RUNNING HEADER: (MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER

Learning Styles Research Paper Ashley Schirmer Math 127 Ivy Tech Community College

Abstract

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER This paper will describe three different types of learning styles for First Grade age students. It will describe how these three learning styles, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic can improve student learning. This paper provides three First Grade, age-appropriate, math activities that incorporate each learning style. My own learning style will be addressed with memories from my own personal learning experiences.

Learning Styles Research Paper

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER Introduction "Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the school-aged population remembers what is heard; 40 percent recalls well visually the things that are seen or read; many must write or use their fingers in some manipulative way to help them remember basic facts; other people cannot internalize information or skills unless they use them in real-life activities, such as actually writing a letter to learn the correct format." (Carbo, Dunn, & Dunn, 1986). Some students learn the most through listening, others learn by visual stimulation, however, others still need kinesthetic learning, or a combination of all three (Farewell, 2012). Therefore, in order to effectively teach children it is important to incorporate different learning styles for maximum retention. Learning Styles in Improving Student Learning According to the Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic (VAK) modality theory, learners use all three modalities to receive and learn new information and experiences (Clark, 2000). However, according to the VAK model, only one or two of these styles is dominant, which is the best choice for a person to learn new information (Clark, 2000). Everyone is different; they may learn best through one learning style for one specific subject and then use another learning style for another subject. According to the VAK theorists, teachers need to use all three styles when presenting new information because it allows the learners the chance to become involved, no matter what learning style they are used to or prefer (Clark, 2000). Auditory learners often talk to themselves or move their lips and read out loud (Clark, 2000). At times they may have difficulty with reading and writing tasks when combined (Clark, 2000). In order to integrate these learning styles into the students environment a teacher

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER will need to always give a summary or brief explanation of what is coming, then at the end of the assignment summarize or conclude what has been said (Clark, 2000). Use the Socratic Method and ask the learners questions to get them thinking as much as possible while answering their questions thoroughly (Clark, 2000). Include auditory activities in order to help the learners make connections of what they learned and how it applies to their situation. (Clark, 2000). It also helps to have students read questions a loud to themselves or to a partner. Discussing the information again as a follow up will be beneficial to auditory learners. Visual learners have two sub-channels; linguistic and spatial (Clark, 2000). Learners who like to learn through written assignments such as, worksheets, reading assignments, and writing assignments are Visual-linguistic (Clark, 2000). This type of learner remembers information that has been written down, and absorbs more from lectures if they write notes during them (Clark, 2000). The other type of visual learner is the visual-spatial learner, who has trouble with written language and does better with charts, demonstrations, videos, and other visual material (Clark, 2000). These learners easily remember details of faces and hardly have to stop and ask for directions (Clark, 2000). To integrate this type of learning style into your lessons, you will need to incorporate graphs, charts, illustrations, or other visual aids (Clark, 2000). Include outlines, concept maps, agendas, and handouts for taking notes (Clark, 2000). Include several areas in the handout for students to be able to reread after the lesson (Clark, 2000). To keep the students active and alert, encourage them to ask questions and discuss content with a partner (Clark, 2000). Use flip charts to show present, post, and future information as you discuss it (Clark, 2000). Give cues to alert students when it is necessary to take notes (Clark, 2000). Always eliminate potential distractions when working with visual

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER learners (Clark, 2000). Drawing pictures in margins can help them retain certain information and even acting out subject matters can be helpful (Clark, 2000). Kinesthetic learners do best when touching and moving around (Clark, 2000). Kinesthetic has two sub-channels: kinesthetic (movement) and tactile (touch) (Clark, 2000). Concentration is often lost if they do not have that external stimulation or movement while learning (Clark, 2000). When incorporating kinesthetic learning styles into your lessons it is important to get students up and moving as much as possible (Clark, 2000). When appropriate, music can be used to help the learning process. Give the students many stretch brakes or brain breaks to get them out of their seat and moving (Clark, 2000). To highlight important points, give candy or something with a scent, etc. to provide a cross link scent or aroma to the topic at hand (scent can be a powerful cue) (Clark, 2000). Have students transfer information from the text to another medium, such as a computer or tablet (Clark, 2000). Math Activities using Learning Styles When teaching how to tell time to 1st graders it is important to incorporate each students learning style into the lesson. To begin, discuss why time is important in order to get the attention of auditory learners so they can begin making connections on why the lesson is important. We then would discuss the numbers on a clock and what each number represents. First I would use chart paper and draw a clock so the visual learners can understand each piece of the clock. First I would start with only hours and point to each one and have them say the numbers with me. This would engage my auditory and visual learners. Then we would move on to the minutes on the clock and I would count by fives, again having them say the minutes with me. I would show them the difference between analogue time and digital time. I would then

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER make some random times then have students use white boards and dry erase markers and write the time in digital format, then hold their answer up in the air for me to see. This would engage all three learning styles. I am reinforcing the lesson with the auditory learners by having them write the time on the white board. I am reinforcing the lesson with the aisual learners because they are seeing the time on my clock then writing it down. I am reinforcing the lesson with kinesthetic learners because they are using their hands and arms to write the times while holding it up for me to see. It makes them use tactile learning and kinesthetic learning styles. To make sure each student has absorbed the material and can read the times on a clock we will practice reading clocks from our classmates wrists. Each student will receive a paper with enough answer boxes to write their own time and each of their classmates times and names beside it. will hand out paper watches with different times written on each one and the students will go around asking each classmate what time is it? and they are only allowed to read the other students watch. No one is allowed to speak the time until the very end when we check our papers. This activity reinforces all three learning styles, especially, kinesthetic. It gets their bodies moving and their brains working out twenty or more different times. It reinforces visual learners because they are reading the watch face on every students arm, then writing it down. My second activity, found from the Alabama Learning Exchange website, is designed to teach geometry to First Graders through the fun activity of Origami. Students will learn to identify geometric shapes, recognize the properties of geometric shapes, and analyze shapes to determine symmetry. To build the lesson and to create understanding for auditory learners, I will begin a week earlier and read the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Then we will begin the lesson by discussing Geometry and Symmetry on the board. I will ask if anyone knows the word Geometry and what it means. After possible responses I will tell them that the I

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER word geometry is Greek for geos meaning earth and metron - meaning measure. I will then say when we study geometry, we study points and lines and the shapes made from those points and lines. I will then ask them to tell me what they remember about Origami and how it could be similar to geometry and symmetry. I will wait for responses and then tell them they will be able to identify some geometric shapes while we construct some objects with origami. This beginning part helps the auditory-learning style understand the lesson prior to actually doing the lesson. Next, I will pass out a blank piece of paper to each student and instruct them to fold the paper only when I do. The first fold will be just folding the paper in half and asking them what shapes are made. They will follow me step-by-step identifying shapes made along the way, as we make a simple piece of origami. This will help the auditory learners as we discuss the shapes we make. I will have them color rectangles red, triangles blue, squares green, etc. This helps visual learners and kinesthetic learners remember their shapes by separating them by color. I will discuss each shape and ask them how they would describe each shape to someone. For example, I would ask how they would describe a triangle to someone, which the preferred response would be that a triangle has three sides. This helps the auditory learners by discussing the shapes and how they are made and helps the visual learners because they are constructing how a triangle looks in their minds. A follow up worksheet will be handed out where they will label each shape from a word bank. Then they will color each shape with the same colors we had chosen before. While they are working on the worksheet, I will play a song that teaches geometry and describes the shapes in rhyme form in order to apply the lesson in another way for my kinesthetic learners. That way each learning style is summarized. (McGowan, 2002) My third lesson is from LessonPlanet.com and it teaches and reinforces pattern recognition to First Graders. First an interactive chart is used on a smart board or promethean

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER board to discuss what patterns can be made; abab, abba, abc, etc. These examples are supplied with pictures to represent the kind of pattern being discussed. This helps auditory and visual learners. It helps auditory learns by talking about the concept and showing it in application. It helps visual learners by use of a visual example. To further teach the lesson students are given a chance to go up to the board and finish the pattern by using the pen that acts as a computer mouse and by dragging the appropriate picture into its appropriate place in the pattern. This helps visual and kinesthetic learners by using visuals and being hands-on. To further engage the learners I will have them create each type of pattern on their own paper, for example, create an abab pattern by drawing pictures of cats, an abba pattern by drawing flowers, etc. This helps kinesthetic learners by having them create the pattern by drawing it out and coloring in the shapes. It helps visual learners by allowing them to make charts. It also helps auditory learners when the directions of which pattern should be drawn. (Lesson Planet, 2005) My Own Learning Style I have always been a visual learner and a kinesthetic learner in some subjects. I learn

well by seeing information in graph form and by taking notes. I have been more of a kinesthetic learner in Science and Geography. I had to use the tactile method when learning the states and their capitals. I spent many nights putting the states where they were supposed to go, taking note of each ones shape and location, in order to learn them. I used the same method with the periodic table. I had to learn my multiplication tables using a kinesthetic method of listening to it on tape in rhyme form. I understand how reaching students through their style of learning is important. I remember how exciting it became when the information I was learning finally clicked in my brain when someone used a method I could understand. That is how I hope to make my students feel when they are learning something new. They should never give up on a

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER subject or become frustrated because they do not understand it. Looking at something in a different way is often the solution to many problems. Conclusion Each of these lessons makes mathematics understandable for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Mathematics can be difficult if it isnt being taught in a way one understands. Each style has its own important methods to be addressed and included in every lesson that is taught. Taking the time to understand how each student learns is important in being a highly effective teacher.

(MATH 127) LEARNING STYLES RESEARCH PAPER References Carbo, M., Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1986). Teaching Students to Read Through Their Individual Learning Styles. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Clark, D. (2000, May 9). Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learning Styles. Retrieved from A Big Dog and Little Dog Performance Juxtaposition: http://nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/vakt.html Farewell, T. (2012, August 1). Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic Learners. Retrieved from Family Education: http://school.familyeducation.com/intelligence/teaching-methods/38519.html Lesson Planet. (2005, June 8). Pattern Practice: abab. Retrieved from LessonPlanet.com: http://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/presentation-pattern-practice-abab McGowan, N. (2002, March 15). Alex Lesson Plans. Retrieved from Ales: http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=32260