Explanation of Learning Styles (A Kindergarten Example)

 Everyone has a learning style that best suits them, adult learners to elementary students. According to a study published by the Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, “determining the learning features that students have, and studying with appropriate strategies after this determination process, will affect the process of learning in a positive way” (Guven & Ozbek 2007). Educators can increase student success in their classroom when they take into account the various learning styles of their students and plan accordingly. This post will discuss why taking into account students’ learning styles is necessary work for educators to do as well as how the data is useful when it comes to planning and instruction.

Student learning Styles Sample Group- Kindergarten

The graph ‘Student Learning Styles’ is comprised of 5 students from a kindergarten classroom in 2024. They completed (with help) a learning style inventory to determine if they were more of a kinesthetic, auditory, or visual learner. This is a small sampling of a classroom but the students involved are all at different social and academic levels. Students B & D would be considered what Dr. Stembridge calls “school proof” (2020). These students are typically on task, get their work done, and handle most social situations in an age appropriate manner. Student E is receiving extra help and services in academic and social areas. Students A & C would be what Dr. Stembridge calls “chicken nuggets” (2020). These are students who would be on the teachers ‘radar’ needing more support and interventions in the classroom to be successful socially and academically. Student A showed strong leanings toward being an auditory learner; Students D and E are both visual learners; Student C is a Kinesthetic learner; and Student B did not have a preference according to their answers on the inventory.

Implications for Instruction and Assessment

This small sample clearly shows that all these students will need instruction and activities to be varied in order for them to achieve the most success in the classroom. The data shows that instruction and activities need to contain elements of movement, listening, and visual displays to help individual students. Now, creating lessons and assessments that are engaging and accessible to all learners can be a challenge in its self. However, educators have a lot going in their favor and may not necessarily need to reinvent the wheel.

Many curriculums designed for elementary are learner focused and are typically created in a way that allow for play, hands on exploration, and where learning is guided by the teacher (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2016). Many educators will find that the curriculum already has different learning experiences embedded through things like read aloud (auditory and visual) and hands on activities (kinesthetic and visual). However, if a teacher is looking for specific ways to include different activities that reach all the styles of learning (in both instruction and their assessments), there are different strategies that can be easily incorporated. Below are a few instructional strategies that would help the study group along with any group of elementary learners:

·       Kinesthetic Instructional Strategies: dance, yoga, reader’s theater, puppets, go for a walk while teaching (Supporting kinesthetic learners in early childhood education, 2023)

·       Auditory Instructional Strategies: audio books, read instructions aloud, discussions, use acronyms and mnemonics, songs (How to engage auditory learners in the classroom, 2023)

·       Visual Instructional Strategies: anchor charts, graphic organizers, diagrams, visual schedule (How to teach visual learners- 10 effective ways, 2024)

Understanding students learning styles is important, however, it is equally important to always keep in mind their individual differences and cultural identities. Teachers are teaching the ‘whole child’ and when incorporating learning styles they are positively influencing their students’ conceptual, social, and practical skills. Keeping the whole child in mind educators need to remember that students come with a variety of social and academic strengths. They also come with areas where improvement is needed. When thinking about supporting students in the classroom educators can use their knowledge of their learning styles to provide interventions in ways that will be meaningful for each student. The above listed strategies can also be incorporated when helping students learn in ways that value their differences and all the skills necessary to be a successful student. Utilizing all the uniqueness students come with and when time is taken to truly learn about all aspects of each students, they will feel valued, seen, and accepted. In turn that helps them to be successful in the classroom and have ownership of their learning.

 

 

References

Guven, B. & Ozbek, O. (2007). Developing learning style inventory for effective instructional design. The Turkish online journal of educational technology, article 2, 6(2)

n.a. (2024). How to teach visual learners- 10 effective ways. Splashlearn. https://www.splashlearn.com/blog/empower-visual-learners-with-actionable-strategies-in-school-home/

n.a. (2023). How to engage auditory learners in the classroom. Brightwheel blog. https://mybrightwheel.com/blog/auditory-learner

n.a. (2023). Supporting kinesthetic learners in early childhood education. Brightwheel blog. https://mybrightwheel.com/blog/kinesthetic-learner

Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2016). Curriculum: foundations, principles, and issues. (7th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN-13:  9780134060354

Stembridge, A. (2020). Culturally responsive education in the classroom: an equity framework for pedagogy. Routledge