| | | | | long-term projects. Seems to work well with organized |
| So much is made about the importance of learning | | | | lectures as part of their curriculum. |
| styles and teaching methods. Here is a simplified | | | | Style Four: is very social, maybe even a “social |
| breakdown of four basic learning styles and three | | | | butterfly” type thriving on personal interaction with |
| basic modalities and my personal experience in using | | | | many different people. Interested in people, ideas and |
| them. | | | | principles of a subject, not necessarily the events |
| *********************** | | | | themselves. Has to work at organization. They are |
| "Work smarter, not harder." | | | | often vulnerable to conflict and criticism. “Why” |
| *********************** | | | | is a very important question to them. |
| Various authors and researchers have come up with | | | | Those are the four basic learning styles, and I can tell |
| different names for the basic learning styles. In my | | | | you from experience with my own children, trying to |
| opinion, this can cause more confusion for the | | | | pigeon-hole or tag a child with only one label or style |
| layperson than it solves because terminology lacks | | | | just doesn’t work. However, finding out which style |
| standardization. The same basic learning style can | | | | is most dominant can help us to tailor activities so that |
| have four or five different names, depending on how | | | | the child can make the most of their learning |
| many different books you read. | | | | opportunities. |
| The bottom line is there appears to be four basic | | | | The modalities come into play when we try and figure |
| styles and three basic modalities. The styles | | | | out how to process the information for the learning |
| themselves read similar to personality traits and the | | | | style. The three most common are: |
| modalities are the ways that information is transported | | | | Visual: receives information best through visual |
| to the brain. While other styles and modalities appear in | | | | stimulation (i.e., pictures, diagrams, reading) |
| books and research, they are, more often than not, | | | | Kinesthetic: receives information best through touch |
| combinations of the basic styles and modalities listed | | | | and hands-on activities (i.e., craft projects, cuisenaire |
| below. | | | | rods, science labs) |
| Often a person will have some, but not necessarily all, | | | | Auditory: receives information best via “sound |
| of the traits from a learning style. In fact, it is not | | | | bytes” (i.e., lectures, songs, books on tape) |
| unusual for a person to display traits from more than | | | | Take each of your children and find out which style |
| one style. It’s also not unusual for a person to | | | | and which modality is the most dominant. After you |
| process information by more than one modality. | | | | have decided which learning style description appears |
| As parents or educators, all we really need is to | | | | to suit them best, and by which modality they process |
| realize that learning styles and modalities are tools; | | | | information best, you can go look for a curriculum or |
| tools that we can use to help our children process | | | | learning opportunities that will suit their individual needs. |
| information more efficiently. Have you ever heard the | | | | But don’t be surprised that what once worked |
| statement “work smarter, not harder”? This is | | | | “best” eventually no longer does. Children evolve |
| how we can use an understanding of learning styles. | | | | and change as they grow. It is a good idea to |
| To make things simple, I’m going to number each | | | | re-evaluate their style ever so often, especially if you |
| style. The number has no significance beyond | | | | begin to see that they are having difficulties or begin to |
| separating each definition. | | | | dislike a curriculum, resource, or activity that worked |
| Style One: learns by doing, doesn’t necessarily like | | | | well previously. |
| deep thinking, is spontaneous; often creative; does not | | | | On a personal level, I dislike labeling people. I have |
| like sitting still looking at books; prefers games, | | | | found that it can cause confusion and often lacks |
| competitions, short presentations. | | | | constructive results. However, understanding learning |
| Style Two: likes clear, structured, well organized tasks; | | | | styles and modalities, though at first glance a kind of |
| wants everything done in order; wants “just the | | | | label, has actually helped me deliver learning |
| facts not opinions, thank you.” Enjoys textbooks | | | | opportunities to my children more efficiently with more |
| and works well with traditionally styled curriculum; has | | | | constructive and long term results. While I may focus |
| to work at being creative, but it is not necessarily a | | | | our efforts on one style or modality, I try and include |
| chore; not naturally spontaneous, and tends to be | | | | activities that would suit other styles and modalities to |
| cautious. | | | | help my children expand their areas of interest and |
| Style Three: is a problem-solver, self-motivated, | | | | talents and to help them exercise areas where they |
| analyzes things, often prefers logical subjects like math | | | | need more development to balance out their skills. |
| and science; works well independently; enjoys | | | | |