Hi Bill, I found a website for learning styles inventory, took it, reaffirmed my learning styles, and will incorporate it in my next beginning class. It will be very interesting to see if I am reaching all styles.
Marion
Hi Lola- Using delivery that addresses all of the styles as much as possible is indeed the best way to go! Best wishes- Susan
Hi Peggy- Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, that unfortunately is the case. I have seen students who did poorly in high school, because they were primarily lectured to, suddenly become great students because we are teaching to their learning styles. Really exciting! Best wishes - Susan
Hi Michelle - thanks for a very interesting post to the forum! You definitely understand the importance of teaching to the learning styles! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I'm a written learner, but I teach pattern drafting and draping for fashion design, both of which are very "hands-on". Fashion design itself tends to attract visual and kinesthetic learners, so I don't run across too many students who are written learners like me. Knowing this, I use many different visual/hands-on aids such as completed garments the students can touch and examine, diagrams, pictures, and demonstrations. I encourage students to take photos of my completed examples to use when working at home - so many have phones with a camera feature that makes it easy!
I use textbooks and handouts, too, but the students usually respond best to those that have a lot of illustrations and diagrams. One of the biggest complaints about our current draping textbook is the lack of illustrations to go along with the text. When I showed the students a new textbook with full color photos of each step, the reaction was universally positive. It's interesting to me because the lack of color photos really didn't bother me much. If I didn't pay attention to the students' needs, our conflicting learning styles would create unenjoyable, difficult classes for everyone!
If you don't recognize every learning style in the room, and you don't teach in a way that will cover each learning style aspect, the student(s) of the learning style that doesn't get addressed will get frustrated and probably not learn the material
This is a multifacited question and answer. Knowing the learning styles and identifying them in your students makes your material personal to each one. They trust you and respect that you are caring for them directly.
Hi Bill,
Is there a particular website where I can download an example or an actual download of a learning style inventory? I remember taking one in college, but that was awhile ago.
Thanks
Knowledge of the learning style of the largerest population of students help in the developement of the lesson plans, however I always include several styles with each lesson plan in an attempt to reach all students.
Nancy - the issue of efficiency is important. I find that when I take the time to assure that all learning styles are incorporated into my classes, the students overall perform better on the assessment tasks. - bill arbes
Hi Faylee- Thanks for your post to the forum. While many adult students have learned to adapt to other learning styles just through their life and/or work experience, we do find adults that will not learn well unless their dominant style is addressed. This is why, as you point out, we MUST adjust our delivery to meet these challenges. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
HI Timothy- Fine tuning our delivery to address the various learning styles takes some additional effort but as you say, it makes your classroom "an environment for learning". Keep up the great work! Best wishes- Susan
Wow Bill- not many teachers are so proactive! You are giving your students really valuable information about themselves that will be useful for their entire lifetime - excellent work! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
YOu will reach more students in less time during the class period. By combining styles you will maintain theri interest longer and help their understanding of the concept you are trying to teach.
I have discovered that many students are not aware of their own learning styles, and many do not have any idea of what it means. In many of my introductory classes I have the students take a learning style inventory to give me an idea of the diversity of learning styles in my classroom as well as discuss with them the implications of their learning style for studying and learning new material. This simple, brief exercise they typically find markedly rewarding.
Hi Marion - Thanks for your post to the forum. I find that if I mix delivery styles in my classes my students are constantly being acclimated to syles other than their dominant one. So, for example, I may have a tactile learner and I will lecture but at the same time pass around a related object or have the student demo something as I lecture. Best wishes! Susan
I am a tactile and visual learner; however, I found over the years that reading and auditory are all part of my learning styles. Obviously, the dominant styles stand out. Students who I found had difficulty in class were so focused on their own style of learning that it interferred with their learning ability. How does an instructor encourage students to learn how to adapt to another way of learning?
If you can identify the different learning styles for each student you can effectively reach them and involve them into the learning objectives. If a student is not learning, I feel they are either bored or feel left out. This breeds discontent, anger and/or frustration. An adult learner usually has multiple challenges just to attend class and we need to adjust our teaching method not to put stumbling blocks in their path but to remove the blocks to make learning enjoyable, and involving for the student.
I know that students learning is affected by their tendencies and preferences. By getting to know the student as an individual I look for learning styles that will best help all the students. I can plan each class with various learning styles that will make them successful.
For me I believe that the various learning styles makes my class an environment for learning that will effect every student and makes me a better educator.
Hi Paul - Thanks for your post to the forum. My best trainers always make a point of trying to determine their audiences predominant styles before the session and then tailor their training accordingly. Usually they ask me questions about their trainees - what do they teach, what are their backgrounds? Their delivery for a group of humanities faculty will be different from the way they present to electronics faculty. Best wishes - Susan
