Sarah's E-Learning Blog: Week 1 - Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Hi everyone! So I am finally getting around to posting my thoughts about the first two weeks of our E-Learning course. What a journey so far! I have honestly learnt so much and am really beginning to understand the importance of incorporating ICT into whatever learning is taking place in the classroom.

So let's talk a bit about learning styles and multiple intelligences...

I always find it interesting when I complete online tests about learning styles and multiple intelligences, because it not only reminds me of the ways I best learn but of that fact that not everyone learns best in the same ways as me!

From a teaching perspective, this realisation is vital. Being conscious of the fact that everyone learns differently ensures that we as educators don't fall into the trap of only teaching our students through the ways we ourselves best learn. Furthermore, it helps us to refrain from applying a 'one size fits all' approach to the lessons we teach. By this I mean teaching every lesson with the same focus on visual aids or kinaesthetic activities simply because a group of students responded well to these types of learning experiences at some point in the past.

What about the child who retains information better when it is presented verbally? (Auditory Learner). Or the child who exhibits a strong ability to work cooperatively with others and understand their feelings? (Interpersonal Intelligence). As 21st century teachers we need to be striving to provide a learning environment that caters for the needs of all our students, and that builds on their talents and abilities. This means that we cannot just settle for presenting lesson upon lesson with the same group work activity or the same focus on building literacy and mathematical skills. We need to be ACTIVELY seeking out new activities and lesson ideas for every learning style and multiple intelligence, and then thinking about how to best incorporate these into our daily planning.

Yes, it is highly unlikely that every lesson we design will incorporate all learning styles or build upon every multiple intelligence (quite frankly there is not enough time!). However, it is certainly possible to cater for a number of learning styles and intelligences throughout the course of a day's work or a unit plan.

"But how do I do this?!! And where do I start?" you ask me.

This is where ICT comes to the rescue! Digital tools such as videos, podcasts and images are all devices that can help teachers to engage students through their favoured learning styles and intelligences.

Check out this link. A teacher by the name of Amrit Rai has created a blog that highlights each of the multiple intelligences and a number of digital-based activities, websites and programs that teachers can use to encourage the use of multiple intelligences in the classroom. I have read the entire post and it is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I will definitely be using these ideas in my future classroom!

Just a couple more cartoons to finish! Can you tell I'm a visual learner? :)