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Understanding themselves as learners is one part of the journey for students in becoming self-directed learners. In the elementary classroom, our goal is to empower students with both the knowledge and skills to take ownership over their learning. Teaching students about learning styles provides them with the tools to identify their own learning styles while also developing strategies to compensate when their dominant learning style is not met in a classroom situation.
STEPS:
AVID BRAIN HANDOUT: Provide each student with a copy of Student Handout: The AVID Brain.
READ AND MARK TEXT: Instruct students to independently read the handout, circle key words, and underline main ideas.
PARTNER SHARE: In partners, have students share their current understanding of each learning style. Make learning style connections for students based on the information that is added to the chart by having them identify responses that would be considered kinesthetic (drawing a hand), auditory (drawing an ear), or visual (drawing eyes) next to each response.
LEARNING STYLES INVENTORY: Pass out Student Handout Learning Styles Inventory for students to complete independently.
TALLY RESPONSES: Once they have completed the inventory, have each student tally the total number of responses of each letter (i.e., count the number of “A” responses, etc.). The letter that has the highest number helps in determining the student’s dominant learning style (A = Auditory, B = Visual, C = kinesthetic).
ALIKE GROUPS: Have students form alike groups according to their most dominant learning style.
PAIR UP AND MANDALA: Within their alike groups, have students pair up into smaller groups of two or three and complete Student Handout Learning Styles Mandala by using illustrations and/or words that best describe their learning style.
SHARE MANDALA: Bring students back together as a whole group and ask for volunteers to share their learning style by discussing their mandala.
REFLECTION: To close the activity, have students individually complete Student Handout My Learning Style Reflection. This could also be used as a homework assignment or a follow-up activity on a different day.
EXTENSION:
To adapt this lesson for primary classes:
Use chart paper to label three areas of the room: Auditory or A, Visual or B, Kinesthetic or C.
Using the Learning Styles Inventory, read one statement at a time and have students move to the wall labeled with the learning style that best describes them.
Response A = Auditory, Response B = Visual, and Response C = Kinesthetic
Provide students with a three-column notes page, with columns labeled: Auditory or A, Visual or B, Kinesthetic or C. Each time a student goes to a wall, they put a tally mark on their page in the appropriate column. An example scenario is provided below:
Read each statement out loud, “When I listen to a class lesson…
A (auditory): I listen very closely.
B (visual): I try to be close to the speaker and watch the speaker.
C (kinesthetic): I take notes.”
Students who choose Response A would move to the wall labeled A or Auditory and make one tally mark on their chart in the A or Auditory column. Students who choose B would move to the wall labeled B or Visual and would make one tally mark on their chart in the B or Visual column, etc.
Repeat this process through each question on the inventory.
Have students go back to their seats and tally up how many tally marks they have in each column.
Using their notes, help student understand which is their most dominant learning style.
As a whole group, create a Learning Styles Mandala for each of the learning styles. This may take several days to complete.
EXTENSION:
To increase rigor, add additional learning style groupings, such as: Kinesthetic/Auditory, Kinesthetic/Visual, Auditory/Visual, Kinesthetic/ Auditory/Visual. •
To integrate technology, provide students with a template and have them create their mandala on a computer or tablet.
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