Learning+Styles

RBloomfield1 A method of individualising our teaching which is interesting is through the use of Differentiation. It is an approach which offers a framework to address diversity in classrooms through:  proactively planning for individual students.  the use of a mixture of whole-class, small group and individual instruction.  responsiveness to individuals rather than “one size fits all”  Finding out what the children know and starting there  promoting mutual respect, individual growth, and shared responsibility for learning. [|www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/] In a classroom which is highly differentiated teachers use a variety of strategies to meet the individual needs of the students. These include:  Learning Profiles  Learning Contracts  Independent Study  Flexible Grouping  Learning Centres/Stations  Problem-Based Learning  Project-Based Learning  [|www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/] A first practical step towards differentiating a classroom is to look at your student learning modalities. Tomlinson, C.A. and McTigue, J. (2006) Learning modalities refer to the style learners use to concentrate on, process, and retain information, while multiple intelligences are the learners' biological potential and independent, diverse cognitive abilities. Howard Gardner suggests at least eight elements of multiple intelligences that provide finer distinctions among behaviours:  **Linguistic/Language:** learns by listening, reading, verbalizing, enjoys discussion.  **Logical/Mathematical:** thinks conceptually, uses clear reasoning, looks for abstract patterns and relationships.  **Musical:** thinks in tones, learns through rhythm and melody and notices nonverbal sounds in the environment.  **Spatial:** likes mazes and jigsaw puzzles, likes to build models, videos, diagrams and charts.  **Bodily kinaesthetic:** processes knowledge through bodily sensations, communicates through gestures, likes role playing, and physical activity.  **Interpersonal:** understands and cares about people, is the social child and learns from cooperative learning experiences.  **Intrapersonal:** enjoys working independently, appears to be self-motivated, and needs quiet space and time.  **Naturalist:** investigates, experiments, questions, and finds out the phenomena of the natural world, likes growing things. pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/learningmodalities.html- (Dr P Hutinger) Learning styles are usually categorised into - visual, auditory, kinaesthetic: Visual children tend to learn by watching and looking at:  pictures  Collage  Posters  Flow charts  Diagrams  Painting  Maps  Videos  Story maps  Timelines Auditory children tend to learn by being told, respond to verbal instructions, and may be easily distracted by noise  Audiotape  News broadcast  Speech  Debate  Lecture  Group discussion  Interview  Round table discussion  Book review  Teach others Those who respond to motor/kinaesthetic stimuli tend to be involved and active, would rather do than watch, and prefer 'hands on' projects.  A model  Performance of a dance  Sculpture  Diorama  Dramatization  Experiment  Role play  Display pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/learningmodalities.html - Dr. Hutinger, P

Teachers incorporating individual learning modalities into their classes is a good place to start with individualising the class program and the flexible and responsive approach of differentiation is an interesting way to incorporate a variety of teaching/learning methods in the classroom.  Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). //Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. Heatherton:Hawker Brownlow.// Websites  www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/006/188/8-27,%20James%20Bao.pdf Accessed 11/7/11  www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/learningmodalities.html Accessed 15/7/11