Every student will need support at some point or another. Maybe they struggle with math. Maybe they have difficulty with reading. Whatever the problem area, educators must have the necessary tools to support them. Let's add to that toolbox and find supports for individual learning styles, then adapt and grow those supports to fit all student's needs.
As discussed in unit 1, each learner type has unique strengths and weaknesses. How can we support each type of learner to best meet their strengths?
Auditory learners retain information best when it's presented orally, or out loud. Lectures, group discussion, speaking, web chat, and talking things through is the best mode of instruction for this type of learner. These students have a tendency to think out loud and speak through a concept. Although it can be distracting to others, auditory learners may read out loud or repeat what a teacher has said to process what the directions are.
To support auditory learners, include time for discussion among peers or the class. Call and response or question-and-answer processes can also benefit auditory learners. In addition, auditory learners do well watching videos about a topic or listening to audiobooks and recordings.
Visual learners have a preference for seeing and research has suggested that visual learners convert words into images in the brain and vice versa. 1 With that in mind, supplying visual learners with the use of charts, tables, maps, diagrams, illustrations, and graphs can all help meet their needs. Students who are visual or spatial learners might draw, make lists or take notes in order to interact with and process information.
To support visual learners, try using whiteboards or projecting information onto a screen. Assignments that ask learners to make pictures or diagrams tend to do well. In addition, providing class notes or handouts that students can follow along with is a great way to integrate visual learning into your curriculum. Visual learners tend to have a tough time with lectures and could need more time to process information that they hear auditorily.
While similar to visual learners in that they learn best by seeing the information, reading/writing learners learn best when the information is displayed as words, rather than pictures. Activities that rely on manuals, reports, essays, and assignments are their area of strength. Given the opportunity, these learners will thrive when reading articles and writing in diaries or journals.
To support these students, allow them time for reading books and writing. They will usually do well when asked to write an essay or create a written project. While these students may not be as vocal as auditory learners, they can express themselves well with the written word. Try to give the reading/writing learners time to write their answers and work through their thoughts on paper.
Kinesthetic learners retain information best when they experience something. Activities that include moving, touching, and doing such as active exploration of the world, science projects, experiments, etc. are most effective for them. These students use their hands and bodies as learning tools. A kinesthetic learner may seem wiggly in the classroom and may be distracting to others. Students who are particularly good athletes or dancers may be kinesthetic learners because they are adept at following the directions of a game or a dance using their body.
To support these students, try to sit them on the edge or near the back of the class so they can move freely without concern of distracting others. Ask them to act out scenes from a book or use movement during the learning process. A kinesthetic learner can benefit by walking in place or pacing in a small area while trying to memorize facts. Additionally, when learning can be associated with movement of some kind, such as teaching vocabulary using the total physical response method, kinesthetic learners may retain that information more easily. The kinesthetic learner who connects with something physically can use that information to understand more abstract and theoretical concepts.
For a more in-depth example on how to combine multiple learning styles into a lesson plan, click the link below.
https://join.coolteachersonline.com/blogs/learning-styles/113684805-a-sample-lesson-plans-that-use-all-learning-styles
Reflect: What did you like about this lesson? Dislike? Is there anything you feel like you could incorporate into your own teaching?
To support multiple learning types at once, try some of the following activities.
For more examples of how to adapt instruction and support learners, watch the following video. Look for new and exciting ideas on how you can differentiate instruction in your classroom.
