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Learning Styles
Learning styles have been popular for a number of years and there are a variety of learning styles that different proponents have identified. These have been applied to business as well as education, to try to identify the preference for the way we like to take in information and how we interact with the process of learning new material.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_tab_nav type=”four-up” float=”top”][x_tab_nav_item title=”Kolb” active=”true”][x_tab_nav_item title=”Honey & Mumford” active=”false”][x_tab_nav_item title=”Walter B Barbe” active=”false”][x_tab_nav_item title=”Critique” active=”false”][/x_tab_nav][x_tabs][x_tab active=”true”]In David Kolb’s model he postulated four learning styles:
- Concrete Experience plus Active Experiment: A strength in “hands-on” practical approach.
- Abstract Conceptualisation plus Active Experiment: A strength in practical “hands-on” application of theories such as engineers.
- Concrete Experience plus Reflective Observation: A strength in imaginative ability and discussion for example social workers.
- Abstract Conceptualisation plus Reflective Observation: A strength in inductive reasoning and the creation of theories.
According to this model, individuals may exhibit a preference for one of the four styles depending on their approach to learning.[/x_tab][x_tab active=”false”]Peter Honey and Alan Mumford adapted Kolb’s experiential learning model. They renamed the stages in the learning cycle to match managerial experiences. They aligned these stages to four learning styles which they named:
- Activist
- Reflector
- Theorist
- Pragmatist
[/x_tab][x_tab active=”false”]Walter Burke Barbe and colleagues proposed three learning modalities which have become popularly known by the acronym of V.A.K. Visual Auditory Kinaesthetic.
This is probably the one most familiar within schools.
- Visual – picture, shape, sculpture and painting.
- Auditory – listening, rhythms, tone and chant.
- Kinaesthetic – gestures, body movement, object manipulation and positioning.
Barbe and colleagues reported that learning modality strengths can occur independently or in combination. According to their findings the most frequent strengths, were visual or mixed.
They postulated that these can change over time becoming integrated with age, pointing out that learning modality strengths are different from preferences. That means that a person’s own preference may not match their strength when measured through questionnaires and observation.[/x_tab][x_tab active=”false”]There have been critiques and comments about the usefulness of learning styles, however, learning styles are currently acknowledged in schools and in practice. People have employed ways of utilising strategies to help pupils who have particular difficulties with processing, remembering and demonstrating their learning. While there may not be scientific evidence to satisfy the critics, some in education are using their knowledge about learning styles to successfully help pupils. [/x_tab][/x_tabs][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
VAK learning style descriptors
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_accordion][x_accordion_item title=”Visual” open=”false”]A person who prefers a visual learning style may gravitate to pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts and films for example. They may use phrases such as “show me” or “let’s have a look at that” and be able to work from lists and written directions.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=”Auditory” open=”false”]Those who prefer taking in information via listening would lean more towards an auditory learning style. They may show more of a preference for listening to the spoken words, sounds and noises. These people may use phrases such as “tell me” or “let’s talk it over”. They remember spoken instructions and prefer listening to information.[/x_accordion_item][x_accordion_item title=”Kinaesthetic” open=”false”]For pupils who prefer a kinaesthetic learning style they may have more of an inclination to experience through touching, feeling, holding and doing, working out through practical hands-on experiences. They may use phrases such as “let me try” or “how do you feel?.” They may like to learn some information by combining it with movement and rhythm.[/x_accordion_item][/x_accordion][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
V.A.K. Learning Style Identification
Helping someone to identify the way they prefer to learn involves observation, reflective discussion and perhaps the use of a questionnaire. Pupils who have learning difficulties or particular impairments are likely to have to try a mixture of styles adapted to the way they work best. It can be detrimental to ‘label’ someone as a particular learning style, because doing so can lead the pupil and teachers to think that they only ‘learn’ in a certain style. Usually there is a mix of styles involved depending on what is being learned.
Learning activities for pupils with dyslexia may use for example, auditory and kinaesthetic modes when learning words or spellings. Pupils with learning difficulties and impairments may need to have multi-modal methods for learning.
If you have never thought about your own learning styles, there are various paper and online questionnaires that can be used. Search the internet for VAK / VARK / VAKT learning style questionnaires.
A questionnaire for a learning style presents a set of questions, worded to reflect the particular style to which the respondent indicates a yes or a no, or in some cases, with usually, sometimes, always or never. Too many choices or too few can leave some respondents feeling that they do not have an option which fits their answer. This can be seen on the online and paper versions shown in the links below.
You are encouraged to try both for yourself to see which kind you prefer. The paper version has additional sheets to help calculate the number of responses to questions which are then plotted to show which learning styles appear most prominent.
Online: teacher tools online questionnaire.
Paper-based: VAK Questionnaire. This is a Word document that you can use and adapt.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_blockquote cite=”The benefit of hindsight” type=”left”]Emma’s case study[/x_blockquote][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”circle” src=”https://connecttodesign.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/shutterstock_176715719.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_audio_player src=”https://connecttodesign.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/emma-secondary-advice-to-yourself.mp3″ advanced_controls=”false” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_accordion][x_accordion_item title=”Audio transcript” open=”true”]Question
So knowing what you know now Emma, about yourself, if you could go back in time to your secondary school, and help your younger self, what advice and strategies would you give yourself?
Emma
I think for me I would be more kind to myself. A lot of the time at secondary school I felt different and I felt like I was made to feel like I was different and a freak of some sorts. I would actually say that this isn’t the case, and in some respects I might actually speak up a bit more and ask for help more. I was shy and didn’t want to ask for help and be seen as different, there was times where I probably should have done.[/x_accordion_item][/x_accordion][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
Assignment
Identify a child in your class who you think might be showing dyslexic tendencies. Make a list of any indicators that fit those of dyslexia.
- List the strategies you are currently using to support the child in your lessons and review.
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References
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_feature_list][x_feature_box title=”David A. Kolb” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”icon” graphic_size=”35px” graphic_shape=”circle” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”rgb(255, 89, 148)” align_h=”left” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” child=”true” connector_width=”1px” connector_style=”dashed” connector_color=”#272727″ graphic_icon=”book”]Kolb, David A. (2015) [1984]. Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development(2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.ISBN 9780133892406[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Mumford Alan” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”icon” graphic_size=”35px” graphic_shape=”circle” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”rgb(255, 89, 148)” align_h=”left” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” child=”true” connector_width=”1px” connector_style=”dashed” connector_color=”#272727″ graphic_icon=”book”]Mumford, Alan (1997). “Putting learning styles to work”. Action learning at work. Aldershot, Hampshire; Brookfield, VT: Gower. pp. 121–135. ISBN 0566078902.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Barbe Walter B.” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”icon” graphic_size=”35px” graphic_shape=”circle” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”rgb(255, 89, 148)” align_h=”left” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” child=”true” connector_width=”1px” connector_style=”dashed” connector_color=”#272727″ graphic_icon=”book”]Barbe, Walter Burke; Milone, Michael N. (February 1981). “What we know about modality strengths” (PDF).Educational Leadership (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): 378–380
Barbe, Walter Burke; Swassing, Raymond H.; Milone, Michael N. (1979). Teaching through modality strengths: concepts and practices. Columbus, Ohio: Zaner-Bloser.ISBN 0883091003
[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Demos think tank” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”icon” graphic_size=”35px” graphic_shape=”circle” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”rgb(255, 89, 148)” align_h=”left” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” child=”true” connector_width=”1px” connector_style=”dashed” connector_color=”#272727″ link_text=”Demos ” href=”http://www.demos.co.uk/files/About_learning.pdf” href_title=”” href_target=”” link_color=”” graphic_icon=”book”]Demos think tank comments on the use of learning styles in the classroom.
Beere, Jackie; Swindells, Maggie; Wise, Derek; Desforges, Charles; Goswami, Usha; Wood, David; Horne, Matthew; Lownsbrough, Hannah; Hargreaves, David (2005). Pp 10,11. London:Demos. ISBN 1841801402.[/x_feature_box][/x_feature_list][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
