Tayla Foster
Every student learns differently, some respond to a visual stimulus, others are auditory learners, some students respond better to creative lessons and others prefer the quiet one on one time to learn independently. This makes us feel for teachers trying to educate 30 students per classroom with varying ability and learning requirements. To allow students to reach their limitless potential we must first unlock the type of learner they are and how to properly cater to their needs.
Challenge
Have you ever read that your child might be easily distracted in class, constantly talking and distracting others? But when looking at their academic results you notice they excel? It is often the smartest children that will mess around in class for one simple reason – they’re bored. Often academically inclined children excel early and therefore are bored with the prescribed work. The trick to helping those students be challenged and to stop distracting others is to prescribe them with work that will push them to reach their personal best.
Visual Learners
These students often relate to those who are creative, students who respond best to visual stimuli, including images, colours, and video graphic formats. Visual learners process information that they can see better than information that they hear like auditory learners. As such means that visual learners prefer to read over listening and write over speaking aloud.
Independent Learners
Being an independent learner does not necessarily mean the student is anti-social or shy, it simply means they work best when they are quiet, in their zone and above all alone. Independent learners are self-motivated and do not require the validation of others to complete their work. Independently engaging with their prescribed work means that the students are taking control of their learning and will work best for their classroom teacher when left to their own devices.
Auditory Learners
Auditory learners respond best to work they can hear, for example music and videos that they can listen to at their own pace. Auditory learners depend on listening and speaking as a main way of learning. Auditory learners must always be able to hear what is being said by the teacher or audio in order to process and understand the content. They may have difficulty with instructions that are drawn but if the writing is in a logical order it can be easier to understand they might even wish to read the written work out loud to fully comprehend the content.
To adhere to all types of learners the classroom teacher will often separate these students into the demographic of learner they are. This will alleviate any students being left behind and ensure they reach their unlimited potential.
