Students' Characteristics and Teaching Methods

What teaching methods and activities suit different learning styles?

1.    The Four Modalities

a.    Visual

·         Use many visuals in the classroom. For example, wall displays posters, realia, flash cards, graphic organizers etc.

b.    Auditory

·         Use audio tapes and videos, storytelling, songs, jazz chants, memorization and drills

·         Allow learners to work in pairs and small groups regularly.

c.    Kinesthetic

·         Use physical activities, competitions, board games, role plays etc.

·         Intersperse activities which require students to sit quietly with activities that allow them to move around and be active

d.    Tactile

·         Use board and card games, demonstrations, projects, role plays etc.

·         Use while-listening and reading activities. For example, ask students to fill in a table while listening to a talk, or to label a diagram while reading

2.    Field-independent vs. field-dependent

a.    Field-independent

·         Let students work on some activities on their own

b.    Field-dependent

·         Let students work on some activities in pairs and small groups

3.    Left-brain vs. right-brain dominated

a.    Left-brain dominated

·         Give verbal instructions and explanations

·         Set some closed tasks to which students can discover the "right" answer

b.    Right-brained dominated

·         Write instructions as well as giving them verbally

·         Demonstrate what you would like students to do

·         Give students clear guidelines, a structure, for tasks

·         Set some open-ended tasks for which there is no "right" answer

·         Use media and other things that students can manipulate while learning

·         Sometimes allow students to respond by drawing

4.    McCarthy's four learning styles

a.    Innovative learners

·         Use cooperative learning activities and activities in which students must make value judgments

·         Ask students to discuss their opinions and beliefs

b.    Analytic learners

·         Teach students the facts

c.    Common sense learners

·         Use problem-solving activities

d.    Dynamic learners

·         Ask students about their feelings

·         Use a variety of challenging activities