Planning Lessons to Capitalize on Learning Styles

1. Planning Lessons to Capitalize on Learning Styles • Connie Davis, Northern Colorado Literacy Resource Center nclrc@stvrain.k12.co.us • Nadeen Lester, St. Vrain Valley Adult Education ntlester@comcast.net

2. Learning Styles • Cognitive, affective and physiological behaviors • How learners perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment. • Acquired biologically and developmentally and can be influenced through experience.

3. Research • Knowledge of learning styles can help both educators and learners improve their effectiveness. (Hotta Dover) • Students learn more when information is presented in a variety of modes than when only a single mode is used. (Felder & Henriques)

4. Research • Stress, frustration, and burnout may occur when students are subjected over extended periods of time to teaching styles inconsistent with their learning style preferences. (Smith & Renzulli)

5. 3 types of learning styles: • Visual Learners • Auditory Learners • Kinesthetic Learners

6. A Lesson with Visual Learners in Mind • Reading Excerpt: “Two Mark Twain Editorials” • Objective: Reading Rate Improvement • Activity: “Pump It Up,” pages 1 & 2

7. A Lesson with Auditory Learners in Mind • Lesson from NorthStar Listening & Speaking, Basic/Low Intermediate • Simple past tense, regular & irregular forms • Activity: “That’s Not What I Said,” page 6

8. A Lesson with Kinesthetic Learners in Mind • Lesson from Contemporary English, Book 2 • Prepositions • Activity: “The Bank Stops Here,” page 10

9. Your Ideas • Ideas from professional experience • Thoughts about future classes • Comments

10. Wrap Up • Goal: Include all 3 learning styles in our classes to obtain a balanced teaching style • Resources • Evaluations