Teaching to different personalities
How long does it take to get used to teaching students with different personalities, learning styles, etc? Any suggestions on how to recognize that.
Exzelia,
You are taking a good approach to the situation of planning different instructional deliveries for your students. You are hitting on the learning differences of your students throughout the five weeks. By hitting on the different preferences you are going to have a higher level of student engagement and more focused learning.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I work at a place that makes the instructors teach the student in 5 week intervals. This does not allow you to have a strong sense of the student. You only get a general sense of the student and their needs.
I think the easiest way to reach all of the students with different personalities and learning styles is to be comfortable with the content of the course. For myself I know that I learn better visually; but in teaching, I always incorporate the different stlyes of learning throughout the entire course. I try to present the information clearly in different ways so all students can absorb the knowledge. It makes the class fun, relaxing, challenging and allows the students to incorprate how to establish a quick understandable rapore with other people. You are demonstrating how the information can be applied correctly in different ways and for different situations.
Melanie,
Great to hear that you having such success.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Thanks Gary! I have already done this and the majority of my students say they are much like me in that they learn by hands on, which is very handy since I teach Medical Billing and Coding classes. I have a small class this time around and each one of them likes to get into the coding manual and look up codes.
Melanie,
The first step is to poll your students. Ask how many like to learn through pictures (visual), how many like to receive information through listening (auditory) and how many like to learn through doing (tactile). As adults they will know what they prefer. Also, there are numerous free learning styles assessments on the Internet you can get.
Then look at your curriculum and see how many different ways you can present the content. I think you will be surprised at how you can present content via lecture in different ways. For example, small group, student reports, role playing, problem solving, etc.. Thus, appealing to the different learning styles. By offering variety you will be hitting on the different learning styles of students at different times in the course. This will keep them engaged and focused at a much higher level.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I would like some ideas on how to incorporate new teaching styles for each type of learner into my lectures.
We offer "open lab" every week so those students who have a learning style that needs a little special attention can get a more personalized content delivery.
I like the 1st day question. That would be very helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Good suggestion. This will help them carefully think about their own learning styles. (Often, they don't know which learning style applies to them.) Plus, they will better understand the learning styles of other students, which can prevent conflict.
Brenda,
Good points about on how to work with diverse student groups. This is a good way to target your instruction to meet the learning preferences of your students.
Gary
I agree; however, keeping up with their styles and potentials in their level of comfort zone is also as important. Students have various expectations of their own. Let them accept and meet those expectations within the course to visualize and make the most out of themselves to their fullest potential. Not all students can achieve the same levels and that's okay. Being who they are is just as important as being part of a class.
I agree, I also ask the students what is the best way they learn. During lecture I keep an eye on the students body language and facial expressions. When I notice that a student doesnt understand the lecture I ask him/her, "What can I do differently that would help you understand better?"
I finding out the learning styles of my students. I ask them on the first day during my Ice Breaker time. One of the questions that I ask is, "What is the best way that you learn? Reading, writing, listening or practicing? A lot of my students will say reading or practicing. Only a few will say writing or listening. Many times they will say one thing but it is really something else.
Hi Jacqueline,
The answer to that question is not always black and white it depends on the student as well as you implementing what you have learned about teaching styles and in life dealing with different attitudes and personalities. Stay focused on your goal of teaching the subject. Encorporate as many learning styles in your lesson as possible so that you will not leave anyone out. Get to know your students and how they learn.
Well - it depends on a number of factors including how often/long you interact, the level of interaction, as well as the setting. Other factors also pertain such as their age/maturity and the nature of the subject. So it depends....
Hi Kathleen,
As you become familiar with how your students process information you will be able to see how they prefer to take content into their cognitive storage. Then you can start to target those preferences just as you mentioned. Good point.
Gary
Hi Jacqueline,
In reality not very long. Use the observational skills you have developed in your life before becoming an instructor and bring them to the classroom. Watch student movement when they are reading something. Are they moving their legs, hands, arms? (Tactile) Do they looking up a lot after reading something? (Visual) Do they stay engaged and focused during lecture time? (Auditory). These are not precise measurements of learning preferences but they can give you a snap shot of how your students are processing information. Then you can plan your instructional delivery from there.
Gary
Depends on the student, sometimes I never get use to certain personalities
Generally it takes the first week to discover the various learning styles of your students.
