Learning Styles Analysis

By: Tanya Reyes

(Image retrieved from https://www.acer.org/files/CF_Dec17_2019.jpg)

The Whole Child

    Educators should be considering how to teach the whole child, a strategy which requires teachers to understand the connection between students' learning styles and all around development. Students experience increased motivation, a stronger identity, and more meaningful learning when teachers provide challenging work based off their interests, high expectations, ample support or differentiation, and opportunities to engage cognitively, emotionally, and socially in class (National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development [NCSEAD], 2019). Cognitive skills include the ability to focus and make connections between concepts, while physical skills support students' motor skills required in reading and writing. Social skills allow students to work effectively with others and resolve conflict, all of which require linguistic development in clear communication and effective reasoning (NCSEAD, 2019). Emotional skills like managing emotions and demonstrating empathy are critical to the teaching and learning process and child development (Lucariello et al., 2016). By seeking to understand the learning styles of the students and designing instruction around them, educators can support the development of the whole child. 

(Image created on Microsoft Word based on data collected from a classroom learning styles analysis - pseudonyms used to protect student identities)

Learning Styles' Effect on Instruction

    Educators should always be looking for potential barriers to entrance or participation in learning tasks that would prevent a child from developing adequately (Murawksi & Scott, 2019). Using results from a learning styles inventory like the example above, teachers can determine ways to support students' understanding through how they display content and design activities, as well as increase students' intrinsic motivation to learn by incorporating their interests and preferences into the instructional strategies. When teachers have sufficient understanding of students' assets, values, and culture, they can seamlessly make connections between their students' lives and the educational content (Colquitt et al., 2017). 

    By releasing some of the control and allowing more individualization, educators can strengthen students' self-autonomy while meeting unique needs (Colquitt et al., 2017). One way to support individualization and allow student choice is through tic-tac-toe boards or learning menus that can be used to provide differentiation for all learning styles within a single lesson (Murawski & Scott, 2019). Educators can teach the same content to an entire class, while providing a modifications for individual students through various tools, materials, or activities. For example, visual-spatial learners will benefit from the teacher providing a tool to visually display ideas such as thinking maps or graphic organizers (Murawski & Scott, 2019). Kinesthetic learners who require movement or tactical experiences would benefit from strategies like gallery walks or learning games involving competitive features and timers (Murawski & Scott, 2019). Additionally, students might having preferences on grouping arrangements. Those that are interpersonal should have opportunities to work with partners or in a small group setting to support their learning through interactions, while those who are intrapersonal should be allowed quiet corners to decompress or time to self-reflect independently (Murawski & Scott, 2019).

Evaluation of Strengths, Interests, and Needs

    Teachers can glean valuable information through informal observations of students within the classroom and on the playground or in the cafeteria. Additionally, educators can evaluate students' interests and perceived strengths and needs through a survey requiring students to determine the appropriate face for the emotion they feel about each statement given. Some example statements for elementary age students might include:

• I like to work with others.
• I like to learn in a quiet place.
• I can sit still for a long time.
• I can remember songs well.
• I love to play video games.

       The information gained from these evaluations can be used to support differentiation of content, process, product, and grouping. Teachers can support transfer of knowledge by building on students' strengths and offering specific learning tools that promote student-centered education (Balakrishnan, 2017). For example, independent learners can demonstrate learning with tools that allow them to work at their own pace. Students who are skilled speakers can use recording tools and social media-like platforms to share their ideas orally before transferring them to a written format (Balakrishnan, 2017). Artistic students can sketch and create works of art that represent the content before elaborating on it in a written or spoken format. By incorporating students' strengths and interests into the learning process, teachers can motivate students and promote greater academic success.

    Furthermore, educators can utilize the data to create accurate grouping arrangements for seating charts, projects, or small group remediation. Grouping structures should be fluid and flexible depending on the subject-area and task. For some activities, heterogeneous groups may be best, while for other activities, homogeneous groups may be more effective. In addition, students requiring reteach may vary depending on the subject-area and educators should be prepared to alter their small groups frequently as students develop and work towards their goals. 

Assessments

    Learning styles should not only inform instruction, but also support the creation of appropriate assessments. Differentiated instruction requires educators to determine and monitor student readiness and progress through diagnostic pre-tests, formative assessments, and culminating summative assessments (Colquitt et al., 2017). Teachers can use the pre-test data to determine students' strengths, needs, misconceptions, and current levels of understanding. This data can support teachers in guiding students to create short-term, specific, and attainable personal learning goals, as well as developing formative and summative assessments based on students' abilities (Lucariello et. al, 2016). Formative assessments should be used to monitor progress towards these learning targets and inform teachers' upcoming instruction. Teachers can match the quiz format to each student whether they are drawing a diagram, giving a speech, building a model, or writing a paragraph. As long as educators keep the learning objective in mind, they can allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in any way that meets the objective. Educators can provide students with various options of tasks or even allow students to develop their own idea and get it approved by the teacher before beginning. 

References

Colquitt, G., Pritchard, T., Johnson, C., & McCollum, S. (2017). Differentiating instruction in physical education: Personalization of learning. JOPERD: The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 88(7), 44–50. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/07303084.2017.1340205 

Balakrishnan, V. (2017). Book2U and students' learning styles: The effect of learning styles on intention to use a social media-enabled tool. Universal Access in the Information Society, 16(2), 325-335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-016-0460-5 

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 & Education, 10(1), 55–67. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/mbe.12099 

Murawski, W. W., & Scott, K. L. (2019). What really works with universal design for learning. SAGE Publications. 

National commission on social, emotional, and academic development. (2019, March 15). From a nation at risk to a nation at hope. NationatHope.org. http://nationathope.org/report-from-the-nation/