Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, and opinions so that the message is understood clearly and with purpose. As a teacher, we’re also concerned about information retention. Is the student going to remember this later in the class, tomorrow, a week from now,... ? We put a lot of emphasis on the student being responsible for their learning by being attentive but we as teachers, we need to do our part in presenting the information in a way that helps the student to do this.
The idea of students having a fixed learning style is false. Period. I’m not sure how we convinced students (or maybe ourselves) that they have a certain learning style but I hear it occasionally from my students. They tell me that they’re a “visual learner” or they’re a “hands-on” (kinesthetic) learner, fixating on one learning style while ignoring the others.
If you use the Google machine to look up “learning styles” it’ll range from 3, 4 or 7 different ones. Here are the seven:
Auditory - Learners who absorb information best through sound and verbal communication, such as lectures, podcasts, audiobooks, and discussions. This style is often associated with language learners, musicians, and oral communicators.
Visual - Learners who find it easier to absorb new information when it's presented with colors and graphics.
Kinesthetic - Also known as hands-on learning, this style describes how some people acquire information and develop skills through physical engagement.
Read/write - Learners who learn best by reading and writing down what they've learned. This style is sometimes referred to as the second visual style.
Interpersonal - Learners who focus on the relationships between themselves and their peers or instructors. They are motivated by brainstorming, group discussions, case studies, and connecting with others.
Logical/analytical - Learners who use logic, reasoning, and analysis to learn new ideas. They break down complex concepts into manageable parts and then analyze them to arrive at a solution.
Intrapersonal - Learners who learn better through self-reflection, independence, and working alone and quietly.
What students (and many others, including some teachers) don’t think about is that yes, a student might have a tendency to learn and retain information better with one or more styles but the more learning styles they’re exposed to in a given block of instruction, the greater the depth of learning and retention.
If I just stood in front of the class and talked, the auditory learners might be able to remember a bulk of the information but what if I included pictures, graphics, and diagrams? What if I added a class discussion? What if I added time for them to discuss the topic privately with a classmate? What if I had them write things down while we talked? What if I gave them a moment to think and internalize the information? What if I got them to build and create using this new information?
But Josiah, is there ever too much? Oh yes, there sure is. Include several learning styles per topic but don’t think that you need to include all of them. The saying, “Don’t beat a dead horse” is very relevant here. If they understand the concept and you feel that they’re going to retain it, move on. If they don’t, ask questions to see what they don't understand and reteach missed information and/or change the way you’re presenting the concept.
When I plan out a lesson, my plan is to take the new information and
talk about it (and link it to prior learning or something they’re familiar with)
discuss it. (Pose open-ended questions that can’t be answered with “yes” or “no”)
have some sort of visual associated with it
have them write things down about it (they’re keeping a 3-ring binder this year)
have hands-on shop time implementing it
If they get it by just presenting and discussing it, I’ll move on. If they don’t, I’m prepared with the different methods and I’ll keep teaching.
But Josiah, how do I do this in my home shop? Let’s break this down by learning style.
Auditory - Are you talking AND discussing it with them? I know we’re the “experts” but the more students engage in talking about the subject, the more their brains will work at retaining the information. Get them to talk after presenting information to them.
Visual - White boards are pretty cheap now, even a 24” x 36” one from Office Depot is about $30. Get a pack of dry erase markers and you’ll be able to sketch to help create visuals. Can you print something out or use a book for some visuals and reference? That would work as well.
Kinesthetic - This is easy for most of the concepts that we teach.
Read/write - Are you allowing them to read something by themselves? Are they keeping “notes” in a notebook or binder?
Interpersonal - Again with the discussions.
Logical/analytical - Again with the discussions but focusing on questions that allow them to dig deep into that thinking. Get in the habit of not always giving them the answer. See if they’re able to get into that deeper discovery and come up with the answer themselves. You might need to coach or pose questions to help them figure it out. (This might not be appropriate for some.)
Intrapersonal - Give them opportunities to be by themselves (age appropriate) to think. With my students, I’ll do a lap or two around the shop and then come back to them to see if they’ve come up with the answer that they asked me.
See, you don’t have to have a fancy classroom with the latest and greatest technology to teach. Be resourceful. Sometimes my visual aids have been a magic marker and a scrap piece of cardboard or block of wood. It just needs to be something to aid the student to visualize the concept.
After teaching, evaluate your performance and look for ways to improve. Did the student learn the material? Are they going to retain the material? What did you do well? What do you need to do better? I’m constantly doing this with both my public school classes and any I teach privately. Teaching is just like any skill, it takes practice and evaluation to improve.
As always, I enjoy hearing about your experiences and if I can help you in your teaching endeavors, let me know.