Willingham's learning Theory

  • Knowledge before skill
  • Repeat/rehearse again and again
  • Practice until it becomes automatic
  • Knowledge frees up your mind allowing it to work things out
  • Practicing movement improves physical development (motor skills)
  • You have different types of memory, they all help you learn in different ways.
  • Providing children with opportunities to do all of these things will help them to progress.
• Willingham strengths

  • Lots of practical applications
  • Other studies support Willingham's learning theory
• Willingham weaknesses

  • Willingham did not emphasise the importance of individual differences for learning and is only general (neurodiversity)
  • His ideas are not one singular theory and can be tested by gathering data
  • Puts too much emphasis on repetition.
  • Too vague