Having introduced student teachers to the idea of Kolb, we divide the group in half. To one half, we give out four tasks, all based on Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, each designed to encompass one aspect of the Kolb learning cycle. Meanwhile, those in the other half of the group observe the first group undertaking the activities. When the tasks have been completed, the whole group discusses their experiences or observations of the activities. This offers a chance to reflect on group work as well. Finally, the whole group discusses how each of these tasks fits with Kolb's learning cycle.
Task 1 Experiential Student teachers are told that the word Tyger is spelt oddly to encapsulate Blake's idea of the tiger's particular nature. They are asked to think of other creatures they could give strange spellings to and then write a poem about the animal.
Task 2 Reflective Student teachers are given two poems – 'London' and 'The Laughing Song'. They are asked to underline all the words that differentiate the two poems.
Task 3 Analytic Student teachers are given a comprehension exercise on Blake's poem 'The Tyger' and asked to complete the questions.
Task 4 Practical 'London' and 'The Laughing Song' are cut up into individual lines and placed in an envelope. Student teachers are asked to sort them out again into two poems. They are asked to reconstruct the poems as near as they can.
