Learning Styles Analysis

Visual	4	2	6	8
Auditory	3	7	4	2
Tactile/Kinesthetic	5	7	3	3
	Martha	Mary	Moses	Rebecca

 

            A learning style inventory was given to four students in a third-grade mathematics classroom. The learning style inventory was chosen based on its child-friendly language and quantity of questions that were asked. Along with the question count being reasonable for eight- to nine-year-old students, the examples were relatable. The chose students were given the inventory and told to put a check next to the area they felt described them. Each learning style had ten questions to analyze how the student learned. Once students answered the ten questions, they were to count the check marks and write it at the bottom of that section. Above is the chart showing the results for each student in each category.

            Of the four students tested, one of the students identified as a tactile/ kinesthetic learner with a close visual learning preference. Mary identified as a multi-sensory learner, with a strong preference in both auditory and tactile/kinesthetic learning styles. Moses and Rebecca both identified as strong visual learners. When planning lessons for students, it is important to determine the way the learn best. By doing so, material and skills can be presented in a way that the student is able to identify with best and relate to the content. Along with helping to present academic content, knowing a students learning style helps to teach them adaptive skills. Adaptive skills are the skills humans use and perform in their daily lives and are sorted into the three categories: social, practical, and conceptual (Murawski, W. & Scott, K., 2019). When planning a lesson, it is important that not only is material presented in a way that connects to the students’ learning style, but that it also works to develop the three areas of adaptive skills that every human needs to develop. Some of these skills may be easier than others to develop based on the students learning style. Auditory learners would show a higher ability to develop social skills, while practical skills may be developed easier by tactile learners. Students who are visual learners may find it easier to develop conceptual skills than a tactile learner.

            The first step to planning is to identify what type of adaptive skill is being addressed. Teachers have to ask themselves if the students learning a concept or skill that can be easily seen in the world, or is it more abstract and needs to visualize rather than seen. Once a teacher identifies the adaptive behavior category, they can then begin to plan activities and strategies to allow students with non-complimentary learning styles ways to interact with the ideas and skills in a way that they learn best. Using the students in the chart above, Martha would struggle most with a topic that was categorized as a conceptual skill. Martha benefits from physical interaction with the ideas she is learning. Moses and Rebecca, however, would do better with a conceptual skill, but may need extra support with a practical skill. They would need the opportunity to discuss and watch how to complete certain physical tasks. Mary would benefit from both hearing and talking about the steps to a process, while also physically completing the steps. Like Martha, Mary would benefit from having conceptual ideas presented in a physical way.

            Long-term knowledge come from practice of a skill until mastered (Lucariello, J. M., Nastasi, B. K., 2016). When I start planning a lesson, I would begin by presenting the new skill or idea in as many ways as possible. I would then take inventory of my students learning styles, especially my struggling students, and I would spend the remainder off he time presenting information in the mostly used learning styles. This would include manipulatives, songs, and anchor charts or other visual models. I would then use my small group time to address specific areas of concern and allow students to present their answers in a way they choose. Along with providing a variety of strategies for students to practice their work, it is important to offer students a choice to show what they know.

            All humans prefer ways to learn material. Keeping this in mind when planning lessons and assessments will help students master their adaptive behavior, and will help students become more successful in their academic learning also (Murawsky, W. & Scott, K., 2019).

 

References

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.1209

Murawsky, W., & Scott, K. (2019). What Really Works With Universal Design for Learning? Corwin Press.