How did you learn the most difficult thing you ever learned? Some of our students may have used continued practice, trial and error or the aid of a mentor, hands-on tutorial, exploration, discovery, and mapping. Children have many different ways of learning and teachers can channel their students' learning styles. This ability and skill is especially important when supporting new skills and activities in ESL (English as a second language) as different types of learner needs require various learning styles which ensures deeper understanding. Catering to learning styles requires a great deal of sensitivity, skill and understanding. When teachers know how to cater to different learning styles, they will be able to maximize their chances for motivating their students.  

If we look closely, a learning style is an approach or process we use to learn something in terms of our own and students’ most “comfortable” way to learn. Learning styles also determine the “topics” we naturally learn. Some of us may have more than one style.

Teachers often teach using their preferred learning styles. Students learn most readily using their preferred learning style and difficult material is grasped and retained using that style. 

Learning Styles are Challenging

There are different ways of describing learning styles. They are often linked to personality and communication traits as well. (Myers-Briggs) Like any type of learning style, the student first receives the information, processes and organizes it and then shows evidences of understanding it. Catering to learning styles is challenging as different students require different ways of learning.

Receiving Style Examples

When putting together a piece of furniture, visual learners look at the instructions, auditory people ask someone to read them the instructions while they follow them and hands-on learners unpack the box using the instructions only if necessary. To put it more concretely, visual learners typically receive information with the aid of graphs, charts and text. Auditory learners rely on sounds and reading aloud and hands-on (kinesthetic/tactile) learners rely on doing, touching and trying new ideas and concepts.

Evidence of Learning – Processing Styles

In order to work directly with a number of learning styles successfully, you also need to be aware of how processing styles affect the rate and degree of learning.

• Linear learners – Put things in order. Relies on processes and procedures
• Global learners – Look for the big picture and makes leaps
• Solitary and Reflective Learners – Think about the information completely before responding
• Collaborative/Extroverts – Put everything together based on interaction.

(Felder and Soloman and Learning-Styles Online) 

So the question is: How can you work with students who process information differently?

How we understand and explain information may often be an extension of our other styles which may include our communication style.

Helping Learners Organize Information Effectively  

• Linear/visual learners benefit from drawing a flowchart. You may discover that illustrations open a great conversation with the students with lots of different thoughts with one picture. Providing PowerPoint slides including videos, using up to date information and current events always seem to always draw interest.
• Visual learners benefit from visual and non textual clues such as graphs, charts or media and assorted visuals such as a PowerPoint presentation or a general picture. Aim for age appropriate visual aids with stimulating and motivating content.
• Global/visual learners benefit from using a mind map or from a web field trip or a PowerPoint presentation.
• Linear/Auditory learners will need to hear instructions communicated in sequence such as “first, second…”
• Global/auditory learners – These learners will benefit from getting direction help from you with assignments rather than reading the information. Teachers can also use links to images as examples in a PowerPoint presentation.
• Kinesthetic learners - This type of learner learns through the tactile response by touching and feeling. Providing ABC letters in different shapes and textures, blindfolding the children and encouraging them to make guess which letter they are hold reflects this kind of learning style. For older learners, try offering them a word backwards asking them to guess.
• Linear/hands-on may label parts and start in one place and moving on in sequence.

Getting Started

You can start by building a student profile of each learner. One way to do this is by distributing a questionnaire. Many of these questionnaires can be found with a simple Google search. Another way is by observing your students as they interact with various tasks and students.