When dissecting learning using the more physical approach (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic style) I have to say that I am a mix between all three style with a large emphasis on visual and secondly on auditory. When looking back on college and reflecting on my different professors, I can say that the least effective teaching was listening to a monotone profession talk for 50 minutes without a PowerPoint or any visuals to help. The most effective professors were ones that had great visual aids to guide you through their engaging lectures and then demonstrations or examples of what their expectations were for the homework or problem. Do I enjoy to read? Not really. But, do I learn best by watching and listening to a professor or video and taking notes, absolutely. But if the professor is monotone and disengaging, with no visual stimulation, then I'm done. So what does that make me? A hybrid? A visitory learner?
I knew kids that would show up on the day of a test and Ace it having never set foot in the room prior to that. Now, this was either because they were geniuses...(doubtful) or the fact that they could learn what they needed to know by simply reading the book. That ain't me! I benefited tremendously from going to lecture, doing the homework, and holding group study sessions.
I think teaching strategies need to be picked in conjunction with what content you are covering. It doesn't make much sense to simply talk about "evidence of chemical changes" without having the kids get in there and create some of their own chemical changes. but it also doesn't do much good to have the students create 3D sculptures of the layers of earth because that concept is better taught showing images and videos.
As long as teachers don't forget that kids learn in different ways, we will continue to try and incorporate each learning style into everything we teach.
Instead of focusing our energy on differentiating each lesson, we should instead focus on differentiating each "topic/unit". For example, if it's going to take a week to cover plate tectonics, then within that week, I need to create lessons, assignments, and discussions that allow each learning style to succeed in learning the information. Does that mean that I need to touch each learning style everyday? No. But instead, touch each of them throughout the unit. I also believe giving students choices within assignments also lends itself to be helpful for each student and their different learning styles. Within an assignment, allowing a student to choose how they wish to complete the assignment will yield greater results than forcing them to stick to one style of your choosing.
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I think you are on the right, when you mentioned that it is best to teach to all learning styles during the course of an instructional unit. If a teacher provides a variety of activities in different learning styles throughout the year. The student is exposed to learning activities that address both their strong and not so strong ones. Right now, I'm working on an RTI model for a couple of my students, using learning styles and multiple intelligences. Here is a link to a pdf to a document I compiled that covers both learning styles and MI strategies that can be used with students https://www.msu.edu/~wrigh126/MI and Learning Styles.pdf Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone is going to benefit from a monotone professor! I think I must have pretty lucky because I think most of mine were pretty entertaining. Because of the disciplines I was in, my classes were really small and you got to know all the profs and pretty much your classmates. I did horrible in big lecture classes because they were so impersonal. You are right, people would come in just to take the test.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct that you need to provide a variety to your students. What I like to see is when students come out of their safe space and try something different. I would highly recommend that teachers are truly differentiating and using UDl encourage students to try writing for a project if they are always choosing to express themselves by podcasting or a PP. Or vice versa. The problem is when teachers just give worksheets and then a test on Friday. Only those who like to read and regurgitate are good at that!