Auditory Visual Kinesthetic/tactile

What’s your Learning Style Lanelle Perry, MSN, CNS, PhD Auditory Visual Kinesthetic/tactile Chalk and Talk

What’s your Learning Style? • Objectives • At the end of this session the participant will be able to identify their learning style. • At the end of this session, the participant will be able to influence their peers by presenting a learning style in a short presentation.

What’s your Learning Style? • At the end of this session, the participant will be able to incorporate teaching strategies utilizing various learning styles in a presentation designed for preschool children.

Introduction • Learning styles is a concept which attempts to describe the methods by which people gain information about their environment. • People can learn through seeing (visually), hearing (auditory), and/or through touching or manipulating an object (kinesthetically or "hands-on" learning).

Introduction • Individuals are most effective when they are taught in their personal learning style There are three major types of learners: visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic. Most people have one for which they may be stronger or in have a likeness for.

Introduction • For example, looking at a picture book or reading a textbook involves learning through vision. Children observe every little facial expression you make to figure out how you are responding to him; listening to a lecture live or on tape involves learning through hearing. Children are sensitive to your voice tone and inflections.

If your voice is too firm or high in pitch, the child may sense you are angry or frustrated with him. Pressing buttons to determine how to operate a VCR involves learning kinesthetically. He'll be a wiggler, a toucher, and want to be close to another person whether that person wants it or not. (Edelson, 2000)

Introduction • Learning style may affect how well a person performs in an educational setting. Schools usually require both auditory learning (i.e., listening to a teacher) and visual learning (i.e., reading a textbook). • If a child is poor at one of these two ways of learning, he/she will likely depend mostly on his/her strength (e.g., a visual learner may study the textbook rather than rely on the lecture content). Using this logic, if one is poor at both visual and auditory learning, he/she may have difficulty in school. ( Edelson, 2000)

Introduction • You may realize that your students learn and process information in different ways, but can you describe what those differences are or improve the unique ways that they learn? For decades, education researchers designed models that differentiate how people learn, yet the results are often harder to understand than the people they describe. We will identify several models of learning styles. We will use one of the most widely used models developed by Richard Felder and Linda Silverman.

Introduction • Student learn in many different ways. It is essential to use a variety of learning styles, but teachers and trainers may not always present information & learning experiences in the ways that best suit students. • People may feel they are not good at learning when it may be just that they don't know their own learning styles. We will present a variety of learning styles and discuss the best use of them.

Introduction • When teachers know their student’s best way to learn, they can help the child learn more effectively. It is just as important for you to know your own learning style. • Teachers usually teach in their preferred learning style, which may be different from the student’s. This can be frustrating for both teacher and child.

Introduction • For example, imagine that you are a strong auditory learner and try to verbally explain the rules of baseball to your student who is more visual and really has to see the various moves in a diagram! • Even though we have a preferred learning style, we can still learn in other ways. People have varying degrees of preference - some are highly auditory, some are highly visual, some are highly kinesthetic-tactile (k-t), while others seem to have a moderate preference for all three styles of learning.

Introduction • Once a student's learning style is identified, then teaching to the child’s learning style will greatly increase the likelihood that the child will learn. • Teaching to the learning style of the child may make an impact on whether or not the child can attend to and process the information which is presented. This, in turn, can affect the child's performance in school as well as his/her behavior.

Introduction • Therefore, it is important to assess for learning styles as early as possible. Knowing your child's strengths will help you to communicate with him/her more effectively. • Sharing this information with the school system and the teachers will enable them in turn to adapt their teaching styles to match the strengths of your child rather than trying to adapt your child to their strengths.

Introduction • This will help to ensure that your student has the greatest chance for success in school. Taking time to discover learning styles preferences of students helps us focus attention on the challenges and opportunities of diverse classrooms. It forces teachers to acknowledge that relying solely on the traditional "chalk and talk" approach is just not as effective as other more interactive methods.

Sensory/Kinesthetic Learning Styles • Sensory/Intuitive Learners – Processes knowledge through physical sensations; highly active, not able to sit still long; communicates with body language and gestures. Shows you rather than tells you; needs to touch and feel world; good at mimicking others; likes scary amusement rides; naturally athletic and enjoys sports. Often labeled with attention deficient disorder.

MOTIVATING TIPS -- Physical action is the key ingredient to stimulating this student. While reading, let child chew gum, walk around, rock or ride stationary bicycle. Use numerous hands-on activities and experiments, art projects, nature walks or acting out stories. Sensors often like solving problems by well-established methods and dislike complications and surprises; intuitors like innovation and dislike repetition. Sensors are more likely than intuitors to resent being tested on material that has not been explicitly covered in class.

Sensory • Sensors tend to be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on (laboratory) work; intuitors may be better at grasping new concepts and are often more comfortable than sensors with abstractions and mathematical formulations.

Sensory • Sensors tend to be more practical and careful than intuitors; intuitors tend to work faster and to be more innovative than sensors. • Sensors don't like courses that have no apparent connection to the real world; intuitors don't like "plug-and-chug" courses that involve a lot of memorization and routine calculations.

Auditory/Reflective Learning Style • Auditory learners relate most effectively to the spoken word. They will tend to listen to a lecture, and then take notes afterwards, or rely on printed notes.

Auditory • Often information written down will have little meaning until it has been heard - it may help auditory learners to read written information out loud. For children who are auditory learners, it would benefit them to listen to recorders, the teacher, and videos.

Auditory Thinks in words, verbalizes concepts; spins tales and jokes; spells words accurately and easily. Can be a good reader or prefer the spoken word more; has excellent memory for names, dates and trivia; likes word games; enjoys using tape recorders and often musically talented. MOTIVATING TIPS -- Encourage creation of own word problems. Have child dictate a story to you and watch while you write it or type it out on a word processor -- then child can share it with you. Read aloud together and tape session for later playback. Consider purchasing some book/tape selections.

Auditory • If you act before you think you are apt to make hasty and potentially ill-informed judgments. You need to concentrate on summarizing situations, and taking time to sit by yourself to digest information you have been given before jumping in and discussing it with others.. • Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it--discussing or applying it or explaining it to others. Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first.

Auditory • "Let's try it out and see how it works" is an active learner's phrase; "Let's think it through first" is the reflective learner's response. • Active learners tend to like group work more than reflective learners, who prefer working alone. • Sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical but take notes is hard for both learning types, but particularly hard for active learners. This is why creative curriculum emphasizes play. Children learn through play.

Auditory • Everybody is active sometimes and reflective sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. • If you always act before reflecting you can jump into things prematurely and get into trouble, while if you spend too much time reflecting you may never get anything done.

How can active learners help themselves? • If you are an active learner in a class that allows little or no class time for discussion or problem-solving activities, you should try to compensate for these lacks when you study. Study in a group in which the members take turns explaining different topics to each other. Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the next test and figure out how you will answer. You will always retain information better if you find ways to do something with it.

How can reflective learners help themselves? If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information, you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don't simply read or memorize the material; stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications. You might find it helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but will enable you to retain the material more effectively.

Tips for helping the Active Learner Child First, this type child needs strong but patient teaching. Their inability to control impulses must be brought under the loving command of your authority. Remember this is more important than any academics you may or may not get done each day.Second, set up an environment that is quiet and clear of distractions. This will help your active learner to stay focused longer on their schoolwork. Establish a daily routine that delays the activities and subjects they like best until the afternoon as a reward for staying on task during the morning.

Give them short breaks after each subject is completed. Have them do something physical during this time – go outside, exercise or complete a daily chore. Spice up the routine regularly with variety: field trips, special projects or cooperative classes. Introduce an element of competition where possible; for example use computer programs, such as Math Blaster (Davidson), which have a game-like format and reward players for improving their scores in skill areas.

Tips for Helping the Active Learner Child Be tolerant of your active learner’s need to move around, lie on the floor or fidget while studying. Forcing him to sit still when it isn’t necessary means all his focus will be on this command, and he won’t be able to concentrate on the subject at hand. Be flexible. Tolerate the nonessential stuff. Fight the battles that really matter.Set short, achievable goals and immediately reward good attitudes and acceptable work. Incentive charts, stickers or special treats can all be motivational.

Visual/Verbal Learning Style • Visual learners relate most effectively to written information, notes, diagrams and pictures. • Typically they will be unhappy with a presentation where they are unable to take detailed notes - to an extent information does not exist for a visual learner unless it has been seen written down. This is why some visual learners will take notes even when they have printed course notes on the desk in front of them. Visual learners will tend to be most effective in written communication, symbol manipulation etc. Visual learners make up around 65% of the population.

Visual • Visual learners remember best what they see--pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words--written and spoken explanations. Everyone learns more when information is presented both visually and verbally. • In most college classes very little visual information is presented: students mainly listen to lectures and read material written on chalkboards and in textbooks and handouts. Unfortunately, most people are visual learners, which means that most students do not get nearly as much as they would if more visual presentation were used in class. Good learners are capable of processing information presented either visually or verbally.

Visual • How can visual learners help themselves? • If you are a visual learner, you will find it easy to learn through images; enjoys art and drawing; reads maps, charts and diagrams well; fascinated with machines and inventions; plays with legos; likes mazes and puzzles. Often accused of being a daydreamer in class. MOTIVATING TIPS -- Use board games and memory devices to create visual patterns. In reading suggest visual clues. Offer picture books of all types; encourage visualization of story and scenes at intervals. Promote writing via colored pens, computer or drawing.

How can verbal learners help themselves? Thinks in words, verbalizes concepts; spins tales and jokes; spells words accurately and easily. Can be a good reader or prefer the spoken word more; has excellent memory for names, dates and trivia; likes word games; enjoys using tape recorders and often musically talented. MOTIVATING TIPS -- Encourage creation of own word problems. Have child dictate a story to you and watch while you write it or type it out on a word processor -- then child can share it with you. Read aloud together and tape session for later playback. Consider purchasing some book/tape selections.

Tips for helping the Visual Learner Child When you can, write it down, or have the child write it – especially directions. Use illustrations, charts, diagrams, and slides to reinforce learning. For young children, making colorful sticker charts for chores or goals is very effective. Engage with your child face-to-face. Try not to talk to her from the other room – they needs eye contact.

Give them colored markers and highlighters. If they write letters in color, they are more likely to visualize the words and learn them. • Color code notes, toys, and other possessions. For instance, try giving the child a big red box for all of her red toys. • Provide a quiet place for them to read and study.

Characteristics of Visual Learning Styles • Flips through/reads books • Watches television with or without sound • Looks carefully at people and objects • Label reader • Highlights important words • Is good at spelling but forgets names.Needs quiet study time. Has to think awhile before understanding lecture. Is good at spelling. Likes colors & fashion. Dreams in color. Understands/likes charts. Is good with sign language.

Characteristics of Auditory Learning Styles • Taped books, study tapes • Home-made audio tapes • Group discussions • Review aloud with others • Likes to read to self out loud. • Is not afraid to speak in class. Chatterbox (thinks aloud) • Enjoys listening to music and stories • Reads aloud or moves lips • Finds phonics easy • Rehearses knowledge aloud • Likes to read to self out loud.

Is not afraid to speak in class. • Likes oral reports. • Is good at explaining. • Remembers names. • Notices sound effects in movies. • Enjoys music. • Reads slowly. • Is good at grammar and foreign language. • Follows spoken directions well. • Can’t keep quiet for long periods. • Enjoys acting, being on stage. • Is good in study groups.

Strategies for teaching Visual Learners • Flash cards/index cards • Pictures and diagrams • Color-coded subject folder • Organizational notebooks • Mind maps , charts, posters • Color-code by category • Time lines • Post-It notes

Strategies for Teaching Auditory Learners: • Taped books, study tapes • Home-made audio tapes • Group discussions • Review aloud with others • Explain maps/charts/posters • Define concepts aloud • Talk through word problems • Dramatic readings

Strategies for Teaching Kinesthetic Learners: • Real objects, manipulatives • Vary active/passive learning • 3D models, puzzles, games • Write in air, large board • Song, rhythm, mnemonics • Dramatize and act out • Real-life problems

Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learning Styles • Doers and Touchers • Opens and closes doors and drawers • Pushes buttons • Moves for video/audio tapes • Answer questions on the go • Your classic wiggle worm

Teaching Learning Styles • Create a lesson plan that utilizes learning styles that are the most effective for the: • Participant’s learning style • Partner’s/peer learning style • Identified student’s learning style

Teaching Learning Styles • Participant will be able to teach to peers utilizing 1-2 learning styles

Techniques for teaching students • Sit the student at the front of the class so there are fewer distractions. • Match the student to the teacher whenever there is a choice • Whenever possible, make your lesson multisensory. • Oral instruction • Have instructions available on tape • Use computers • Use tape recorders

Techniques for teaching students • Use calculators/electronic games • Use colored pencils/markers • Read questions aloud • Stress strengths over weaknesses • Draw pictures • Use overhead projector • Use videos/CDs

Summary • There are 3 basic learning styles, auditory, visual and kinesthetic. • We must consider the environment in which people learn best. While tradition tells us to have a quiet room, well lit with a straight back chair, some children learn best in a more chaotic environment. Loud music, laying on the bed, and a dimly lit environment may be the best study situation for others.

Trying different methods of learning may prevent the children from feeling frustrated and inadequate when they are not able to work up to their potential. Experimenting with different learning styles and environments may improve the child's accomplishments and feelings of achievement. Each learning style has identifiable characteristics. There are strategies to learning that teachers can employ. Teachers can use techniques that will assist students in learning.

We all recognize that children are different — some are quiet, some noisy; some are tall, some short; some are studious, some restless; some are courteous, some chronically disrespectful. • But we often overlook the fact that when it comes to learning, children are different too. Some respond well to verbal instruction, some need visual aids, and some have to involve their body in their learning.

Auditory Visual Kinesthetic/tactile