Learning Style Analysis

 Learning Style Analysis

   Teachers have many jobs they do when they are in the classroom teaching each day. We provide instruction to our students but how do we check to see if our students are understanding the content? We have many ways to assess our students to see growth and collect data, but its what you do with that data that is one of the keys to helping students succeed. 

Students grow and develop at different rates and at different times that include physical, emotional, and social development. Physical, cognitive emotional and social skills all happen at the same time but they may show more growth in one area rather than another. Some areas may need more support and assistance than others. There is a strong coloration between learning styles and the student ability to learn. In my classroom, I make sure to engage all my students into the lessons and allow them all to participate in discussions and partner work. My students are only 2nd graders so I often read them directions too which helps my students of all learning abilities. 

The chart above is from my mentor teacher's math group lesson. I gave her students a learning style inventory to see how they like to learn or what is their best/favorite way to learn. I then scored the students answers and put them into categories based on their selections. After seeing the results from the learning style inventory, I can see most of the students prefer tactile learning styles more than any other style. For me, this means that I would provide physical manipulatives to my students during each math lesson so they physically have something to move. I also like to have my students read the learning target each day, so for my tactile students and all my students we can use hand motions and movements to help us understand the objective of the lesson. 

Not every student learns the same way or wants to learn the same way. Students learning is not a one size fits all and neither should our teaching. When we are teaching we need to address all learning styles when implementing assessments. The best way I like to do this is allowing my students to take the assessment at their own pace. I read to my students each question as needed, I also give them the entire instruction block to take the assessment. For formative assessment like exit tickets, students still get to take the test at their own pace however, the time is shortened and this is what i use to gage where my students are. 

It's important to build a relationship with your students and learn about what interests them. When you know what your students like and dislike and what keeps them engaged, as educators we can incorporate these interest into our lessons to help the students understand their learning. If I had a student whose favorite food was apple, I would say "I have 6 apples, my mom went to the store and bought me 3 more apples. How many do I have in all now?" This helps students engagement because they are learning about what interest them and what relates to them. 

I would evaluate my students on their strengths, interest and areas of growth by simple informal obersvations while i'm monitoring students work, as well as during my lesson checking in with each student and formally with their exit tickets.