The benefits of knowing the learning styles is very important when you are teaching math. First some of the student already have math anxiety when they show up to the class. Second they feel math is not my favorite subject so I am not even going to try, or they had a bad experience. My attempts to assist the students, is during the first week of school, I ask them questions about the learning style they feel best with. My learning style is study flowchart, using color, select a text book with pictures.
Thanks Susan, I will try this myself.
Joshula
Knowing the learning style of your students will provide the instructor with the possibility of tailoring the teaching style match the students.
Another benefit of knowing the learning styles of your class is that you can keep the whole class on pace by leaning towards the particular learning styles of your slower paced learners.
Hi Joshula - If the class is long enough you will usually be able to ascertain their styles by observation. Here is a short inventory that your students can take online.
http://ww2.nscc.edu/gerth_d/AAA0000000/barsch_inventory.htm
Hi Susan,
What is an effective way of finding out what the learning styles are of the students? Some students may not know what their style is. When I was in college I didn't know. All I knew was that I had to take notes and if I didn't write it I didn't know it. Click! Years of doing this told me this is how I learned.
Joshula
Naturally, if you understand the learning styles of the students in your class, you can structure your course presentation and learning environment to accomodate all of the students. While this sounds easy, it can be a difficult task. Finding out the learning styles has to be accomplished relatively early in the course. Setting up your class to assist the variety of styles also has to be done in a quick time frame. In addition, you have to monitor each students progress and evaluate whether or not you are acheiving the goal of reaching the learning styles. If this can be accomplished, it should make for a more successful student.
Hi Agnes- Welcome to ED 103! What ideas have you used for teaching composition to kinesthetic learners? That is a tough one!
I always enjoy adopting new teaching strategies to best address all learning styles. This way I can make sure all students can fully benefit from my classes.
I find it most challenging to address kinesthetic learners in my composition classes.
I found Module 1 and the forum quite insightful :)
Knowing how students learn is important, because your students will be missing out on instruction if your teaching style is in only one/two methods, which may not be the method all of your students learn by. I would be more effective as a teacher if I used teaching methods that reached all students. Varying teaching methods, then teaching those that needed a different method how to accommodate other learning styles.
Josh
Learning the student's "Learning Style" is huge in being an effective instructor. I find some of my students learn very visually, some only audibly, and others a combination of the two or just by the written word. The classes I teach are mainly Visual Applications and hands-on instruction. By knowing each student’s learning style I can direct my methods of teaching in accordance, and perhaps mix it up so all will be directed to how they learn best. It is very important to know the learning styles to effectively get across my information to the students that target them individually.
Raymond - BRAVO! You have it all going on!!Best wishes for continued success. Susan
I have been teaching for about five years now and at first I just read what the book said and followed the class content. The longer I teach the further I have moved away from story time in the class and have been very involved in the topics I am teaching. I have become very annimated with my teaching style witch seems to keep the attention of most of the class. If I see I am losing a students attention I invlove that student into my lecture. I also try to hand out as many training aids as I can (not to many but just enough) so as to keep the attention of the hands on learners. For the readers I have alot of book material that is a good option to further their interest in the subject. Some people like to just listen to me talk so I make sure to include some alot of interesting and fun stories to my lecture that are in line with the subject as well. I draw a ton of pictures for demonstration on my white board and make sure everyone has time to copy them all before I erase them (One key to this is keep the drawings simple so they can easily copy them) Another strategy I have found to be very helpful is to treat the students with the respect that I expect from them (yes this seems simple but doesnt get used by enough instructors)
Be it visual, hands on or audible I feel I cover all bases in my class and my retention does show that too.......
What are the instructional benefits of knowing the learning styles of your students? How can this knowledge be used to help you be a more effective instructor?
Being aware of the learning styles of the students is a major assistance to me when it comes to preparing presentations, projects, in-class discussions, etc. This enables me to be a better facilitator in that I would not be overlooking the competencies of all and better ensures that all are participating--but more importantly learning the material presented.
Hi Richard - welcome to ED 103. Your posting was very well written- thank you!
Knowing our students learning styles allows us to effectively tailor or course presentation to the individual style of each learner. This can allow more effective presentations that are more readily assimilated by the learner. This leads to higher retention of information and a more successful learning process.
The more you know about the learning styles of your students, the better you can relate the material in a way that they can process and learn more quickly.
Hi Gary - Nice post - thank you! Students do often "tune out" due to frustration because their learning styles are never taken into account.
By knowing and understanding the learning styles of your students, you can more effectively communicate with your students on a one to one basis, thus enhancing the understanding of the topic being studied. Comprehension of that topic should be increased and sudent retension should aslo increase.
This knowledge makes you a more effective instructor because the students want to attend class.It creates more motivation for the students to want to learn thru better understanding.
Knowing the students learning styles allows for content delivery adaptation which will reach the whole of the class more effectively and avoid redundant questions.
I agree, but sometimes I think we as instructors dont' catch the student in time when they are more focused on grades than the material itself and the content becomes skued.
