which are likely tobe favoured by, and therefore successful with, learners having different preferences and strengths.We should perhaps bear in mind, however, that the educational system in most countries,and particularly in the developed world, rewards and even requires learning and, in particular,successful learning outcomes in terms of examination passes,to be approached through language– more specifically, written language. This has ramifications for what goes on in classrooms.While teachers have a view to providing appropriate learning activities for a range of differentlearning styles,they must also have a clear grip on the fact that success in our current educationalclimate depends heavily upon reading and writing.Identifying learning stylesWe have seen that it is helpful for teachers to consider the learning styles of their pupils andfor them to incorporate what they discover into their approach to planning – at an individuallevel sometimes.There are formal tests and quizzes designed to identify learning styles and someschools make use of them.There are some examples available online and a simple search willunearth them. Naturally, each learning style ‘quiz’ or inventory will be designed to categoriselearners according to the theoretical position on learning styles taken by its creators. It is possibleto find formal ways of identifying learning styles to suit the preferred descriptions of learning
styles available, some of which we have considered earlier.There are also similar tests or quizzes
available to help in the identification of multiple intelligence strengths and preferences. Some
schools or individual teachers like to encourage their pupils to consider their particular learning
styles and some of the online quizzes are helpful at this level.
In some cases, teachers do not want to go as far as formally examining the learning styles of
a class, but would still like insight into an individual’s style in order to be able to understand better
how they are likely to function in learning situations. It appears that, at a simple level,it is possible
to pick up on some visual cues which give an idea of an individual’s style. Put simply, and as we
saw earlier, visual learners tend to look up (for a mental picture perhaps), auditory learners tend
to look to the side and kinaesthetic learners tend to look down.The reasons for this are not given
in any of the easily available sources, but it does seem, as a rule of thumb, to be useful.
There is a possible drawback to helping children to identify their particular learning style:
if a child is given a particular learning style label, it is possible that they will centre their learning
on this one approach to learning and even refuse to work in other modes. This would be
undesirable.When introducing the idea of learning styles to children, it is probably helpful to
stress the importance of being able to work and learn in different ways at different times and
for different purposes.A case – even a strong case – for encouraging children to develop ways
of learning that do not come easily to them can be made.
Summary
Individual learners have preferred ways of working, thinking and learning. If an individual’s
preferred approach to learning tasks is ignored in the ways that a teacher expects them to work,
there is a distinct possibility that their learning will not progress as efficiently and effectively as
it might.
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