Interconnection of Learning Styles and Development
Student A enjoys working with others in the classroom, does not like asking others for help, is distracted by things within the classroom, is indifferent to school, and is indifferent to movement activities. He
Student B enjoys working with others in the classroom, is able and willing to ask for help when needed, gets distracted by things within the classroom, does not enjoy school, and really enjoys movement activities. He is a little behind his peers on a social level developmentally which impacts his confidence in himself, and at school, greatly. He performs 1-2 grade levels below his peers academically but performs much higher in one-to-one interactions or activites where he is deeply engaged.
Student C tops the charts in every category! She loves working with others, asks for help, gets distracted in the classroom but not to a point where it impedes her work, loves coming to school, and enjoys movement activities. She developmentally is on par with peers at her age level socially but academically performs at least one grade level below her peers on a national scale. She keeps up with material being taught in the classroom and through speaking up when she needs help, misconceptions are caught more quickly and easily fixed through quick interactions or questioning.
Using Learning Styles to Plan
After collecting the data from the learning style survey, it is important to take time to analyze the results and work them into your everyday planning. A great way to cater to all types of learning styles in the classroom is through group work (Young Minds Inspired, n.d.). It allows students to learn from each other and benefit from the varying strengths of their own classmates. With all my students working well with others in the classroom, I know that I should account for them to have time to work together during activities. I could also find ways to have students turn and talk during lessons to have time to share their thoughts but also listen to what other students are thinking and build off that.
Knowing that Student A and B do not necessarily enjoy schoolwork is also helpful information to have when planning for instruction. I will try and relate content to their personal interests during lessons/activities or make references about what we are learning and relay it to them in correspondence to something they enjoy. This seems like a simple task for me with math because I can typically find at least one thing a student enjoys that we can use our math with. For example, a student who likes money and shopping would probably enjoy thinking of decimals as numbers on price tags and comparing decimals to each other like finding the best deal for an item at a store.
Evaluating and Using Student Strengths, Interests, and Needs
One of the most important ways we can support students is by highlighting individual student strengths in the classroom (The OT Toolbox, 2022). Adjusting instruction to provide opportunities for working together to meet all three of the students' needs can help them to better understand the content. Knowing that all three of the students also get distracted by things happening within the classroom is also important to know. Having ideas and strategies ready to help limit distractions while working in the classroom can help. Student B and C enjoy movement activities and opportunities so finding ways to work in optional movement to activities or even just providing small movement choices can be helpful to meet the needs of students who enjoy it, while also not forcing Student A to do something he does not really like to do while learning. Student A also does not like asking for help when learning so finding simple ways to check in on all the students while working provides opportunities for Student A to be presented with an opportunity to speak up about needing help while also not feeling singled out if both Student B and C are asked the same thing. An example of this could be, “how’s it going over here?”, or “do we need anything right now?”.
Learning Styles in Assessment
Differentiation can and should be provided in all parts of the lesson, from beginning to end. Considering student interests, preferences, and needs during assessment is just as important as the entire lesson leading up to assessment. Knowing that all three students enjoy working together can help you to plan for an assessment that can be done all together. Students could potentially engage in a poster to demonstrate their learning, film a how-to video, create a social media reel about their learning, etc. Finding ways to make learning relevant for Students A and B are not only matching their interests, but also making it applicable to life outside of the classroom. Providing an assessment question that relates to a personal interest of each of the students could be a great way to engage them and have them really dive deep to show you exactly what they know!
References
Staake, J. (2023, January 4). What are learning styles, and how should teachers use them? We are Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/learning-styles/
The OT Toolbox. (2022, June 20). Supporting student strengths in the classroom. https://www.theottoolbox.com/student-strengths-in-the-classroom/
Young Minds Inspired. (n.d.). How to tailor your lessons to all learning styles. https://ymiclassroom.com/how-to-tailor-your-lessons-to-all-learning-styles/
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