How do you manage to fit all learning styles into every lesson?
Knowing the learning styles of our students will determine how we deliver the information. I try to deliver every lesson plan using all delivery methods so that I can be effective for all students. I always tell them that "I am going to bombard your senses" and explain to them the different learning styles. I ask them to try and determine what is most effective for them and yet to realize that not all of the information that they will need to gather in the future will be delivered in their style.
By knowing my student's learning styles, I can plan activities which maximize their learning. Effective student learning implies effective instruction.
When we know the learning style of the student we can adjust our teaching strategy and use the proper method of instruction delivery so the student can retain a maximum of information. Teaching according to learning style is much more effective so it is important to be aware of learning style when teaching.
Hi Phyllis- Thanks for your post to the forum. You are doing a great job at keeping your teaching fresh and effective! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I agree. At our university, every student does a personality type survey. This gives you a good insight into their learning style. I find this really helpful in preparing material that will be effective for the students. I like to vary a class each time I teach it, to adjust for the different learning styles of the students.
Love that quote, but what if the pig signs up for singing lessons? Often students will want to persue a subject area that is conducive to a type of learning that they have immense difficulty in. As a public speaking teacher, I see this often.
Definitely good to know the different styles, especially when testing. One size does not fit all.
Hi Evan - Thanks for your post to the forum. As you mention, it is of course easier to teach using the style that we prefer, however, varying our delivery will address all the learning styles of our students which will ultimately make them (and us!) more successful! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Richard- Thanks for your post to the forum. Loved that saying!! Although at first glance, adapting our delivery to address the diverse learning styles seems time consuming, it does in the end pay back great dividends. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career, Susan
We have a saying in my family: "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."
If you not teaching in the way your students can learn it, can process it, then you might as well be teaching a pig to sing.
We often find ourselves as intructors teaching the same information in the way that is most convienent for ourselves. By learning the sytles of our students, we can give them the information in a way that is most convient for them.
Evan
It helps make sure that you set up your lesson plan so that you are hitting all learning styles so that all students can take something away from the class
By knowing that I have a range of learning styles in the class, I can use different methods of delivering the material. I use powerpoint slides with animation and lecture. And, of course, they have reading assignments. Since what I teach is abstract, a hands on approach is difficult. The closest I think we can get is to use real world examples and applications.
styles change due to your type of student such as ADHD
Knowing their styles you can taylor your delivery to meet their styles. Even if you don't know their styles you can still vary your style to meet a variety of styles.
HI Guy - Thanks for your post to the forum. As you mention, teaching to a class with diverse learning styles can be a challenge , but it is well worth the effort! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Most of my students are hands-on/visual with a small mix(usually) of audio and written learners. Being able to reach as many as possible with the information can be a challenge at times.Knowing of this mix I can modify and adjust my teaching style by usinglectures,notes on the board and computer based projects.
I wholeheartedly agree that knowing the 4 learning styles mentioned in this module helps me to plan my instructional techniques more effectively. I am a mathematics instructor and tutor, and I have found that knowing whether my students are right-brained or left-brained also helps me tremendously in my teaching, since each "brainedness" sees the world and assimilates new information differently. I have found that I work primarily with right-brained students in my tutoring and in my low-level college courses. There's a big reason for that! I am then able to talk with my students about their right-brainedness, how they perceive the world, and how they may have had troubles processing mathematics because they were not taught in a manner that made sense to them. They might have grown up thinking they are stupid - but in fact, many of them have great thinking and reasoning ability. So, emphasizing students' learning styles also helps increase their own confidence that they can master the material - when it's presented in the way that's best for them. I've seen it happen over and over again!
Hi Nydia- Thanks for your post to the forum. As you mention, instructors need to vary their delivery to reach the diverse learning styles of their students. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
