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Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles

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Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Visual Learning Style: Strategies & Activities
There are four main student learning styles: auditory, kinesthetic, read/write, and visual.
Auditory learners learn new material by listening to content and engaging in conversations with
teachers and other students. Listening, discussions of course content, and teaching fellow
students lesson content can help auditory learners understand and learn the new course material.
By contrast, kinesthetic students prefer hands-on learning experiences that help them understand
new content. Hands-on exercises and projects provide kinesthetic students with direct experience
utilizing and implementing the concepts learned in class. This can be especially helpful for
students in science classes, where experiments can help a kinesthetic learner to gain first-hand
experience with different topics.
Reading/writing students have strong reading and writing skills. This makes them best able to
learn the material through words, whether from textbooks or notes. Similar to visual learners, the
reading/writing learning style focuses on note-taking and using textbooks to aid in learning new
materials.
The visual learning style focuses on using images and diagrams that facilitate the
comprehension and understanding of new information using sight. Sometimes referred to
as spatial learning, the visual learning style emphasizes using sight as the primary tool for
understanding and memorizing course materials. Like the reading/write learning style, visual
learners are highly organized and prefer note-taking.
There are a variety of other characteristics associated with visual learners. Some of these
characteristics include:
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Relying upon body language and facial expressions to understand the material when
sitting in a class lecture
Reliance upon pictures and videos to help focus on important information
Tendency towards daydreaming when confronted with boring information
The need to visualize words and other information when memorizing course materials
Tendency towards being highly organized
Ability to identify visual patterns
Based on studies of different learning styles, visual learners can memorize up to 75% of all
materials that can be visualized. Because of the emphasis on sight, visual learners can be easily
distracted by sounds. Therefore, a majority of visual learners prefer studying in quiet places. Due
to their highly imaginative natures, visual learners often perform well on exams due to their
ability to visualize the location of information in their notes.
Visual Learner Study Methods
Because of the importance of sight in the visual learning style, researchers have naturally
discovered that the study methods best suited for this group of students should focus on
presenting course materials in a visually appealing and colorful manner.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Some of the best visual learner study methods include:
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The use of colored pencils and highlighters to bring attention to important information
when taking notes
Color-coding course materials by subject to organize class notes
Creating mind maps when brainstorming and/or outlining information
Hand drawing charts, tables, and pictures when taking notes in class
Sitting close to the front of the classroom to see the teacher/professor better and any
learning materials presented via slides or on a chalkboard
Incorporate visual aids when studying, such as flashcards, videos, or pictures
Use outlines to organize notes by concept or topic
Replace words in notes with visual symbols to help engage the mind when studying
Watch videos on course topics rather in addition to the use of textbooks
Keep track of homework and projects by creating lists that can be easily viewed and
checked off as tasks are completed
How to Teach Visual Learners
Many tips are available for teachers and other instructors wanting to know how to teach visual
learners. Lectures represent an inevitable component of the classroom learning experience.
However, there are many opportunities for instructors to include more visual content to help
visual learners in the classroom.
Multimedia techniques involving the use of PowerPoint slides, videos, pictures, and
whiteboards/chalkboards can help sustain visual learners' interest. Sometimes, the distribution of
handouts emphasizing the important terminology, concepts, and topics in a lesson can also be
helpful.
Visual learning strategies often include kinesthetic components, such as hands-on experiments or
projects. Interspersing long lectures with quick hands-on activities can prove useful for both
visual and kinesthetic learners by helping to refocus the attention of students on important
concepts in a lesson. Since hands-on activities typically involve a visual component, these types
of exercises will prove useful for students in memorizing and understanding new content.
Simply writing down key concepts or terminology on a whiteboard or chalkboard can also prove
useful for visual learners. Because this will provide a visual component to teaching during
lectures, incorporating the whiteboard or chalkboard can help students remain attentive in class.
Moreover, this teaching method can help visual learners take class notes.
Teachers can also encourage visual learners to organize their course materials using colored
folders. Students can use a different color for each class to help students keep track of
assignments that need to be completed. This will further aid students prone to misplacing their
worksheets or homework when taking multiple courses.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Study Tips for Visual Learners
Based on the research on the various learning styles, there are a variety of available study tips for
visual learners.
First of all, organization is important for visual learners. Therefore, using color-coordinated
folders can help students organize their course materials. Organization can extend into the
process of note-taking. Using outlines to help organize information by topic is an excellent way
to manage course notes visually.
In conjunction with organization, the use of to-do lists is helpful in the visual learning style, as
the ability to check-off completed tasks represents a visual reward for visual learners.
Mind maps are also an important tool for visual learners. Mind maps use diagrams to help
organize information into categories and can be useful for visual learners who can easily
memorize information when presented in the form of pictures, symbols, and charts.
An example of a mind map.
Lesson Summary
The visual learning style represent one of four learning styles identified in students. Visual
learners rely upon using images, diagrams, charts, and symbols to help learn new information.
Students who are visual learners tend to be highly organized and have a preference for notetaking. When taking notes in class, visual learners might use colored pens or markers, colored
paper, and mind maps to help organize information. Sometimes, when reading textbooks
becomes overwhelming for visual learners, the student can create an outline of the textbook's
content, use highlighters to color-code related topics, and draw a mind map of the chapter.
There are many methods that teachers can use as well to assist visual learners in the classroom.
For example, teachers can help students who misplace their course materials by using a different
colored folder for each course. Another way for teachers to keep visual learners' attention is to
write on the chalkboard during lectures. Moreover, rather than relying upon lecture or note
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
memorization, teachers can be more accommodating to visual learning by providing time to use
hands-on projects throughout the lecture.
Auditory/Musical Learning Style: Characteristics &
Strategies
Tell Me About It
Do you remember someone's name better if you see it or if you hear it? Aural learners will pick up
on a name better by hearing someone introduce themselves rather than by reading a ''Hello, my
name is…'' tag.
This same style shows up in the classroom too. If you're an aural learner, it may come naturally to
you to teach this way. If you're not, this could all seem foreign to you, and you may need strategies
to give students what they need to learn their best. This lesson identifies the characteristics of aural
learners and how to support students that tend toward this auditory/musical learning style.
Thinking Out Loud
Have you ever heard someone think out loud or desire to talk through a problem? Maybe you
occasionally hear a family member in the other room saying, ''Why did I come in here again?'' or
maybe you say this yourself.
Thinking through a problem out loud is just one way many of us sort through what we learn by
hearing the information. Aural learners value this process even more because their primary mode of
learning is through listening or hearing themselves speak. Students with this preference are more
apt to follow instructions they hear or to recall information that has been provided to them verbally.
It may help to remember the term auditory by thinking of how ''audio'' is what you hear.
This style overlaps with one known as the verbal/linguistic learning style. Verbal learners could
read F. Scott Fitzgerald's ''The Great Gatsby'' silently to themselves or hear it read aloud and
remember the information either way. For the auditory learner, on the other hand, the spoken word
is much more powerful. If they hear ''The Great Gatsby'' read aloud in class, they are much more
likely to remember it.
Musical Aptitude
It's not just the spoken word that appeals to aural learners. Do you have that friend who can
remember every word of their favorite song or can hum the tune from start to finish? Those with
this style often have a knack for remembering music and rhythm to a larger extent than the rest of
us. They may also be more prone to notice a great variety of sounds in their environment.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Spoken Languages
Another area where an aural learner has an edge is learning languages. These students have a
greater likelihood of picking up the nuances in a tonal language such as many of the languages of
Southeast Asia and Africa. Imagine, for instance, that you are trying to hear the difference in the
way a native speaker pronounces a word that is written the same but has different meanings based
on tone. Whenever possible, expose students to areas like these where their auditory style can
benefit them.
Background Noise
Whose cell phone is ringing? An aural learner is more likely to remember which ring tone belongs to
which person. Nuances in sounds may be more noticeable to these students. Irrelevant background
noises can be very distracting to this style so a quiet environment may help them focus. On the flip
side, some aural learners benefit from some sounds in the background, such as music while reading
or studying.
Classroom Tips for Supporting Aural Learners
In order to better support those in your class who are aural learners, recognize that written
information will not have the same impact as what the learner hears. If it's possible, allow students
to read instructions or problems aloud. When this isn't possible in class (because, yes, this could be
a little distracting!), encourage students to do this when working on homework in other settings.
Lectures and discussion groups in class are a good fit for most aural learners, while pure quiet time
may be the hardest. When studying for an exam, a student may benefit from verbally exchanging
information with another student. If allowed, a student can record information to listen to again
later.
Although they are also visual, videos can be a great source of auditory information. If the visuals are
distracting, a student should aim to find videos that are primarily focused on the audio rather than
images. Encourage aural learners to make use of their propensity for music and rhythm by coming
up with songs that cover material needing memorization, even when this might seem silly at first.
Lesson Summary
Those with an auditory/musical learning style learn best from what they hear. Whether it's
listening to their own voice speaking out loud, listening to another person, or listening to music,
aural learners absorb information through sound. Students with this style can be encouraged to
transform written material into the spoken word. They may also have significant abilities in second
language acquisition and be musically gifted. Aural learners may even create songs or rhythms to
help them remember material.
Verbal/Linguistic Learning Style: Characteristics &
Strategies
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Verbal Learning Style
The verbal learning style is one of many learning styles recognized by researchers and teachers.
Verbal learners get their name for their superior ability to learn and recall information gathered
through the words that they hear. However, they also excel at activities involving the written word
and are often excellent authors. So, despite their name, verbal learners have an edge when the
content includes written and spoken words. This makes them different from auditory learners, who
learn through hearing in general, not just hearing words. For that reason, theorists often call the
verbal learning style the verbal-linguistic learning style.
The verbal learning style was first defined in the 1960s. It forms one of eight learning styles drawn
up by Howard Gardner. Gardner's theories have led teachers to modify their instruction strategies
in order to best meet the learning needs of different students. They are now widely recognized by
both educators and the general population.
Verbal Learning Style Characteristics
Verbal learning style characteristics have been studied for decades. Researchers agree that verbal
learners share many traits. Among those traits are the following Memory - verbal learners have a solid memory and can recall spoken information exceptionally well.
Vocabulary - due to their fascination with language, verbal learners have large vocabularies.
Hobbies - as may be expected, verbal learners enjoy activities that rely on language skills. Thus,
they may take up speech or theater, read books, or games like Scrabble.
Abilities - verbal learners often excel in arts such as poetry and writing. Moreover, they often are the
most highly attuned to grammatical intricacies. On the other hand, verbal learners may struggle with
hand-eye coordination, mathematics, and fine motor skills.
Examples of Verbal Learning
Many teachers are trained to recognize verbal learners by their classroom behavior. Though the
learning style can have far-reaching effects, students will begin to exhibit differentiated learning
abilities at a very young age. So, in early elementary grade levels, when students are not yet as
influenced by social convention, verbal learners may have trouble dealing with silence, and they may
express this discomfort by fidgeting, complaining, or suggesting new class activities. They are likely
to participate more frequently in classroom activities at all grade levels.
At older ages, verbal learners may be distinguished by exceptional reading and writing abilities. As
time goes on, they will build richer vocabularies and may add new languages to their repertoire as
well. Leading speakers and debaters will often be verbal learners.
Strategies for the Verbal Learning Style
A number of instructional strategies are recommended for the verbal-linguistic learner. When
teachers discover that one of their students falls under this category, they are recommended to use
some of the following approaches -
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
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Using their own words - since verbal learners focus on words, it can help to have them
express the information they've learned in their own words. This will help ensure that verbal
learners understand the information, and aid in memorization as well.
Rewriting notes - similarly, verbal learners can benefit from rewriting their notes for
comprehension purposes. By revisiting the information they've learned and trying to
communicate it in a new way, they can retain information much better.
Group discussions - verbal learners benefit from any chance they can get to express
themselves orally. Thus, they often excel in group discussions, which force them to convey
their thoughts to fellow students.
Study groups - as with group discussions, verbal learners benefit from study groups that
impel them to communicate.
Educational games - word-based games appeal to verbal learners. Popular choices include
Boggle, Scrabble, and crosswords.
Reports - verbal learners benefit from all kinds of reports and presentations, including book
reports, poetry recitals, and debates.
Storytelling - for younger students, it can be useful to assign storytelling. Students can
combine different subject areas to tell stories about Edison's invention of the lightbulb or
other scientific discoveries.
Advantages of the Verbal Learning Style
There are certain advantages of the verbal learning style. Verbal learners excel in verbal activities
and have an especially strong recall for lectures. Similarly, they have very strong reading skills, and
many go on to become writers. In mathematics, verbal learners are able to reason their way
through word problems. Verbal learners often do well in presentations, debates, and speeches. They
tend to feel comfortable participating in group discussions that cause others to be anxious.
However, these advantages do come at a cost. While verbal learners excel in working with the
written and spoken word, they can falter when encountering abstract visual material. Charts and
graphs are not their cups of tea. Neither are pure math problems, which do not sit with them as
easily as words do.
Similarly, verbal learners can struggle with hands-on projects. Building and drawing are typically not
their strong suit. Hand-eye coordination can be a blind spot for verbal learners as well. People who
have a verbal learning style can benefit from knowing that they may face systematic challenges in
these areas.
Unlike auditory learners, verbal learners can also struggle to recall or understand non-linguistic
sounds. So, while an auditory learner may have a wonderful ability to replicate the tune of a song
they've heard, verbal learners will not have any special aptitude for music.
Lesson Summary
The verbal learning style also called the verbal-linguistic learning style, is one of eight learning styles
classified by Howard Gardner. Verbal learners excel in working with the written and spoken word,
and they tend to have large vocabularies. Like auditory learners, they have superior recall of
information that they have heard, but unlike auditory learners, they specialize in spoken words, not
all spoken sounds.
Certain learning strategies work best for verbal learners. Among them are discussion-oriented
activities, such as debates, that allow them to put their knowledge into speech. At a younger age,
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
these learners greatly benefit from putting classroom information into their own words. Older verbal
learners may want to rewrite their notes, or even their textbook, to fully grasp course content.
Physical/Kinesthetic Learning Style: Characteristics &
Strategies
What is Kinesthetic Learning?
When teaching, it is important to recognize that everyone learns best in different ways. Dating back
to the 1940s, studies were done to distinguish learning styles. There are three main categories
identified by experts: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. There are assessments that can be given to
help determine the learning style of each student. These involve each learner using self-reflection to
answer a series of questions. Students will fall into one of these three categories:
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Auditory: Someone who learns best through hearing is an auditory learner. They benefit
from lectures and read-alouds. Auditory learners are typically organized and can follow
directions well.
Visual: Someone who learns best through seeing is a visual learner. They benefit from
books, visual aids, and videos. Auditory learners tend to work well in groups and participate
in class often.
Kinesthetic: Someone who learns best through movement and activity is a kinesthetic
learner. They benefit from using manipulatives and games. Kinesthetic learners often have
great hand-eye coordination and are good at sports.
Knowing the different learning styles and how to incorporate them into lessons will help ensure that
each student is learning to the best of their potential.
Characteristics of the Kinesthetic Learning Style
Kinesthetic, or tactile, learners are able to absorb information more easily when it relates to
experiences and actions. They require movement to help retain learning, and therefore tend to
struggle in many typical classroom environments. Often these students seem bored and disengaged
during lecture type lessons. Kinesthetic learners are likely to doodle or fidget during lectures. They
tend to be more coordinated, enjoy sports, and have more energy. These learners are often
animated, speaking with their hands to emphasize their points. Kinesthetic learners benefit from
writing things down and prefer concrete examples over theoretical concepts.
How to Teach a Kinesthetic Learner
When teaching a kinesthetic learner there are many strategies that can be utilized to ensure they
are gaining the best learning experience. These include:
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Lab Work
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Roleplaying/Acting
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These learners will enjoy designing and executing experiments.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
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Kinesthetic learners benefit from acting out scenes from a book or role playing to
practice a concept.
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Mapping and Diagramming
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Taking Field Trips
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Students benefit from creating a diagram or mapping out their ideas.
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The ability to immerse themselves in an experience is highly beneficial to kinesthetic
learners.
Cutting and moving pieces
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It can be helpful for kinesthetic learners to physically manipulate items, such as
cutting and moving objects.
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Working through problems on white board
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Moving while learning
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These students benefit from standing at a large board and working out problems.
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When these students are able to move around at the same time as they receive
information, they are more likely to retain it.
Writing
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These learners are better able to remember information they have handwritten as
opposed to typed.
Using manipulatives
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Often these students prefer to have something physical to work with when solving
problems.
Examples of Tactile Learning
As a teacher, it can be difficult to envision incorporating kinesthetic, or tactile, aspects to each
lesson. However, kinesthetic teaching strategies apply to all learners. A few examples of using
kinesthetic learning techniques are:
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When teaching a lesson regarding shadows, kinesthetic learners would benefit from doing an
experiment. They could use various lights and objects to analyze how shadows are created
and change.
During a novel analysis, having kinesthetic learners act out a scene would be effective in
solidifying their knowledge of the story.
If a student needed to understand a timeline in history, they could create a tactile
experience through the creation of a diagram.
When learning about the life-cycle of a plant, students could visit a park to experience
various specimens and draw pictures.
If a student is learning the steps to solve an equation, it may be helpful to cut out a
description of each step and physically move them into the correct order.
When solving math problems, standing at the white board would give a kinesthetic learner
the opportunity to move and walk while working.
If a kinesthetic learner needs to read a book or study, they would benefit from moving at
the same time -such as being on a treadmill.
When memorizing facts, tactile learners benefit from handwriting information on note cards.
If a kinesthetic learner is working on addition story problems they would benefit from using
manipulatives to work out the problem.
Criticisms of Kinesthetic Learning Ideas
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
While many educators value the aspects of learning theory, there have been criticisms regarding the
idea of learning styles. It is difficult to determine a student's learning style. There are assessments
that can be used, but they are not always valid. Since assessments are completed through selfreflection and analysis, they can be skewed by which learning style a person believes themselves to
be. It is also very difficult to complete these assessments with young learners or students with
special needs. Though research has been conducted, there is no solid evidence for the development
of different learning styles. While people have preferences for how they take in information, it does
not necessarily lead to higher academic achievement. It is believed that a mixed-modality lesson
plan, in which all styles are included, is best for engaging learners. Current research shows that
instead of falling into one category, many learners actually learn best with a combination of two, or
even all three, learning styles.
Lesson Summary
Teachers may find it beneficial to give an assessment to help determine students' individual learning
styles. Students may be auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners. Lessons can then be
differentiated according to students' needs. Kinesthetic learners learn best through movement. They
benefit from the use of manipulatives, role play, and experiments. When utilizing a kinesthetic
modality, teachers ensure that students can use their sense of touch and physically experience
various concepts. Kinesthetic students are often more coordinated with higher body awareness and
speak animatedly. Often the methods used by kinesthetic learners can benefit all students, as they
lead to an overall more engaging experience.
Logical/Mathematical Learning Style: Characteristics &
Strategies
Students who have a logical/mathematical learning style tend to be methodical and think linearly.
Explore the characteristics of this learning style to understand what makes a logical learner and how
to support students who learn through math and logic.
Learning Through Math & Logic
Can you spot the pattern in these letters and numbers?
A, 1, C, 2, F, 3, J, 4, O, 5, U
Here's the answer: When you go from A to C, you skip 1 letter: B. When you go from C to F, you
skip 2 letters. When you go from F to J, you skip 3 letters, and so on.
Does this pattern make your head hurt? Or do you find it interesting or even easy? Those who lean
towards finding this logic easy to spot are usually logical/mathematical learners. This lesson
summarizes the characteristics of those with this learning style and will provide you with ideas for
how to teach logical/mathematical learners.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
What Makes a Logical Learner?
Logical/mathematical learners may include those we consider to be math whizzes, but the style is
much more than that. This learning style tends to have insight into systems. In other words,
a logical learner is better skilled than other types in looking at a series of parts and seeing how
they are interconnected. This makes them particularly good at puzzles and strategy games, such as
chess.
Most learners in this category will value factual information to back up claims. Statistics and data are
often important to logical/mathematical learners. Rather than relying on gut instinct, a logical
learner will want to know how you came to a particular conclusion, what led you down a certain
path to your belief, if it is valid, and what facts can confirm your ideas.
Supporting a Logical Learning Style
A person with this learning style will naturally seek out answers to complex questions and problems,
seeing connections where others may see confusion. If possible, provide students with opportunities
to make use of this skill during activities.
Let's go through a list of classroom activities that can support these types of learners.
1. Ask students to simulate a scenario in which they try to address an issue from multiple
perspectives.
For example, if you are teaching about the challenges of climate change, ask students to consider
this from different points of view (business owners, consumers, government officials, other nations,
etc.) and to propose solutions that tackle these many angles of a system.
2. Create a mystery to solve with clues that require logical thinking or math.
For example, create a scenario that asks the question, 'Who stole the chocolate chip cookies?' Then
have grade-level appropriate clues like, 'Of the five suspected cookie-stealers, 20% have a chocolate
allergy and wouldn't likely steal the cookies.'
3. Present a scenario that requires a strategic solution, then incorporate new obstacles along the
way to keep it challenging.
For example, if you were teaching an architecture class, you could plan to add in a new requirement
from the student's 'client' near the end of the process, requiring the student to incorporate the new
information into the final solution.
4. Support students with this learning style to communicate productively rather than simply critically.
A logical learner may not recognize that others struggle with what comes easy to them, like the
pattern in the puzzle at the beginning of this lesson. It may be tempting for a logical learner to point
out the shortcomings of others' logic in an abrupt way.
Encourage logical learners to get better and better at simplifying their explanations. Rather than
becoming frustrated with those who don't see the solutions as quickly, teach them that
communicating with others is yet another challenge that can be addressed with strategy, patience,
and logic.
Lesson Summary
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Those with a logical/mathematical learning style approach problems systematically. They are
likely to desire facts and figures to back up one's claims rather than gut instinct. They will have a
strong inclination toward math but the style also includes other types of puzzles, often involving
patterns.
Logical learners will absorb information best when solving a problem through a logical approach,
such as activities that allow a student to simulate a scenario. Also encourage these students to use
their logical talents to simplify explanations and communications so that those with other styles can
understand their explanations.
Social/Interpersonal Learning Style: Characteristics &
Strategies
What is Social Learning?
Social learning theory is the theory that emphasizes how people learn from observation,
modeling, and imitation. The psychologist Albert Bandura defined social learning and developed the
theory. In addition to behaviorist learning theories which suggest that learning is a process of
punishment, reward, and conditioning, social learning theory suggests that there is a mediating
process happening between the stimulus and the response given by the learner. Another facet of
social learning is that a behavior can be learned from the environment around the learner; this is
defined as observational learning.
A person with a social/interpersonal learning style learns best when interacting with others and
when they can relate what they learn to people around them or their direct surroundings. These
learners learn best from group projects and class activities, which are some common learning modes
that involve teamwork and other social interactions. This communication does not always have to be
verbal. Social/interpersonal learners can notice nonverbal cues from others easily, which includes
both their behaviors and emotional cues. They enjoy getting together with friends, having
conversations, and providing advice. These activities allow the learner to observe behaviors and how
others react to those behaviors, which will help the learner learn whether they should be imitated
and internalized.
Characteristics of Social Learning Style
It is important to facilitate learning by understanding what it means to be a social/interpersonal
learner. Interpersonal learners generally enjoy sharing notes and bouncing ideas off of their
classmates or workgroups. They often are extroverted and have very social personalities. Here are
some characteristics of learners with an interpersonal/social learning style:
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They
They
They
They
They
They
They
are motivated by expressing their thoughts and feelings.
desire to facilitate relationships between people and within teams.
are interested in both talking and listening.
prefer activities that involve social interaction, communication, and multiple people.
are charismatic leaders that consider the input of others.
learn through observing how others interact.
are sensitive to body language and nonverbal cues.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Interpersonal Learning Activities
In a classroom setting, teachers should be able to provide differentiated instruction based on their
student's learning styles and abilities. Interpersonal/social learning strategies can be applied by
encouraging discussion and exchange of ideas. Teachers can also organize interpersonal learning
activities such as peer-support groups and group discussions.
When teachers engage with interpersonal/social learners, they can include more nonverbal cues in
their interactions. When the teacher addresses an issue with them, the teacher should set the tone
of the interaction to be open so that the learner can be encouraged to express their
emotions, reasonings, and their needs. This allows teachers to understand and address the issue
and how to improve as appropriate for the learner's needs.
During class, there are times when quiet, individual work is required. A teacher should communicate
to interpersonal learners that there will be chances for them to interact with others by setting up
schedules so that they can understand there are different expectations of them at different times.
Interpersonal/social learners learn well when interacting with others. Therefore, they are a good
choice when it comes to volunteering to help their peers. By helping and supporting other students,
the social/interpersonal learner can have a chance to interact with others and also learn from the
reactions of other students.
It is also important to note that different students have different learning styles. While some
learners prefer interpersonal interactions, some learners prefer to learn through listening and
reading text materials. Teachers should organize learning activities that will cater to different needs
and let different learners have a chance to demonstrate their strengths and facilitate their learning.
Social Learning Examples
Observational learning is a key part of social learning. In observational learning, an individual pays
attention to others' behaviors and imitates them. Whether actions will be repeated also depends on
the observer's interpretation of how that action or behavior is perceived by others. If a behavior
results in an outcome that is perceived as good to the observer, that action is more likely to be
learned and repeated later.
An example of social learning in a classroom can be when a student is reprimanded because they
shouted in the classroom instead of listening to the teacher. Other students will observe this
incident. As the observers, the other students are likely to interpret that being reprimanded is a bad
consequence. Therefore, they will know not to shout in class, since that will lead to an undesirable
outcome.
Lesson Summary
Social learning theory is the theory that emphasizes how people learn from observation,
modeling, and imitation. The theory of social learning was defined and developed by the
psychologist Albert Bandura. Social learning theory suggests that there is a mediating process
between the stimulus and response given by the learner. Behaviors can also be learned from the
environment around the learner; this is observational learning. A learner with
a social/interpersonal learning style enjoys getting together with friends, having conversations,
and giving advice. Generally, social/interpersonal learners can notice nonverbal cues from people
and they are usually good at active listening and understanding others. Social/interpersonal learners
are typically interested in both talking and listening. They learn the best when there are activities
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
involving other individuals and when they have an open environment for them to express their
understandings.
In a classroom setting, there are different strategies that can facilitate the learning of
interpersonal/social learners. For example, teachers can provide a chance for these learners to help
out in the classroom by letting them help new students. Teachers should also clearly communicate
instructions both verbally and nonverbally so that learners can understand when they are expected
to express themselves and when they will be conducting individual learning tasks. When a teacher
has to address an issue with a social/interpersonal learner, it is important to engage in an open
conversation with the person to discuss the issue so that the teacher can gain an understanding of
the student and address their concerns effectively.
Intrapersonal Learning Style: Teaching Tips
The intrapersonal learning style is characterized by a focus on independent self-reflection, and a
preference for working alone. Learn different teaching tips and activities that may be favorable to
intrapersonal learners.
Intrapersonal Learning Style
In any given classroom, you are likely to find many different learning styles. A learning style is a
student's preferred way of working and learning. One of these learning styles is
the intrapersonal learning style. In this learning style, students learn better through self-reflection,
independence, and working alone and quietly.
There are several different ways you can incorporate intrapersonal activities into your classroom to
allow those students time to learn in their preferred style. This lesson will focus on Mrs. Davies, a
teacher who has identified several students who prefer an intrapersonal learning environment and
how she includes activities in her lessons for those students.
Intrapersonal Activities
Mrs. Davies has several students in her room who she noticed prefer to work alone. Through her
observations during class, Mrs. Davies has identified that these students prefer activities that ask
them to use an intrapersonal learning style. As she does with all of her students, Mrs. Davies
decided to include activities that allow these students to work in their preferred learning style.
Journals: One thing that she began including in her classroom was a self-reflection journal. In this
journal, students are expected to reflect on what they are learning, how they feel they are doing in
school, and other important aspects of their education.
By giving students some time to write in their journals throughout the week, Mrs. Davies ensures
that her students that prefer intrapersonal work are able to exercise that skill. She also helps other
students practice self-reflection, as it is a useful skill for any student to have, regardless of their
learning style.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
Alone Time Activities: Intrapersonal students often work better independently, so Mrs. Davies
gives students the chance to complete some activities quietly, on their own. For example, certain
activities might require students to work in groups. For these activities, Mrs. Davies also gives her
intrapersonal learning students the opportunity to work alone.
Independent Research: Additionally, Mrs. Davies includes more activities in which students seek
out new information independently. For these activities, students are essentially teaching themselves
through research. Mrs. Davies gives her students a general idea of what the topic is, and students
are responsible for seeking out as much information as they can.
Self Assessment: When it comes to assessment, Mrs. Davies sometimes lets her students judge
their own strengths and weaknesses. Doing this is something students who prefer an intrapersonal
learning style will excel at, as it is a form of self-reflection. These students are very good at looking
inward to determine their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them a say in their own assessment
will help them learn better.
Different Learning Styles: These kinds of activities help her intrapersonal students explore their
preferred learning style and practice working independently. They also help other students learn to
work independently and work outside of their own comfort zones. Teaching to multiple learning
styles means balancing all of the styles at once.
Mrs. Davies also includes activities that she knows will push her intrapersonal students out of their
comfort zone. While it is important to help your students learn in their preferred way, it is also
necessary that they practice learning in other ways, as well. For example, Mrs. Davies sometimes
forces all students to work in groups to complete an activity. This gives her intrapersonal students
the chance to practice working with other people, an essential skill they will need.
Lesson Summary
An intrapersonal learning style is one in which students excel at activities which allow them to
self-reflect and work independently. By including journals, alone time activities, independent
research, self-assessment, and different learning styles, you can help your students who prefer the
intrapersonal learning style to succeed. However, it is important to remember that students also
need to be pushed out of their comfort zone. Striking a balance among all of the learning styles in
your classroom is the key to helping all of your students succeed.
Active Learning Strategies in the Classroom
What is Active Learning?
Anne had just earned her teaching certificate and was very excited when she was hired to teach in a
school near her home. During her teachers' training program she had studied all about active
learning and how providing opportunities for students to be actively engaged in the classroom
would help students become active participants. Anne had also learned that lectures can allow
students to be passive learners and that this may not help them fully understand the content
taught. She was excited to implement some of the learning strategies in her classroom. She
thought it would be exciting to have her students working on collaborative projects with
opportunities for demonstration, analysis and real life application of learned concepts.
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
What are the Benefits of Active Learning?
During the first professional development day, Anne asked some of the senior teachers what they
thought about active learning. Tia, a math teacher, explained that she uses it to keep students
interested and challenge them to think critically. She finds that using active learning strategies helps
them to form a more in-depth understanding of the subject than they'd get from lectures alone.
Simon said that it helps some students who otherwise struggle in the classroom, since they can find
activities that capture and maintain their interest. Bree said that she likes to use a combination of
strategies, so that students with different learning styles can figure out what learning activities they
are most comfortable with.
Examples of Some Active Learning Strategies
As Anne continued to develop her unit plan, she wrote down some of the methods she could use to
encourage active learning in her classroom. She planned to share her ideas with the senior teachers.
After discussing a topic with the class, give time to students to write a short summary or reflection
in their own words of what they just learned. If time allows, get the students to exchange their work
with other students for review and edits. This will encourages students to stay attentive and also to
try and understand the subject in order to express what they learned in their own words.
Analysis
Give the students a problem to solve. After identifying a solution they should then analyze the
methods they used to derive at the answer. Some students should then share their analysis process
with the class. This helps encourage students to think logically, pay attention to detail, and capture
their thinking process during problem solving.
Real World Application
Ask the students to write down ideas about the application of a concept to real life. They can
provide drawings or objects to back up their explanations. This will help students think about the
practical aspect of concepts learned and help answer the eternal question: ''Will we ever use this?''
Small group discussions
Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students, provide a topic for discussion - the students
can discuss and write down their ideas as a group. At the end of the preset time the each group will
discuss their ideas with the entire class. Set aside some time for questions and answers. Small
groups allow each student to contribute their ideas and share it with others in a more comfortable
environment. The students also develop critical thinking skills.
Student Videos and Presentations
Ask students to present a video or Powerpoint on a topic. This allows them to research the topic on
their own and design creative ways of presenting something to make it interesting to the rest of the
Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles
class. During this creative process the concepts learned are strongly embedded in the mind and
knowledge is reinforced.
Demonstrations
Divide the class into groups and give them a topic they can do a visual demonstration on. This gives
students the opportunity to master a topic and also to collaborate, share ideas and tasks and
present their work.
Role playing
If the subject allows, assign students different roles and given the opportunity to enact the roles.
This encourages students to be creative and consider things from the perspective of the character or
role they have taken on.
Press Conference
Ask students to organize a press conference, with one student making a presentation on a selected
topic and the other students acting as reporters and asking questions. This helps the students
master a topic and learn to think about the pros and cons, formulate questions and learn to explain
their ideas.
Jury Trial
Divide the class into different roles that go into a jury deliberation, including a judge, lawyers,
defendants, witness, and prosecution and select a topic that they can deliberate on and come to a
verdict. This can help students explore the judicial process, as well as learn to present facts and
make decisions based on facts presented.
Jeopardy
Design a quiz game! There should be a prize for the winner. Everyone in the class should get a
chance to play, individually or in groups. This motivates students to come prepared so that they can
do well and score points with the ultimate goal of winning a prize.
Lesson Summary
Active learning in the classroom involves the use of interactive methods and materials to keep the
students engaged, interested and motivated in the classroom. Active learning helps students by
exposing them to different methods of learning and making them active participants in the
learning process instead of being passive learners. There are a number of active learning activities
that can be used in the classroom, including role playing, games and demonstrations. Teachers
should identify the appropriate active learning strategies for their classroom and implement them
for a positive and energetic learning experience.
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