Learning Styles

Looking back on my own learning experiences I recognize the transformation taking place in the world of education. I can speak of what I know best, and at the moment my comparisons are grounded in first grade. As a first grade student I remember (long ago) that most of the teaching was accomplished by auditory means. The teacher would be up in front of the class and there would be lectures followed by some sort of paper practice. This teaching strategy was often repeated over and over across the curriculum. I can remember similar teaching strategies while attending college. There were so many students that it would have been a challenge to operate in a different way. However, the professor would be up in front of the classroom lecturing students followed by independent study after course hours. This works for students who are auditory learners...not me.

I have always been a visual learner like 65% of the population. I learn best by watching and seeing what it is that I'm expected to know. For example, it seems that I never know where I'm at or where I'm going. Directions are impossible for me, but I see everything clearly when I have a map to look at along with landmarks and graphics. If someone tries to tell me directions it's almost as if it goes in one ear and out the other. However, if I have a map AND go there myself I will always get back to the designated spot! It seems that I'm a bit of a kinesthetic learner as well.

Using this information starts in my own classroom. Ideally it is important to know my students and their own learning styles. Yet, first graders are not quite at the point where they can really share this information with me in a useful way. It is really up to me to see how students are performing and cast a broad net of teaching strategies. It seems impossible to touch on every learning style for every lesson, but I do believe that small pieces can be added to a lesson to appeal to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Most lessons include some type of discussion, but in first grade a picture has the effect of cementing words together. The kinesthetic learning strategies are harder to implement with every lesson, but they can be as simple as a hand gesture. For example, learning long and short vowels can be tricky business. Combining multiple teaching strategies makes the task manageable. We say the vowel sounds while looking at matching pictures and making hand signals to distinguish between long and short sounds. Phew! The key is to combine teaching strategies when possible.

Photo Attribution:

Original Image: "Learning Styles Cartoon"

http://lmfarley.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Learning-Styles-Cartoon-300x225.jpg

By: Linda Farley