Understanding the interconnection of' learning styles and students' personal developments can help educators better understand their students. Teaching and learning are shaped by students' behavioral and social factors, such as physical development, cognition, social interactions, motivation, and communication (Lucariello et al., 2016). A student's learning style refers to their preferred way of interpreting, processing, comprehending, and retaining information. The learning styles fall into three categories: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (2U, 2022). Therefore, a student's preferred method of learning has an influence on their behavior and academic performance.
Learning Styles Inventory & Analysis
Last week, I conducted a learning styles inventory with a small group consisting of four students. The students in the small group have been struggling to understand a priority math standard in our Decimal Fractions unit: 4.NF.6 - Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or 100. For example, rewrite 0.62 as 62/100 (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2022). The inventory included 15 questions for students to answer regarding how they learn best while at school and home.
After analyzing the results, I found that 3 out of 4 students are visual learners, while the remaining student is an auditory learner. Visual learners create mental images to retain information and have strong auditory skills. These students must be able to see their teacher's facial expressions, as well as verbal and non-verbal body language to best comprehend the content being taught (Anne Arundel County Public Schools, 2013). Visual learners benefit from Thinking Maps, charts, and graphs being used during instruction. In addition, color coding assignments and utilizing notebooks for visual organization can help visual learners better understand new content.
Auditory learners focus in on the speaker's tone of voice, speed, and expressions during instruction. These students may become distracted by minor noises, such as chewing gum or pencil tapping (2013).
Auditory learners may prefer sitting where they can hear their teacher or video audio best. To support auditory learners, the classroom teacher should read aloud to students, as well as orally repeat instructions more than once. Also, dramatically presenting content may motivate auditory learners more in their academics.
Adjusting Instruction
The gathered data from the learning styles inventory provides me with information specific to my students' individual needs. During my math small group instruction, I will have students use the manipulatives base-ten blocks and place value disks to visually see the similarities between fractions and decimals (visual learners). In addition, while manipulating the base-ten blocks and place value disks, I will speak each step aloud and with expression (auditory learner). I will ask my students questions that require them to verbally explain and/or represent their thinking hands-on.
Becoming aware of how my students learn best has allowed me to personalize and design my whole and small group lessons, as well as activities, with their needs in mind. Adding visual images to my direct instruction, circulating the room while teaching with expression, and engaging my class in discussions will support both my visual and auditory learners.
What About Assessments?
Addressing all learning styles while developing and implementing assessments is as important as adjusting instruction. Therefore, in addition to instruction, assessments can be differentiated. While developing an assessment, consider the needs of each learning style. Since each student is unique and learns in their own way, they should represent their knowledge in the way that best suits them. For example, visual learners can draw models to explain their answer to a question, while auditory learners could record themselves explaining their answer on a device.
References
2U. (2022). Types of learning styles. Teach.Com. https://teach.com/what/teachers-know/learning-styles/
Anne Arundel County Public Schools. (2013). The learning & behavior connection: A resource to enhance academic achievement through proactive behavior management. AACPS. https://www.aacps.org/cms/lib/MD02215556/Centricity/Domain/238/learningbehavior.pdf
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2022). Numbers and operations - fractions | common core state standards initiative. CoreStandards. http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/
Lucariello, J. M., Nastasi, B. K., Anderman, E. M., Dwyer, C., Ormiston, H., & Skiba, R. (2016). Science supports education: The behavioral research base for psychology’s top 20 principles for enhancing teaching and learning. Mind, Brain, and Education, 10(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12099
.png)
Comments
Post a Comment