Dweck's mindsets, Willingham and Blackwell's study

Overview

Fixed and growth mindsets, praise for effort, Willingham on learning styles and meaning, and Blackwell's study of mindsets and maths grades with its intervention.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is a fixed mindset?

   Model answer

   A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability are set and cannot be changed. People with a fixed mindset avoid challenges and give up easily after failure.

2. 2

   What is a growth mindset?

   Model answer

   A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability can be developed through effort and good strategies. People with a growth mindset see mistakes as a chance to learn.

3. 3

   What are Dweck's ideas on praise for effort?

   Model answer

   Dweck argued that praise should focus on effort, strategies and progress rather than intelligence. Praise for effort encourages a growth mindset and persistence.

4. 4

   Why can praising a child for being clever backfire?

   Model answer

   Praise for intelligence teaches that ability is fixed, so failure feels like proof of low ability. Mueller and Dweck found children praised for intelligence later chose easier tasks than those praised for effort.

5. 5

   What are learning styles?

   Model answer

   Learning styles are claimed preferences for learning through one sense, such as visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. Supporters claim pupils learn best when teaching matches their style.

6. 6

   Why does Willingham call learning styles a myth?

   Model answer

   Willingham argues there is no good evidence that matching teaching to a learning style improves learning. The best way to teach depends on the content, such as using maps for geography.

Other ways to work this

The same content, four other ways.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.