Learning Styles

Objectives:Students should be able to: define the term “learning styles”.

recognize different learning styles.

Recognize the importance of knowing learning styles in teaching.

The definition of the term “Style”

Styles are those general characteristics of intellectual functioning (and personality type, as well) that pertain to you as an individual, and that differentiate you from someone else.

A number of learning styles have been identified and studied over years.

We will discuss two general types of learning styles:

1- Cognitive learning styles

2- Learning styles ( discussed by a researcher called Kolb in 1984)

Cognitive Learning Styles

Definition: The way we learn things in general and the way we attack a problem seem to hinge on a link between personality and cognition; this link is referred to as cognitive style. Cognitive

Style

Cognition Personality

Cognitive learning Styles:

1- Left and Right brain functioning

2- Field Independence vs. Field dependence

3- Visual vs. Verbal

4- Sensory vs. Intuitive

1- Left and Right- brain functioning

• The left hemisphere is associated with:-logical thought -analytical thought -with mathematical and linear processing of information.• The right hemisphere perceives:- Visual -auditory- It is associated with holistic processing and

emotional information.

Left Right Logical Visual

Analytical Auditory

Mathematical emotional

Linear thinking Holistic thinking

2- Field Independence vs. Field dependence

Field independent learners are able to perceive parts from a whole (i.e. they see only parts but not their relationship to the whole).

Field dependent learners are able to perceive the whole picture (i.e. they always tend to have a general or a larger view) .

3- Visual vs. Verbal

Visual learners prefer information presented visually with:-pictures-flow charts-diagrams

Verbal learners prefer: -oral explanation -written explanation

4- Sensory vs. Intuitive

• Sensory learners prefer:- facts- data- details

• Intuitive learners prefer:- imagination - don’t like details

Conclusion In conclusion, we have discussed the general types of learning styles: cognitive learning styles and learning styles introduced by Kolb in 1984. An awareness of these styles will help teachers to perceive some wide-ranging individual differences in their learners. Not all learners are alike. Thus, teachers need to recognize and understand different learning styles in order to provide them with the best possible opportunities for learning. Moreover, learning styles can be used to predict what kind of instructional methods would be most effective for a certain group of learners.

References

• Cohen, L., Manion, L., &Morrison, K. (2004). A

guide to teaching practice (5th ed.).

RoutledgeFalmer

• Brown, H. (2000). Principles of language learning

and teaching (4th ed.). Addison Wesley:

Longman, Inc.