Learning strategies and their effectiveness

¶ … Learning Styles

Long ago, in one-room schoolhouses, students were primarily taught using memorization. They were asked to repeat definitions, poetry, and statements in order to learn almost every subject. Now, teachers know that not all students learn in the same way. A great deal of research has been done in order to determine what learning styles most students use. Although students learn in a great number of ways, three basic learning styles have been identified, and these are visual, verbal, and kinesthetic/tactile learning styles (Peng, 2002, para. 3). These basic learning styles suggest that some students learn better when they see the material, others when they hear lessons, or still others when they are given a hands-on experience. Besides these primary three learning styles, other researchers have suggested that some students approach learning in different ways, creating even more learning styles. Furthermore, how people process information in their brains is another way of creating and designating learning styles (Peng 2002).

The most practical way that teachers can use this information regarding learning styles in students is to change the ways that they present lessons in the classroom based on diverse learning styles. For instance Peng (2002) acknowledges that teachers cannot satisfy every learning style in their classrooms, but they can try to approach a teaching task in a way that involves more than one learning style. In addition, they can assign students projects that will allow them to use their different styles as they learn (paras. 15-17). For teachers of language and literacy, fine arts, and physical education this process is almost more important, as students probably come to these classes with pre-determined notions based on their learning styles. For instance, a student who is not a kinesthetic learner my frown on physical education. For this reason, teachers instructing in physical education should be sure to use a variety of visual, auditory, and other methods in conjunction with their physical instruction to engage all students. Some physical education teachers may do this through the inclusion of slide or light shows and music. Even in the study of music, Locklear (2008) suggests that diverse learning styles can be used. In fact, she suggests that, "music class immersion can positively address many of the concerns educators share," including the incorporation of various learning styles. Furthermore, using music to teach literacy, as both disciplines are "symbolic" is one way to include different teaching styles in the teaching of language and literacy (Locklear 2008). Thus, research regarding learning styles has greatly improved the chance for teachers to connect with, instruct, and impact students.