learning styles essay

learning styles essay

The Importance of Understanding Learning Styles

1. Introduction

There are several types of learning. The most common learning types are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learning is the most common type of learning style. An individual with this style learns best by seeing. This person will often use charts, graphs, or maps. The second learning style is auditory learning. This person learns best through listening. Many musicians or philosophers are auditory learners. The third learning style is kinesthetic learning. This person learns best through touch. This involves a discovery of things by doing them. Many laborers are kinesthetic learners. While these are the most common types of learning, there are many learning styles that each has a certain way these are done. Understanding learning styles can allow a person to learn more effectively because it can tailor a learning style to a specific type of learning.

The definition of learning is a complex task since people learn in different ways. It is not an easy task to find out how people learn best. A person’s learning style is the way a person is most comfortable learning. A person has a natural and unchangeable learning style and one’s learning style does not change over time. It is important to understand learning styles because it gives a person an insight on how to adapt to a new job or related task. By understanding learning styles, a person will recognize why he/she may become frustrated with a learning task and others will learn more effectively. Aristotle took note that “educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” It is important to adhere to a person’s learning style so that the heart is educated and there is success in educating the mind. By understanding learning styles, a teacher can accommodate all students in the classroom, and a person with a new job or task can excel in learning what that job or task entails.

2. The Different Types of Learning Styles

Each of these learning types uses one of the senses and is based on a model of how the brain processes information. Most people have a distinct preference for one of these styles of interacting with the world. A person’s natural learning style is a product of them using the associated hemisphere more effectively. This means that each person’s learning style is akin to left or right handedness in that it is something they are born with and does not change. The reliability of learning styles is measurable using testing.

Sensory input to the right hemisphere of the brain is mainly visual/spatial and verbal. The right hemisphere is more active in processing sensory information and in using creativity. It is responsible for feelings and intuits. The right hemisphere is also responsible for non-verbal communication. In comparison, the left hemisphere is more active in dealing with language and is responsible for understanding both spoken and written words. The left hemisphere is very linear and processes in a logical sequence.

This relates to the information about brain hemisphere theories:

Visual (spatial): You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding. Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music. Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both speech and writing. Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands, and sense of touch. Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning, and systems. Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people. Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

There are seven different types of learning styles, determined by the three most basic senses. These are:

3. How Learning Styles Impact Education

Mention the word education and immediately an image of a classroom comes to mind, together with a teacher writing questions on the board and students being abraded about their grades. It’s a rare occasion indeed, when one actually stops to think and ponder about the happenings and methods employed in these classrooms. Why are several students unable to perform up to their expected potential? Why are some of them disinterested and inattentive? Most importantly, what can be done to improve the current situation? Times are changing and so are the methods in which we impart knowledge. The same teaching method seldom gives the same result when tried on various students. This is because every student has a different method of perceiving and understanding information. These different methods are what are known as learning styles. According to research, there are about 71 learning styles. Learning styles are said to influence the way students learn, retain information and most importantly perform in tests and assignments. This occurs because certain learning styles are unable to function effectively with the teaching methods employed by the instructors. This topic has been the focal point of many researches and studies done over the past 30 years because educators are beginning to realize the importance learning styles have on the educational process. In a research carried out by Joy Reid, she was able to show the relationship between academic performance and learning styles among 175 college students. Her findings were consistent with many other studies i.e. students performed best when the teaching methods, assignment and test closely matched their learning styles. Studies such as these have led to the development of the VARK learning inventory and many other instruments that have been designed for diagnostic purposes. This has allowed teachers to identify the learning styles of their students and has provided them with a guide for the appropriate modifications that can be made to their teaching methods. This may include altering the environment of the classroom, using different resources and most importantly tailoring the curriculum to suit the needs of the students.

4. Strategies for Catering to Different Learning Styles

Activating sensory modes is important. For the visual learner, present maps, graphs, tables, and diagrams. Ask visual learners to imagine a visual image that can help them remember the information. Have them color code information and pictures. For the kinesthetic learner, have students move around and be involved with a “manipulative” of some sort. Ask them to use their imagination and picture themselves doing a lab or exploring. Photographs and detailed instructions work well for kinesthetic learners. For the auditory learner, have them restate information in their own words and repeat it out loud. Using a tape recorder might be a useful tool for an auditory learner to obtain a mental “replay” of the lesson. When first introducing something, a teacher might have the class listen to a selection on an audiotape. By effectively using these strategies, curriculum revision will no longer seem like a game of chance. Another activity teachers may want to employ would be typewriting a letter to a penpal on how to identify what style of learner they are and what strategies would work best for them. Students can use this as a guideline containing useful tips on study habits and memory devices. Having students develop a portfolio displaying a big picture of themselves, clips of their work, and reflections on their progress in working toward becoming independent learners can be a useful assessment. It is important when dealing with such diverse learners to stress understanding and respect for different learning styles. Finally, whether making seating arrangements, forming cooperative learning groups, or giving out various assignments, a teacher must always remember to reach all students. With the knowledge of different learning styles, a teacher can take the guesswork out of lesson planning and ensure its effectiveness.

5. Conclusion

It is important to provide an inclusive environment where all students are welcomed and part of the group. In understanding the learning styles, teachers can identify when it is most appropriate to adapt an activity or task to suit a certain student. This does not stereotype the student as we are providing an opportunity for them to be capable of working in all styles; however, it identifies how strengths can be used to lessen weaknesses.

In understanding the learning styles, we can give a quality inclusive education for all students. Special needs students often have specific learning styles. It is essential for their self-esteem and motivation to succeed in the mainstream classroom for the teacher to understand their learning style. Teachers may find that using multisensory teaching can benefit most special needs students (yet may also benefit other students).

Remember the importance of understanding the learning style for the tutors. Too often we teach in our default mode because it is in our comfort zone; however, in order to be effective, we need to teach in modes that suit the student’s learning style. We should use it as a guide to help both the student and ourselves. We should educate our students about the different learning styles and how they can be used in the future for study and career choices.