Learning Styles Flashcards
What is a learning style?
The various approaches or ways of learning
How does understanding learning style help educators?
It helps educators recognise the diversity in learners’ approaches, enabling them to design education that caters to varied learning needs
What concepts are highlighted among learning styles?
- Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory
- VARK model
How many intelligences did Howard Gardner suggest there are?
Initially 8, but possibly 9
What are Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences?
- Spatial-visual
- Naturalist
- Bodily-kinesthetic
- Musical
- Linguistic
- Logical-mathematical
- Interpersonal
- Intrapersonal
- Existential
What is spatial intelligence?
Visualising the world in 3D
What is naturalist intelligence?
Understanding living things and reading nature
What is musical intelligence?
Discerning sounds, pitch, tone, rhythm and timbre
What is bodily-kinesthetic intelligence?
Coordinating your mind with your body
What is linguistic intelligence?
Finding the right words to express what you mean
What is intrapersonal intelligence?
Understanding yourself, what you feel and what you want
What is interpersonal intelligence?
Sensing people’s feelings and motives
What occupations do those with good linguistic intelligence tend to go for?
- Poets
- Novelists
- Journalists
- Effective public speakers
What is existential intelligence?
Asking questions about human existence
What is logical-mathematical intelligence?
Quantifying things, making hypotheses and proving them
What occupations do those with good bodily-kinesthetic intelligence tend to go for?
Athletes
What occupations do those with good spatial intelligence tend to go for?
Interior designers
What occupations do those with good interpersonal intelligence tend to go for?
- Therapy
- Sales
- Politics
- Teaching
What occupations do those with good naturalist intelligence tend to go for?
- Veterinary work
- Farmer
- Botany
What benefits can come from understanding the multiple intelligences?
- Personalised education
- Holistic development: Encourages educators to recognise talents beyond academic skills
Why was Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory criticised?
- Lack of empirical evidence
- Difficult to implement teaching strategies to cater to all intelligences in practical and manageable ways
What is the VARK model?
A framework that categorises learners into four primary types based on their preferred modes of information intake
What does VARK stand for?
Visual, Auditory, Reading & Writing, Kinesthetic
What are the characteristics of visual learners?
Prefers using images, colours and maps to organise information and communicate with others. Visual data like graphs, diagrams and charts are engaging and informative to them
What are teaching strategies that can cater to visual learners?
Use visual aids like charts, graphs, illustrations and videos in instruction
What are the characteristics of auditory learners?
Prefers listening to information rather than reading it or seeing it visually displayed. They benefit from lectures, discussions, talking things through, and listening to what others have to say
What are teaching strategies that can cater to auditory learners?
- Discussions
- Lectures
- Verbal explanations
- Reading texts out loud
What are the characteristics of reading & writing learners?
Prefers information displayed as words. They like to read and write text as their method of learning
What are teaching strategies that can cater to reading & writing learners?
- Provide plenty of reading materials
- Encourage note-taking
- Allow learners to express themselves through writing
What are the characteristics of kinesthetic learners?
Prefers to learn through moving, doing and touching. They enjoy a hands-on approach and benefit from being actively involved in the learning process
What are teaching strategies that can cater to kinesthetic learners?
- Physical activities
- Hands-on learning
- Real-life examples that require movement or experimenting
How is the VARK model criticised?
- Lack of empiric evidence
- May not help a child reach their full potential (eg: A child who’s labelled as an auditory learner should not be closed to one learning style)
How do you relate developmental appropriateness with learning styles?
- Age-specific needs
- Sensory integration: An activity that combines visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements can be more impactful
How do you identify learning styles in children?
- Observation
- Experimentation
- Interaction and feedback
- Structured assessments
- Documentation and analysis
What should you observe in children?
Their engagement levels in daily activities: Note which materials and activities a child is most engaged with
How do you experiment to identify learning styles?
Provide a variety of activities that cater to different learning styles and assess the responses. Monitor which activities receive increased attention, enthusiasm and better performance
What’s a simple way of identifying learning styles?
Ask questions and get feedback from others. During a lesson, ask the children which part of the lesson they enjoyed the most or found easiest to understand
How does feedback from others help to identify the learning styles of a child?
Insights from other teachers, parents, and caregivers who interact with the child can provide observations that contribute to understanding the child’s learning preferences
How can structured assessments aid in identifying learning styles?
By looking at how children perform across different types of tasks and projects. Consistent better performance in certain types of activities can be an indicator for a learning preference
How does documentation and analysis aid in identifying learning styles?
Documenting over time can show patterns in learning preferences
What’s the purpose of identifying learning styles?
Not about labelling them, but to understand and leverage their natural preferences to enhance their learning experiences
What are the benefits of integrating learning styles into ECE?
Educators can create a more dynamic, engaging and inclusive classroom that respects and nurtures the unique ways children explore and understand the world
