Learning Preferences
Learning Preferences
The Soloman-Felder model of learning styles is one way to view learning preferences and is designed for use with college and university students to self-test their learning preferences. Each of the four scales of the Soloman-Felder index of learning styles has two opposite preferences. Everyone uses all preferences at different times, but not usually with equal levels of confidence.
The active/reflective scale: How do you prefer to process information?
The sensing/intuitive scale: How do you prefer to take in information?
Active
Active learners learn by doing something. They prefer to learn by talking about it or trying it out.
Reflective
Reflective learners learn by thinking about it. They prefer to think things through and understand them before doing it.
Sensing
Sensing learners prefer learning that is practical and can be used in real life. They like facts and details and proven methods of doing something.
Intuitive
Intuitive learners prefer to learn about theory and the reasons behind the facts. They look for patterns and gists in language. They like finding relationships between different ideas.
The visual/verbal scale: How do you prefer information to be presented?
The sequential/global scale: How do you prefer to organize information?
Visual
Visual learners prefer to learn from pictures, diagrams, videos and charts.
Verbal
Verbal learners prefer explanations with words in writing and from speech.
Sequential
Sequential learners prefer to organise their notes in a sequence (step 1, step 2, etc.) They study in an organised and systematic way.
Global
Global learners prefer to see an overview of all the learning first before diving into details. They often appear disorganised and learning randomly and yet they have creative and correct answers.
Given those preferences, you'd prefer to do these types of activities:
Active Learning
- Schedule time to talk with the instructor about your English learning in their office hours.
- Form a study group with other English learners and have a weekly time to meet and study together.
- Do a Mind Map on the vocabulary (e.g. MindMup).
- Create your own flashcards (e.g. Quizlet).
- In a notebook, create word classes (e.g. crime, commit a crime, criminal, criminally), word lists (e.g. "crime" word list) and write out sentences.
- Check out your word family framework.
Reflective Learning
- Schedule time every week to write a diary of your learning or simply your thoughts.
- Stop during reading in English and write questions you have from what you just read and write about what that piece of reading means or how could you use that phrase in the future.
- Write summaries of your learnt words, phrases, grammar, etc.
- Write in a journal in English regularly (i.e. journal ideas or journal prompts).
Sensing Learning
- Label things around your house in English and talk in your head about what you are doing in English.
- Go to a clothing store and name all the clothes, colour and patterns in English.
- When in a supermarket, name all the fruit, vegetables, and so on in English.
- Brainstorm and role play other real world examples of using your English.
Intuitive Learning
- Search online for people's best method for learning English, as in vocabulary sets and reading materials that they recommend.
- Try working through English Grammar in Use (set of textbooks).
- Read stories and novels in English and look at the grammar behind the sentences (match it to your English Grammar in Use, which grammar is it?)
Visual Learning
Verbal Learning
- Write summaries of your learnt words, phrases, grammar, etc.
- Write in a journal in English regularly (i.e. journal ideas or journal prompts).
- Look at a picture or photo and write or speak about what you see.
- Form a study group with other English learners and have a weekly time to meet and study together.
Sequential Learning
- Learn the material in steps, follow a textbook or grammar guide on what to study next.
- Ask your instructor for steps to follow or if there are any missed steps.
- Take the time to organise your notes in an order that seems logical to you.
- Schedule 15-30 minutes daily to study English and just do the next step.
Global Learning
- Before diving into detailed study, come up with a big picture plan of what to learn.
- Search for summaries and look at tables of contents in textbooks to get an idea of the whole learning.
- Skim a text essay quickly, then read slowly for the detail.
- Try to schedule one or two hours to study English.