I use many learning styles of teaching during the my lecture. I try to have more than one training aid to pass around so everyone gets to see it a little faster. I will start one in the back and in the front of the room.and also will walk around with the same training aid when covering the lesson.I can then show any of the students that might have a other question.
Very, very good methods, Misty! Interactive! I have also had the students keep a journal where they write a brief lesson summary every day along with any questions and a descriptive statement as to how the lesson is immediately applicable to the workplace.
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge Facilitator
This is a very good point, William; with so many learning styles in the classroom, the instructor is the one that has to do the most adapting. I am very much a visual learner, so I have to be aware of methodologies and activities that reach the other student learning styles. I also have tried to take students a little out of their comfort zones by having them utilize a style that is not as preferred for them. That way they get exposure and practice in using other styles in the learning environment...which is a lot more forgiving than the workplace environment.
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge Facilitator
I feel that one of the first things that must be done in the learning style area is understanding your learning style and main delivery style which can be different and recognize how that style interacts with the other styles so that you can understand how to adapt what you are going to have to adjust for different styles. One other item of concern is recognizing which learning styles you have in the classroom. With this information you now can start formulaing plans to adjust the delivery method to fit each of those learning styles.
When ever the schedule will allow I like to spend half the day in lecture and half the day in lab covering the same material in lab we talked about that day in class.This I thing gets the tactile learners to a better level of understanding and reinforces class and lab for everyone.During lecture lots of pictures and pass around manipulatives to reinforce course content.Q&A and pop quizzes for each section or learning objective,and keep the atmospher in the class room safe and open to questions and discussion.
Hi Stan,
This is very helpful. I will do this next week. I am new to the teaching profession. I have been in nursing for 16 yrs and now I am teaching nursing students. So medicine is full of diseases and disorders. I can select various disease processes and have the students develop a care plan for the patient's condition.
Lisa
Hi Mary Anne,
This method helps students to learn twice. Once when they learn the material or skill the first time and then again when they demonstrate/show it to another student. This helps to reinforce the content and shows application for both students.
Gary
Having the learners teach the learners sounds like agreat way to measure what has been individually absorbed.
A class full of students with different learning styles require a multitude of techniques. I try many styles of delivering of the lesson plan like individual reading assignments, lecture, class debates, breaking the class into small groups and use the learners to teach the learners. I have had success with the method of allowing some time for each small group to research an assigned subject then reporting out in the way of a class presentation over the subject. During the presentation I am involved to keep the discussion relavent with the subject and to guide the discussion in a way to accomplish the lesson. Students seem to enjoy the presentations and have fun while learning
Stan
You will never get a class where they all learn the same way. It is important to have a change of state often to keep everyones attention. I will prepare hand outs, have pictures related to the subject, videos, and demonstrations in lab. I will often call on students to answer questions that way they will pay attention because they never know when they will be called on.
I use humor to start the day and get their attention.
I try to use multipul styles of teaching during the lesson plan, reading material, visual material, hand out training aides and vebal lecture. By combining these into the lesson plan I was better able to engage all of the style of learners
It is important to observe the learning styles of each student. You should also use different styles through out the course to try and reach as many students as possible.
1. Observe both students and other instructors. We learn by experience and by observation.
2. Listen to students and determine their needs.
3. Provide several fun activties using different senses- smell, touch, sight and auditory
Hi Juliet,
By using the different styles of teaching you are zeroing in on the learning preferences of your students. This is what will keep your students focused on the course content and skill development. Keep up the good work.
Gary
I'm usually open to different styles of teaching but I utilize styles that are most effective for teaching my students. Whatever style is easier for them to understand is what I use.
Right on Jean. As out classes starts over ever three weeks I must change my style to meed the needs of the students in that class.
Hi Donald,
Thank you for sharing your approach to working with the different learning styles of your students. You are giving your students a variety of ways of acquiring the knowledge and skills of your content.
Gary
It seems that the mix of learning style is always present. I vary my teaching methods, I am mainly presenting demonstrations because we are a production class. However the demonstrations vary in approach. I start out with either a powerpoint presentation or going over the objectives on the board. While the demonstration is going on I interact with the students and the other instructor, asking questions, giving history or just asking what vocabulary term given discribes the procedure I am preforming. I try to keep the demo/lecture short and break it up into several mini demonstrations, step by step or have the students prepare along with me. This seems to be the best method to reach all the students' learning styles.
Observe your students closely in the classroom to determine their styles; communicate also with them;especially when you do students'evaluation and assessment.
