Learning styles are simply the method of instructions that a person best learns information. There are four main learning styles, that are generally agreed upon : visual,auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. The grouping of these four categories is referred to as VARK in education theory. There are many other theories about dozens of learning styles and their uses in the classroom as well.
Students with visual learning styles absorb information best through visual tools such as images,maps,or diagram. These students may benefit from graphics organizer to relay typically text-heavy information into a visual format. Online education resource Teach.com notes that using visual aids for other media highlighting text in different colors or using symbols to replace ideas can help visual learners.
I personally recommend reading and writing learning styles, sometimes called “verbal,” it benefits most from writing notes or reading material. You just simply do outlines, charts, and other visual word maps ,they may help reading/writing to learners during visual or audio presentations.
One of the style that is -Kinesthetic, sometimes called “tactile,” learners do prefer the use of 3D aids and hands-on learning. Teach.com notes the benefits of problem solving puzzles to help for kinesthetic learners understand new concepts and lessons. Experiments are especially good teaching tools for kinesthetic learners.This styles works as a teacher.
Discovering how you learn best?
Although there is disagreement about what the roles learning styles should play in the classroom, it is beneficial to be able to identify the way you or a student learns best.
Apart from simple observation,teachers can use online resources to determine what learning style best fits individual students. We can take example like, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency’s online test at EducationPlanner.org asks 20 questions to show you what type of learner you are,then gives you actionable tips to make learning a little easier for yourself. The test may tell visual learners that they should use more flashcards and avoid busy study areas.
Apart from the traditional teaching tools and techniques such as graphic organizers and reading out-loud, technology presents a number of opportunities for people with different learning styles to adapt materials to the optimal media. Tablets, netbooks, and other mobile technology give students access to programs and apps in the classroom that fit their learning styles and they find it more interesting to learn with mobile ,tablet or laptop.
Bringing learning styles to the classroom
In addition to having video,audio, readings, word processors, and drawing software all at the fingertips, tech devices allow students to express in their desired media as well.
On a blog,teacher Kristi Meeuwse pointed to the example of having students share their vacation stories on a tablet. Some students made text-heavy photos eassays where they combined their pictures with description where others drew their experience in a purely visual media. Both method teach storytelling and narrative, but through varied learning styles.
Some teachers choose to overlap several learning styles for the same material to ensure different learners are taking in the material together and students are learning the same subjects in multiple ways.
Specific learningg styless and lesson plans focused on teaching with different styles have become a popular option for students with ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities
Learning is an important and personal experience for people of all ages. Years ago, there was an assumption that everyone learned new material the same way. But over, time, research has discovered rapidly there are actually many different learning styles and various ways that humans retains and process information.
Here comes a unique method for learning that is logical learning style, most of logical thinkers end up being engineers, mathematicians, or scientists. This is because they have a very unique mind of learning. They are the individuals who want to understand the reason behind content. They tend to enjoy brain teaser and games like chess.
You are a logical learner if you :-
You can learn something only when you understand the bigger picture. You must comprehend the logic, reasoning, and systems behind that concept behind.
Here is another unique method for learning:-
Social learning style :- Social learners are natural group workers. For students, these are the individual that seems to get involved in every extracurricular activities. For adults, they are the individuals that like to engage with others, work on teams, and ask their peers for feedback to learn.
So which learning style explains your learning? How can you build upon this knowledge? How will you choose instruction medium to match your style?