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 Kinesthetic & Tactile

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?

TalkDo 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 distracted by untidiness or movement?

Do you become distracted by sounds or noises?

Do you become distracted by activity around you?

Meet someone again

Do you forget names but remember faces or remember where you met?

Do you forget faces but remember names or remember what you talked about?

Do you remember best what you did together?

Contact people on business

Do you prefer direct, face-to-face, personal meetings?

Do you prefer the telephone?

Do you talk with them while walking or participating in an activity?

ReadDo you like descriptive scenes or pause to imagine the actions?

Do you enjoy dialog and conversation or hear the characters talk?

Do you prefer action stories or are not a keen reader?

Do something new at work

Do you like to see demonstrations, diagrams, slides, or posters?

Do you prefer verbal instructions or talking about it with someone else?

Do you prefer to jump right in and try it?

Put something together

Do you look at the directions and the picture?

Do you ignore the directions and figure it out as you go along?

Need help with a computer

applicationDo you seek out pictures or diagrams?

Do you call the help desk, ask a neighbour, or growl at the computer?

Do you keep trying to do it or try it on another 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.

I ntrapersonal – self wise.

You could use: Learning logs Self- assessment

quiz Personal reviews Target settingTo help you learn.

I nterpersonal – People Wise.

You could use: Peer assessment Group discussions Group

brainstorming Group projectsTo help you learn.

Visual – Spatial: Picture Wise.

You could use: Charts Pictures Visualise I llustrate DrawTo help you learn.

Kinaesthetic – Body Wise.

You could use: Role play Laminated cards Energy breaks Build modelsTo help you learn.

Logical – Maths Wise

You could use: Flow charts Diagrams Storyboarding Mapping PuzzlesTo help you learn.

Linguistic – Word Wise

You could use: Debate ideas Keep a diary or a

learning log Storytelling NotesTo help you learn.

Naturalistic – Nature Wise

You could use: Natural light in

your learning environment.

Real life situations

Outside activitiesTo help you learn.

Music Wise.

You could use: Rhymes Raps Background musicTo 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 

Linguistic

B

Logical- Mathematic

al

C 

Musical

D 

Spatial

E

Bodily-Kinesthe

tic

F

Intra- persona

l

G

Inter- persona

l                   7 ___ 4 ___ 2 ___ 1 ___ 6 ___ 26 ___ 27 ___   8 ___ 5 ___ 3 ___ 9 ___ 13 ___ 28 ___ 29 ___   14___ 12 ___ 10 ___ 11___ 15 ___   30 ___   18 ___ 16 ___ 20 ___ 19___ 17 ___       25 ___ 21 ___ 23 ___ 22___ 24 ___                    

Totals: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

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/multiple_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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