Learning Styles

More than just words……..

Learning styles

Tell me, and I will forget Show me, and I may

remember Involve me, and I will

understand Confucius around 450 BC

Learning styles

Touchy feely? Round and round What’s your style? Clever in more ways than

one!

VARK theory

Visual Have a look

Aural Talk about it

Read/Write Read the book

Kinesthetic Try it out

VARK theory

Posters, videos, displays, diagrams, charts, colour, mind-maps, symbols

Discussion, feedback, audio, presentations, guest speakers, music

Lists, instructions, handouts, textbooks, taking notes

Drama, moving around, using artefacts, visits, discussion groups, handling objects, trial & error

V A

R K

Kolb’s learning cycle

Kolb’s Cycle

Kolb’s learning cycle

Experience

Kolb’s Cycle

Kolb’s learning cycle

Reflection

Experience

Kolb’s Cycle

Kolb’s learning cycle

Reflection

Experience

Conceptualisation

Kolb’s Cycle

Kolb’s learning cycle

Reflection

Action

Experience

Conceptualisation

Kolb’s Cycle

Where do you dive in?

Joining the learning cycle

Where do you like to start?

Joining the learning cycle

Looking

Kolb’s Cycle

Where do you like to start?

Joining the learning cycle

Thinking

Looking

Kolb’s Cycle

Where do you like to start?

Joining the learning cycle

Thinking

Looking

Planning

Kolb’s Cycle

Where do you like to start?

Joining the learning cycle

Thinking

Doing

Looking

Planning

Kolb’s Cycle

Where do you like to start?

What’s your style?

What’s your

style?

What’s your style?

Activist

What’s your

style?

What’s your style?

Activist Enjoys new experiences Open-minded and

enthusiastic about new ideas

Flexible Gets bored easily Often acts before thinking Takes unnecessary risks

What’s your style?

Pragmatist

Activist

What’s your

style?

What’s your style?

Pragmatist Practical Keen to try things out Enjoys techniques with

obvious advantages Doesn’t like ‘all theory’ Tends to seize the first

solution to a problem Impatient with lengthy

discussion

What’s your style?

Pragmatist

Activist

Reflector

What’s your

style?

What’s your style?

Reflector Looks at things from

different perspectives Thinks before they act Listens to others Can be slow to reach a

decision Can be very cautious May hold back from direct

participation

What’s your style?

Pragmatist

Theorist

Activist

Reflector

What’s your

style?

What’s your style?

Theorist Thinks things through step

by step Asks probing questions Enjoys complex or

structured situations Is suspicious of intuition Can appear detached Doesn’t like uncertainty,

disorder and ambiguity

Characteristics of intelligence

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Musical

Bodily/Kinaesth

etic

Visual/Spatial

Logical/Mathema

tical

Linguistic

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Musical

Bodily/Kinaesth

etic

Visual/Spatial

Logical/Mathema

tical

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Musical

Bodily/Kinaesth

etic

Visual/Spatial

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Musical

Bodily/Kinaesth

etic

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Musical

Bodily/Kinaesth

eticUses hands to express ideas;

needs to touch; active

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

MusicalLikes to sing

and hum; sense of rhythm;

enjoys a wide range of music

Bodily/Kinaesth

eticUses hands to express ideas;

needs to touch; active

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Observant; interested in all wildlife; groups and classifies; good organiser

MusicalLikes to sing

and hum; sense of rhythm;

enjoys a wide range of music

Bodily/Kinaesth

eticUses hands to express ideas;

needs to touch; active

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Relates well to others; team worker; good

motivator; enjoys parties

Naturalistic

Observant; interested in all wildlife; groups and classifies; good organiser

MusicalLikes to sing

and hum; sense of rhythm;

enjoys a wide range of music

Bodily/Kinaesth

eticUses hands to express ideas;

needs to touch; active

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

Characteristics of intelligence

Intrapersonal

Reflective; self-motivated;

prefers to work alone; a

thinker; quiet

Interpersonal

Relates well to others; team worker; good

motivator; enjoys parties

Naturalistic

Observant; interested in all wildlife; groups and classifies; good organiser

MusicalLikes to sing

and hum; sense of rhythm;

enjoys a wide range of music

Bodily/Kinaesth

eticUses hands to express ideas;

needs to touch; active

Visual/Spatial

Likes to paint and sculpt; can ‘read’ pictures;

imaginative

Logical/Mathema

ticalLooks for reason and

order; logical; makes lists

LinguisticGood with

words; enjoys reading and

writing; explains things

clearly

Gardner’s

theory of

intelligence

More than just a theory

We all use combinations of different styles

We may have preferences for some styles rather than others

No style is ‘better’ than another!

Learning and teaching are most effective when a variety of styles are used

All theories are tools, not strait-jackets!