One of the things that parents notice about their children is how different each one is from the other(s)! It seems so strange that even in a family of all boys (mine), each one is different: in looks (somewhat), temperament, likes and dislikes, and, especially, their learning styles. I'm sure that most parents notice that one child may love to take things apart and see how they work, while another has his nose in a book as often as possible.
What is a learning style? Dictionary.com states that a learning style is "an individual's unique approach to learning based on strengths, weaknesses, and preferences". Howard Gardner did a lot of work on this theory (also called "multiple intelligences"). Most researchers say there are seven different learning styles: visual (prefer pictures and images); aural (prefer sound or music); verbal (prefers using words both speech and written); physical (prefers using your hands, body and sense of touch); logical (uses logic and reasoning); social (learn best in groups or with other people); and solitary (prefers to work alone and study independently). There are other names for these learning styles depending on the author and/or researcher and some say there are even more than these seven.
What is acknowledged is that each of these learning styles use a different part of the brain. It's also true that it's not just one learning style that each person uses, but a combination. So, if you are putting together a bike, you might prefer to read all the written instructions first (verbal) or look at the diagrams (visual) or just start putting the bike together (physical). Most of us use a combination of these things. Of course, this is a simplistic example, but knowing a little bit about what a person's best learning style is can help teachers and students develop strategies for their best way to learn. It is also a way to help with frustration when learning a new skill.
If a student is a visual, physical, and social learner, he might learn multiplication tables best by using flash cards with a partner. A solitary,verbal, aural learner might write out a list and say the tables out loud to herself. The complication is that a person may have a different learning style dependent on the task! Language arts may appear easier for a verbal learner but this same person might use physical, logical learning styles in a science class.
The point is that all of us must work to find the best way for our students to learn: there should be opportunities for students to explore what works best for them and recognizing the method that works best for each student is just one way to approach learning. Often students have a choice on a final assessment: a video presentation, a poster, a Powerpoint, an oral presentation, a model etc. It is important that a student can demonstrate that they have learned a concept and can apply it. Giving students a choice to demonstrate learning can sometimes be the best way to do this as a student's approach will be based on "strengths, weaknesses, and preferences". We are all complex learners and learning can take so many different forms!
