How Do you Like to Learn?
What are learning styles? Learning styles are simply different ways of learning. The most simple used model of learning (VAK model) describes you as having a preference for:
Visual Learning:
learn through seeing...
Practical suggestions to help you learn:
use visual materials such as pictures, charts, maps, graphs, etc. have a clear view of your teachers when they are speaking so you can see their body language and facial expression use colour to highlight important points in text take notes or ask your teacher to provide handouts illustrate your ideas as a picture or brainstorming bubble before writing them down write a story and illustrate it use multi-media (e.g. computers, videos, and filmstrips) study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances read illustrated books visualize information as a picture to aid memorization
Auditory Learning:
learn through listening...
Practical suggestions to help you learn:
participate in class discussions/debates make speeches and presentations use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes read text out aloud
create musical jingles to aid memorization create mnemonics to aid memorization discuss your ideas verbally dictate to someone while they write down your thoughts use verbal analogies, and story telling to demonstrate your point
Tactile/Kinesthetic Learning: learn through, moving, doing and touching... Practical suggestions to help you learn:
take frequent study breaks move around to learn new things (e.g. read while on an exercise bike, mold a piece of clay to learn a new concept) work at a standing position chew gum while studying use bright colors to highlight reading material dress up your work space with posters if you wish, listen to music while you study skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about before settling down to read it in detail.
This chart helps you work out your learning style; read the word in the left column and then answer the questions in the next three columns to see how you respond to each situation. Your answers may fall into all three columns, but one column will likely contain the most answers. The column with the most answers is your main learning style.
When you..
Visual
Auditory
Spell
Do you try to see the word?
Do you sound out the word or use a phonetic approach?
Do you write the word down to find if it feels right?
Talk
Do you sparingly but dislike listening for too long? Do you favor words such as see, picture, and imagine?
Do you enjoy listening but are impatient to talk? Do you use words such as hear, tune, and think?
Do you gesture and use expressive movements? Do you use words such as feel, touch, and hold?
Concentrate
Do you become Do you become distracted by distracted by sounds or untidiness or movement? noises?
Do you forget names but Meet someone remember faces or again remember where you met?
Do you forget faces but remember names or remember what you talked about?
Contact people Do you prefer direct, face-to- Do you prefer the on business face, personal meetings? telephone?
Read
Do you like descriptive scenes or pause to imagine the actions?
Do you like to see Do something demonstrations, diagrams, new at work slides, or posters?
Need help with a Do you seek out pictures or computer diagrams? application
Do you become distracted by activity around you? Do you remember best what you did together? Do you talk with them while walking or participating in an activity?
Do you enjoy dialog and Do you prefer action conversation or hear the stories or are not a keen characters talk? reader? Do you prefer verbal instructions or talking about it with someone else?
Do you prefer to jump right in and try it? Do you ignore the directions and figure it out as you go along?
Put something Do you look at the directions together and the picture?
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Kinesthetic & Tactile
Do you call the help Do you keep trying to do it desk, ask a neighbour, or or try it on another growl at the computer? computer?
Adapted from Colin Rose(1987). Accelerated Learning.
What is Multiple Intelligence? The idea of learning styles is developed further by Howard Gardner who describes seven different ways to demonstrate ability.
Intrapersonal – self wise. You could use: Learning logs Self-assessment quiz Personal reviews Target setting To help you learn.
Interpersonal – People Wise. You could use: Peer assessment Group discussions Group brainstorming Group projects To help you learn.
Visual – Spatial: Picture Wise. You could use: Charts Pictures Visualise Illustrate Draw To help you learn.
Kinaesthetic – Body Wise. You could use: Role play Laminated cards Energy breaks Build models To help you learn.
Logical – Maths Wise You could use: Flow charts Diagrams Storyboarding Mapping Puzzles To help you learn.
Linguistic – Word Wise You could use: Debate ideas Keep a diary or a learning log Storytelling Notes To help you learn.
Naturalistic – Nature Wise You could use: Natural light in your learning environment. Real life situations Outside activities To help you learn.
Music Wise. You could use: Rhymes Raps Background music To help you learn.
How do you Work out Your Multiple Intelligence? Where does your true intelligence lie? This quiz will tell you where you stand and what to do about it. Read each statement. If it expresses some characteristic of yours and sounds true for the most part, jot down a "T." If it doesn't, mark an "F." If the statement is sometimes true, sometimes false, leave it blank. 1. _____ I'd rather draw a map than give someone verbal directions. 2. _____ I can play (or used to play) a musical instrument. 3. _____ I can associate music with my moods. 4. _____ I can add or multiply in my head. 5. _____ I like to work with calculators and computers. 6. _____ I pick up new dance steps fast. 7. _____ It's easy for me to say what I think in an argument or debate. 8. _____ I enjoy a good lecture, speech or sermon. 9. _____ I always know north from south no matter where I am. 10. _____ Life seems empty without music. 11. _____ I always understand the instructions that come with new gadgets. 12. _____ I like to work puzzles and play games. 13. _____ Learning to ride a bike (or skates) was easy. 14. _____ I am irritated when I hear an argument or statement that sounds illogical. 15. _____ My sense of balance and coordination is good. 16. _____ I often see patterns and relationships between numbers faster and easier than others. 17. _____ I enjoy building models (or sculpting).
18. _____ I'm good at finding the fine points of word meanings. 19. _____ I can look at an object one way and see it sideways or backwards just as easily. 20. _____ I often connect a piece of music with some event in my life. 21. _____ I like to work with numbers and figures. 22. _____ Just looking at shapes of buildings and structures is pleasurable to me. 23. _____ I like to hum, whistle and sing in the shower or when I'm alone. 24. _____ I'm good at athletics. 25. _____ I'd like to study the structure and logic of languages. 26. _____ I'm usually aware of the expression on my face. 27. _____ I'm sensitive to the expressions on other people's faces. 28. _____ I stay "in touch" with my moods. I have no trouble identifying them. 29. _____ I am sensitive to the moods of others. 30. _____ I have a good sense of what others think of me.
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE SCORING SHEET Place a check mark by each item you marked as "true." Add your totals. A total of four in any of the categories A through E indicates strong ability. In categories F and G a score of one or more means you have abilities as well. A
Totals:
B
C
D
E
F
G
Linguistic
LogicalMathematical
Musical
Spatial
BodilyKinesthetic
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
7 ___ 8 ___ 14___ 18 ___ 25 ___
4 ___ 5 ___ 12 ___ 16 ___ 21 ___
2 ___ 3 ___ 10 ___ 20 ___ 23 ___
1 ___ 9 ___ 11___ 19___ 22___
6 ___ 13 ___ 15 ___ 17 ___ 24 ___
26 ___ 28 ___
27 ___ 29 ___ 30 ___
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Or you can access the following internet multiple intelligence tests: If you type “multiple intelligence� into GOOGLE you will get a number of sites here are some good ones. http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multi ple_int/index.htm http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm http://www.mitest.com/omitest.htm
Multiple Intelligence Action Plan.
I have a learning strength in the following areas:
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Multiple Intelligence Action Plan:
I am going to use my strengths by:
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