KLEMME |1

Emily Klemme
Instructor: Al Lindau
10Sped
610 #3
October 18, 2015

Learning Styles
Students have different ways of learning. Teachers must incorporate different teaching

strategies to meet the individual learning styles of their students. Educators have a major impact

on the way their students retain information. The students ability to stay engaged while learning

also affects their self-confidence and behavior in the classroom. According to Neil Flemings

VARK model, students are identified as Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing or Kinesthetic

learners. It is necessary to adapt curriculum, assessments and activities to meet these types of

learning styles.

The Visual learner prefers pictures, maps, colors and images as a way of organizing the

information that is presented. Visuals lay out the information in a way that allows students to

process and memorize content. Visual learners prefer written content, handouts and pictures over

lectures. These students are more likely to sit at the front of the class, observing the teacher,

paying close attention to visual media and taking notes.

The Kinesthetic learner/Tactile learner prefers to take a more hands-on approach to

learning. Touching, feeling, and holding objects allows the student to remember real-life

experiences to understand content. Moving around, role-playing and taking pieces of an object

apart to better understand how it works is the kinesthetic approach to learning.

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As an educator and a visual and kinesthetic learner, I understand that many students find

it difficult to learn through lecturing. Project-based learning has been known to be successful in

classrooms due to the hands-on learning piece as part of the instruction. PBL supports both the

visual and kinesthetic learners and allows for guided questions from the students to support their

understanding. Learning becomes more concrete for the student. Moving around the classroom

and working together with other classmates takes on a more collaborative approach to learning.

Students are able to search for a mutual understanding by asking questions and socializing. This

allows for students to support one another, ask each other questions and come to a solution while

the teacher can monitor each group to gage their understanding. By taking a kinesthetic and

visual approach to teaching, more students are able to be flexible with their learning.