Instruction must be customized and fluid to benefit the diverse learning styles of your students as well as the diversity of the students. An instructor that delivers content in a relevant manner empowers students to respond and learn effectively.
Knowing the learning style of your students may also help the instructor to be more open to different styles of teaching. They may have a style that an instructor never thought of. Knowing the student's learning style opens the door for effective communication between the student and the instructor.
I feel that knowing what kind of learners are present in class helps in planning for the best deliverance of information. If I am aware of how they will learn then at times I can tweek the lesson for the learner. If that makes sense. You can include ways for all students but if you hit on may different ways someone is going to catch it with there style of learning. You can include successful ways of learning for each style of learning.
Hi Jennie, Thanks for your post to the forum. Here are three learning styles that you can try:
http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-style/stylest.html
http://www.ldpride.net/learning-style-test.html
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Percentages of learning styles would generally not differ significantly from city to city.
"on average studies have shown rough 29% have a visual preference, 34% auditory and 37 kinaesthetic"
SMITH (IN TRUNER,T & FROST, T. 2005, 146)
Hi Hartwell, You clearly have a deep committment to "Learning" which as you mention, is not just memorizing concepts!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I am a dental Instructor and I would like to know if you would like to help me by guiding me where to find the learning styles assessmentthat best has suited you, the one you have mentioned in this forum,
My email is jromero@sbiorlando.com
I can see the benefits of knowing the different learning styles of my students. Firstable, I will reach all my students in the way it is the most easy way for them to understand the topic in discussion. By knowing my student’s learning styles, I will definitively give my students a delightful experience of learning instead of a hard or frustrating experience. I will encourage the retention of students in the course as well as I will guarantee the success of my class getting straight "As"
Now, I am also very interested to know and apply a survey related to assess student body learning styles?
Would you send me a link(in case you had it)where I can find a complete list of questions I could make to my students to know for sure which is their learning style or styles?
I also would like to know if you might guide me where to find a link or the information about general percentages of each type of learners in USA; For example, There are 60% of existance of Auditory learners in this particular area or population of this specific city.There are 80% of visual learner in the same city, and so on.
I appreciate your time and answers,
Best regards,
Jennie
Know your students and active adjust your instructional methods to maximize the teaching and learning effectively, the goal is to help students take in the new information and retain the knowledge that you are trying to give to the students. Master this and show your care and respect to your students and in return, the students will respect you more and you would enjoy your teaching more!
Instruction should not be a "one size fits all" canned content. I would believe that such an approach would indicate shallowness in the teacher rather than a true breadth of knowledge. My learning philosophy is that teaching leads a student across a bridge from where they are to a specific goal that we call achievement as it relates to the goal for the course BUT... My primary goal is not the simple acquisition of content, but the development of learning skills that makes the student a life-long learner and equips them to become self-educated learners. I believe great teachers "jump start" great learners - i.e. the one who never quits learning.
Hi Cindy, Thanks for your post to the forum. I have found that instructors really get invigorated when they make the effort to vary their delivery so it's really a "win-win". Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Ana, Thanks for your post to the forum. It is so wonderful to see the excitement when students learning styles are addressed and they find that they are finally "getting it"! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
The Instructional benefits is the ability to engage every student in the learning process. If your teaching style only appeals to visual learners then only the visual learners will be engaged, leaving the others feeling bored.
Because students have a variety of styles, if you only use one method of instruction you will not reach all students. By implementing different teaching methods, you are more likely to reach the majority of students. It definitely would be helpful to know your student population's learning styles.
Knowing the learning styles of your students will allow you to reach them more easily and make them willing to learn. Once you see your students grasping what you are explaining is a great reward on its own.
Hi Cathy, Thanks for your post to the forum. I think that it's great to have conversations with our students about themselves - especially about how they learn! Besides giving us information about their learning styles, those conversations also send the message that we care. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Courtney, Thanks for your post to the forum. Since I teach the general education classes such as Ethics, Psychology, Critical Thinking, etc., I find that thinking of activities for my kinesthetic learners is my greatest challenge! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi SEPTIMIU, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that offering a consistant mix of delivery styles is the way to go! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Kristen, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, you certainly described a classroom with diverse learning styles! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Therese, Thanks for sharing a significant story! It is unfortunate that too many students arrive in our classrooms lacking these basic skills. The earlier we can identify those deficiencies the better chance of offering remediation. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
