2. Objectives Trainees will: Become more familiar with the main theories of learning styles relevant in schools today. Understand how they might impact on planning and development as a classroom practitioner. Become aware of the complexities and subtleties of learning style theories.
4. Learning styles can be classified in many different ways: They are the overall patterns that provide direction to learning and teaching. A set of factors, behaviours and attitudes that facilitate learning for an individual in a given situation. The process by which people perceive and process information. It is individual. Styles influence: How students learn How teachers teach How the two interact
5. Definition of learning styles How do you like to learn something new? Learn by listening to somebody explain? Learn by reading? Learn by seeing a demonstration?
6. Fun and games Find a partner Sit back to back One person has a picture The other person a plain piece of paper and a pencil The person who has the picture describes it to the person with paper and pencil The person with paper and pencil draws what the person with the picture describes to them You have five minutes …….
12. We all learn in different ways .. Some of us are visual and remember what we see - learn by looking so remember pictures, words and what we see Some of us are auditory and remember what we hear – learn by listening so remember sounds, discussion and what we hear Some of us are kinesthetic and remember what we touch and feel well – learn by doing so remember action/hands on learning activities
13. Left brained? Right brained ? Words, reading, language Numbers Logical, ordered Makes plans Likes facts Follows rules Tidy, organised On time Prefers black and white statistics Art and being creative Needs big picture Takes risks Music rhyme and rhythm, movement Has ideas Imagines, role-play Disorganised Prefers pictures Some prefer to use the left side when learning, some prefer to use the right
14. Each person has certain tendencies towards a particular style. These can be influenced by culture, personal experiences, maturity level and development.
15. BUT although we tend to have a ‘fast lane’ – a sense we prefer to use - we learn best when all three are engaged.
16. Brain Gym These exercises are designed to synthesize the visual, auditory and motor skills In other words get the right side and the left side of the brain working together
17. Questionnaire What sort of learner are you? (go to corners of room , aesthetic, visual, kinaesthetic, discuss why chose that learning style. Given questionnaire at tables. Group discussion are you surprised by the results?) Gemma’s bit
19. To learn we also need : To be in a happy, safe, secure environment To drink water To have breakfast and a healthy diet To have enough sleep To have oxygen To have no worries/stress/baggage
20. Just a thought, should we hand out some biscuits at this point …. And have a couple of bottles of water ??? Ready for the group discussion ……
21. Group discussion Based on the learning styles you have just used, how would you integrate these into the classroom in different subject areas? (A3 sheet paper, marker pens, brainstorm ideas. Give each group one subject area) (Gemma)
24. Learning and the Senses Effective teaching usually combines several approaches, or multi-sensory instruction, so the child uses more than one sense at a time while learning. Multi-sensory approaches work well because of the way our brain is organized. When we learn, information takes one path into our brain when we use our eyes, another when we use our ears, and a yet a third when we use our hands. By using more than one sense we bombard our brain with the new information in multiple ways. As a result we learn better. Rief(1993) says that students retain: 10% of what they read 20% of what they hear 30% of what they see 50% of what they see and hear 70% of what they say 90% of what they say and do
25. History (handout possibly?) 1904 Alfred Binet (French psychologist) developed first intelligence test. 1907 Dr Maria Montessori invented the Montessori method of education. She began using materials to enhance the learning styles of her students. Believed that students demonstrate mastery through their actions. 1950 – 1970 The study of learning styles declined for around fifty years due to the emphasis on IQ and academic achievement. 1956 Blooms Taxonomy (Benjamin Bloom) a step towards defining learning style differences. 1962 Isabel Myers-Briggs and Katherine Briggs developed Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) 1976 Dunn and Dunn learning style model was introduced, generating diagnostic instruments for evaluation. 1984 David Kolb developed learning style that believed learning skills are closely related to cognitive skills. 1990’s Emphasis placed on teachers addressing learning styles through curriculum adjustments that include each style. Allowing each student equal chance to learn. Stuff that tonia has put together for handout
