Learning Styles/
Personality Types
Florida and the Islands Comprehensive Center
1
Brain research confirms
what experienced teachers
have always known:
• No two children are alike
• No two children learn in the identical
way
• An enriched environment for one
student is not necessarily enriched
for another
• In the classroom we should teach
children to think for themselves
Marian Diamond
2
Why should I care about
learning styles?
• The way a child learns affects his/her
entire personality and development.
• Understanding learning styles will
help teachers and students to better
communicate.
• Understanding learning styles will
help teachers to differentiate
instruction.
3
What is a learning style?
• A learning style is…
– a way to take in and process
information
– a preference that gets stronger the
more it is used
– the way the mind operates
– the way we learn!
4
5
6
7
8
Sensing Thinking Learner
(ST)
• Likes:
– Immediate responses and feedback
– Details and sequential order
– Hands-on activities with a specific,
correct answer
– Clear, concise, step-by-step directions
– Knowing exact expectations; why
something has to be done, and how
well it is to be done
9
– Drill and practice
Intuitive Thinking Learner
(NT)
• Likes:
– Planning and organizing before working
– Working independently
– Analyzing and examining pros and cons
– Arguing and debating
– Thinking about ideas and how they are
related
– Finding/designing a new way to do
something
– Logical and strategic games
10
Intuitive Feeling Learner
(NF)
• Likes:
– Learning without time constraints
– Praise for personal ideas and insights
– Using creativity and imagination
– Open-ended activities with many
possibilities
– Working on many things at once
– Self-expression and self-discovery
– Creative and artistic activities
11
Sensing Feeling Learner
(SF)
• Likes:
– Getting personal attention and praise
– Sharing feelings and experiences
– Working in groups/being part of a team
– Having someone show how to do something
– Role-playing and personal expression
– Non-competitive games where no one loses
– Interpersonal activities; opportunities to
learn about himself/herself
12
What is your learning style?
Sensing Thinking (ST)
Intuitive Thinking (NT)
Intuitive Feeling (NF)
Sensing Feeling (SF)
13
Questions:
• Sensing Thinking (ST): WHAT?
• Intuitive Thinking (NT): WHY?
• Intuitive Feeling (NF): WHAT IF?
• Sensing Feeling (SF): WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO ME?
14
In A Nutshell…
• No one learning style is better than another.
• We all have characteristics of each learning
•
•
style; some characteristics are just stronger
than others.
Learning about each style will help us to
better understand and communicate with
our students.
Knowing about each learning style will help
teachers to better understand how students
learn and how to differentiate instruction.
15