Learning Styles

Teaching Methods In this question, I am using a task of assembling a several different kinds of components of a shelf that I recently purchased from Ikea. Inside the package, I found a chart with instructions for assembling different components of the shelf. With little difficulty, I was able to assemble the components of the shelf, even though it took me about an hour and half.

By reading Howard Garder's multiple intelligence measure, I believe I am quite comfortable with logical-mathematical intelligence and spatial intelligence learning styles, since both of these styles were required in my assembly of the components of the shelf. Logical-mathematical enables individuals to use and appreciate abstract relations; and spatial intelligence makes it possible for people to perceive visual or spatial information, to transform this information, and to recreate visual images from memory.

Teaching the assembly of components of a shelf is difficult to comprehend through instructions and picture, as it requires a keen sense of understanding how different components fit together. Besides, it requires visualizing the instruction chart into three dimensions, which is often difficult for a large number of people, who are not gifted in logical-mathematical intelligence and visual-spatial intelligence. To understand the assembly of a shelf or any other complex gadget requires a hand-on training or close interactions between the learners and the teachers.

If someone has not experienced either of the above two conditions, he/she is likely to spend several hours in assembling different components of the shelf unsuccessfully. Each of person is endowed with all of the seven types of the intelligence, but these intelligence are not equally distributed among all of the persons. Therefore, people find doing some of the things quite interesting, while they find difficulties in performing other kinds of tasks that require different types of intelligence. Part 2.

If I am required to teach the assembly of a shelf with multiple components to another learner or student, I will first attempt to find the learning style of the student. If the student feels intimidated with logical-mathematical intelligence and spatial intelligence, I need to find a way that will provide the student the ability to fit different components of the shelf in a logical fashion.

To do so, I can make use of the linguistic intelligence, as it involves sensitivity to spoken and written language and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. If the student is gifted in linguistic intelligence, he/she can make sense of the instructions when spoken to him/her. If I find that the student is more comfortable with the interpersonal intelligence, I will work with the student to coordinate the assembly of the shelf, as interpersonal.