Association of Texas Professional Educators

Home  |  Resources  |  ATPE News  |  Summer 2010  |  In the Classroom

In the Classroom

The elements of learning style

You can make it work for classroom success

By Kris Childers, professional development coordinator

Howard Gardner rocked the world of education in 1983 when he proposed the theory of multiple intelligences. In short, Gardner identified several different “intelligences” that humans possess. Examples include musical intelligence (which includes the ability to recognize and manipulate patterns) and intrapersonal intelligence (the capacity to understand oneself).

Gardner isn’t the only researcher to put forth ideas on intelligence and learning styles. Educators are familiar with the concept of left- or right-brain dominance, which holds that the left hemisphere of the brain specializes in logic and order, while the right hemisphere governs abstract thought and emotional responses.

One theory prevalent in many educational institutions today is Neil Fleming’s VARK model. According to this model, there are four primary types of learners: visual, aural/auditory, read/write and kinesthetic. (Learn more and take a quiz to determine what type of learner you are at www.vark-learn.com.)

Visual learners
Visual learners learn by seeing; they associate concepts with pictures. You can explain something to them over and over, but until they actually see what you are teaching with their own eyes, they might not completely understand. According to the University of Illinois Extension, 40 percent of secondary students fall into this category.

With visual learners, try:

• Mind mapping or concept webbing.
• Drawing diagrams.
• Creating mental pictures using visual imagery.
• Using flash cards to rewrite assigned reading, notes or others’ ideas in their own words.

Aural/auditory learners
Other students are better able to learn through listening. These auditory learners need to hear oral directions or explanations of concepts. The University of Illinois Extension notes that although only 10 percent of secondary students are auditory learners, 80 percent of instruction is delivered orally.

Aural/auditory learners respond to:

• Working in small cooperative groups.
• Taping lessons for later review.
• Reading out loud to themselves.
• Tutoring other students to reinforce knowledge.

Read/write learners
Read/write learners do just that: They prefer to learn through information that is conveyed through words. They learn best through reading and writing in all forms—lists, Web pages, PowerPoint presentations, dictionaries, etc.

Read/write learners learn by:

• Studying handouts that include lists, headings and glossaries.
• Taking notes.
• Turning diagrams into statements.
• Organizing information into hierarchical lists.

Kinesthetic learners
Movement and experience are important for kinesthetic learners; they need to have concrete examples or to simulate situations to understand information. Ideally, these learners should be actively involved in every step of the learning process and have a chance to learn concepts in a practical environment.

With kinesthetic learners, try:

• Taking field trips.
• Role playing.
• Repeating answers while doing something with the body (such as exercising).
• Associating concepts with actions (e.g., quietly tapping fingers while reciting concepts).

Your preferences matter, too
Be sure to also take some time to examine your own learning style. How you best learn and take in information has an impact on the way you, as the instructor, choose to convey subject matter. For instance, if your first instinct is to choose a hands-on activity to emphasize a concept, you could supplement the activity with a handout that contains written and graphic explanations of the information in order to help students who are read/write and visual learners.

Once you have helped students identify their learning styles, you can assist them in forming study habits that complement their preferences. By offering students choices in assignments, you can implement a curriculum that works for all learning styles.

Resources for learning more
If you are interested in learning more about VARK and other theories of learning style, look for these works:

• Teaching Around the 4MAT Cycle: Designing Instruction for Diverse Learners with Diverse Learning Styles by Bernice McCarthy and Dennis McCarthy.
• Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development by David Kolb.
• Psychological Types by Carl Jung.
• People Types and Tiger Stripes: Using Psychological Type to Help Students Discover Their Unique Potential by Gordon Lawrence.
• A Teacher’s Guide to Multisensory Learning: Improving Literacy by Engaging the Senses by Lawrence Baines.
• Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong.

BOOK REVIEW: Connect with the teacher within

Members participating in the ATPE Book Circle, ATPE’s newest online continuing professional education (CPE) opportunity, recently finished their first book: Parker J. Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. (Read more about the ATPE Book Circle.)

Now available in a 10th-anniversary edition, this inspirational book is jam-packed with ideas for moving past the negative aspects of the education system so both student and teacher have a meaningful experience. Palmer suggests that educators employ strategies such as engaging in professional learning through community (both in and out of the classroom) as well as facing up to fears that haunt educators and students. Although he argues that “good teaching is always and essentially communal,” Palmer consistently returns to his central premise—that “good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.”

Palmer illustrates his philosophy with anecdotes from his own teaching career, and he encourages readers to challenge themselves by examining their own teaching styles and finding ways to implement his strategies for a happier and more successful career in education. In Palmer’s words: “Teachers possess the power to create conditions that can help students learn a great deal—or keep them from learning much at all. Teaching is the intentional act of creating those conditions, and good teaching requires that we understand the inner sources of both the intent and the act.”

ATPE NEWS POLL

Based on the terms used in Neil Fleming’s VARK model of learning styles, which type of learner do you encounter most often in your classroom?
a. Visual
b. Aural/auditory
c. Read/write
d. Kinesthetic

Cast your vote, and then discuss your opinion in the ATPE Idea Exchange, an online community where veteran educators share ideas with their newest colleagues.