Today, we live in a very different world. Children are surrounded by technology. They are used to instant results and doing things an easier way. Numerous studies have been performed on the way students learn. The biggest impact with these studies is the we now know that as unique as each person is, so is the way we learn. We have determined three primary ways that students learn: auditory, visually, and kinesthetically. Additionally, teachers now realize that we do a great disservice to students when we expect them all to learn in the same manner. In order for students to do and be their best, teachers need to appeal to all three major types of learners in their classroom. Choosing a wide variety of instructional strategies is a teacher's best bet to meeting the needs of each individual in their classroom.
Strategies for Auditory Learners:
- Lecture
- Discussion
- Think, Pair, Share
- Debate
Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners:
- Simulation
- Demonstration
- Experiment
- Play
Strategies for Visual Learners:
- Reading
- Writing
- Taking Notes
- Graphic Organizers
Technology can play a huge role in helping a teacher meet the needs of all learners. Not only are most children familiar with some sort of technology, they like it! What adolescent doesn't like to play games on a gaming console or connect with their friends via a phone or social media? What adolescent isn't bombarded with technology in their everyday life? When a teacher can tap into that excitement, they are truly engaging their students.
Technology has come so far since the days of the one-room-schoolhouse. Computers, tablets, laptops, and phones have apps that can assist in the classroom and help meet the needs of all learners.
For example, a lecture can be digital: students can watch a video or listen to a podcast. Students can participate in a discussion from anywhere in the world via an online discussion forum, a video conferencing tool such as Skype, or a some type of instant messaging.
Since safety is big concern in schools, students can now view experiments and demonstrations online. They can actively participate in simulations without making an irreversible mistake.
Visual learners have scores of productivity software applications at their disposal. They can read textbooks in an e-reader, take notes with an interactive tablet, or use a SMART board to create graphic organizers.
As a teacher, I need to remember all of this. I need to remember that what works for me may not be effective for some of my students. As I plan my lessons, I need to take into account who my students are and how they learn. I will need to make sure that I am including at least one component that reaches to each major type of learner in each lesson. And, since I can't clone myself, I need to remember that technology is a wonderful tool that can help me accomplish so much more than I can do on my own.
. . .at least until technology figures out how to make another me!
