Depending on the topic, there are usually ways to present material for the auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. I like using directed group discussions and projects to get the students moving. I think that when students bring their own experience to the group it promotes a wider range of understanding. I like the examples that they come up with to explain topics and processes. When real life examples can be used to explain a lesson, I think the students have better retention especially if they have come up with it themselves.
I'm no longer teaching H.S. biology, but when I did, I lesson planned using the 5E strategy for my 1.5 hour blocks: Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand, Evaluate. That strategy was a great fit for my class and it allowed me to effortlessly incorporate different delivery methods to appeal to a variety of learning styles. Engagement could be a quick demonstration or a short activity. Explore could be reading, a short video, or some observation with notes/drawings. Explain is the lecture/discussion. Expand is another activity or maybe a written essay on an activity or observation. Evaluate could be any number of assessment methods such as a quiz, short Q&A, etc.
Rob
Susan,
Your technique sounds very useful. Teachers tend to use lesson plans over and your method makes it easy to do a quick assessment of the learning styles in a current class and then apply the best fit delivery method. Great technique!
Rob
I like to make lessons vast in activities. I lecture, show videos, have open discussion and have table clinics. I like to keep the students busy and every method will help different learners.
creating a lesson plain enables me to be more affective as an instruct0r.
I find that if I relate my personal experiences to the students it retains their attention. They can apply classroom knowledge through experiencial sharing. Allowing individual students to share is very effective at times. Extra resources including research articles and questions over it help. Going to a specific website to answer questions is engaging to them. I have had the students each teach a portion of the material for the day. Variety has helped me keep the interest of all types of learners.
I've tried to include as many different variations of the content as possible within the scope of what we can do in our time. Going beyond power points, I've used, music, movies and EVEN video games. The biggest thing I learned was to be effective the idea of "using" technology, movies, games etc., just to use them was a problem.
When I create lesson plans I include material that is auditory, visual, and tactile in an effort to make sure all areas are addressed. The idea is to keep the material dynamic, with videos, music, food and lecture with discussion.
Good Evening
Before I create a lesson plan, I create a grid which I complete as I create the plan.
The grid consists of 3 approaches:
Visual approach
Auditory approach
Tactical approach
Then I take the objectives for each chapter in the lesson plan, and choose methodologies for each objectives based on each approach. This gives me 3 different ways (methods) to execute each objective.
Based on the audience, I can choose the approach which would fit the majority of students. This is called casting a very large net. Once this has been done, I can fine tune to the remainder of the class which sometimes proves to be interesting and beneficial to the group which were captured by the initial casting.
The result is that my delivery is fresh and not boring because it is different almost every time, thereby keeping it "fresh" for me too. thanks
Susan
1. Each class session is broken into 4 or 5 activities. Each activity is directed towards a different learning style.
2. Every major assignment is explained in a written document that is both handed to the student and posted on the student portal with support material and examples.
3. Every major assignment is demonstrated by the instructor and reinforced with past student examples both in PowerPoint and video with a discussion of best practices.
4. Every assignment has a grading rubric.
Alejandro,
I use a similar approach as well. Diversifying the instructional methods, is an excellent technique for increasing student engagement in the course.
Tremayne Simpson
I do half of the time with lecture and the rest of the time with hands on and shearing my experience at the time we are practicing procedures
In order to cater to students of various learning styles I make sure that my lesson plan includes pictures, models, group activities and lab exercises.
When learning a new subject i feel that I see the best results from my class/students when I open with a lecture and some type of hand out either to reiterate what I am teaching or for them to write what they are getting from the lecture. I then like to do some type of hands on class on what I have covered in my lecture.
I teach material to all types of learners. Powerpoints and handouts are used for my visual learners. I make sure to use color and transitional effects in the slides. Students work on case studies together to reach those kinesthetic learners. It is important to diversify your teaching style to reach every individual's learning preference.
Visual learners will learn from any type of presentation software. Incorporating discussion and explanation with the presentation software will assist the audio-based learners. Kinestetic and Tactile learners work best through example or through the process of taking notes. Allowing a combination of these tactics hits all three major learning styles and touches on a student's secondary learning style allowing for a multiple use of sensory intake for associations.
Understanding the learning styles of each student allows me to better teach them and make them more motivated
TEACHING HANDS ON CLASSES MAKE THIS EASIER. i CAN SPEND FIRST PART OF CLASS AS A LECTURE AND DEMO TIME. tHEN WE GO INTO LAB AND WORK WITH THE INFORMATION WE JUST TALKED ABOUT. science classes like anatomy I just use the text and in field experience as it relates to the chapter and with all classes i have found that at least one student hs familiarity with that subject and bringtheir experience into the duscussion.
My lesson plans are designed for the all students by breaking up my class into segments for the visual, auditory and movement learner. I also have assignments designed for each type of learner. And have learned to adjust them to each class also depending on what i have the most of in class.
by creating and making it fun. The more you add the students will loose interest. Make it short and excited.
