The Interventionist Blog
In all types of schools, teachers get to know their students over time and hopefully learn how their students learn best. We realize that not everyone learns in the same way and try to play on our students’ strengths in order to help them succeed. Some teachers choose to use a quiz like the ones found here to figure out their students’ learning styles quicker than they may be able to just pick up on them. http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-assessment Students who attend virtual schools have not only a teacher, but a learning coach who helps facilitate their learning. Because learning coaches are often parents or other adults who are close to the student, they have a unique perspective of the student. I hear many parents say things like, “He needs to hear it in order to pick up on it,” or, “She needs it laid out in front of her or she will not understand it.” Comments like these show that parents or other learning coaches already have an idea of their student’s learning style, even if that isn’t the terminology they have used to discuss it. Tuning in even more to that learning style can help your child become even more successful. In addition to knowing your student’s learning style, knowing your own can be helpful as well. The reason for this is that it is easy and even natural to choose methods that go along with your own learning style to teach something to someone else. We tend to lean toward our own learning styles when explaining something because this is the way things make most sense to us. Being able to tune in to your own learning style, your student’s learning style and knowing when to sway from one to another can help ensure success for your student. An interesting article that I read (Know Your Students- Identify Their Personal Learning Styles by Inge P. Cannon) explains and sums up the different learning styles as: · Lookers (technically termed visual/spatial learners) process information best when they see it. · Listeners (called auditory learners) are most efficient when they can hear information. · Movers (kinesthetic or tactile learners) function best when they can physically interact with information in a hands-on way. Here are a few study tips for working with “lookers”: · Use drawings or allow the learner to illustrate their ideas · Use charts, diagrams or mind maps · Avoid activities that rely solely on memorization Here are a few study tips for working with “listeners”: · Read things aloud and solve problems aloud · Eliminate noise distractions · Incorporate music, rhymes, rhythms into learning Here are a few study tips for working with “movers”: · Use objects such as legos or clay to reinforce the objective · Take frequent breaks · Allow movement while learning- standing, encourage whole body movement, walking, etc. So, don’t cramp your student’s style- embrace it! For more ideas to play on your student’s learning style, visit the following sites: https://www.hslda.org/earlyyears/LSChecklist.asp http://medicine.utah.edu/learningresources/tools/auditory.php http://medicine.utah.edu/learningresources/tools/visual.php http://medicine.utah.edu/learningresources/tools/tactile.php
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January 2017
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