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The First Connection - We Teach Who We Are
Learning Style Inventory
To better understand how you prefer to learn and process information, place a check in the appropriate space after each statement below:
Often Sometimes Seldom
1. Can remember more about a subject through
listening than reading.
2. Follow written directions better than oral
directions.
3. Like to write things down or take notes for
visual review.
. Bear down extremely hard when writing.
5. Require explanations of graphs, diagrams
or visual directions.
6. Enjoy working with tools.
7. Are skillful and enjoy developing and making graphs
and charts.
8. Can tell if sounds match when presented with pairs
of sounds.
9. Remember best by writing things down several times.
10. Can understand and follow directions of maps.
11. Do better at academic subjects by listening to
tapes and lectures.
12. Play with coins or keys in pockets.
13. Learn to spell better by repeating the letters out
loud than by writing the word on paper.
14. Can better understand a news article by reading
about it than by writing the word on paper.
15. Chew gum, snack or smoke during studies.
16. Feel the best way to remember is to picture
it in your head.
17. Learn spelling by "finger spelling" the words.
18. Would rather listen to a good lecture or speech
than read about the same material in a book.
19. Are good at working and solving jigsaw puzzles
and mazes.
20. Grip objects in your hands during learning periods.
21. Prefer listening to the news on the radio than
reading about it in the newspaper.
22. Obtain information on an interesting subject by
reading related materials.
23. Feel very comfortable touching others; hugging,
handshaking, etc.
24. Follow oral directions better than written ones.
Scoring the Learning Style Inventory
Often = 5 points
Sometimes = 3 points
Seldom = 1 point
Place the point value on the line next to its corresponding item number. Next, sum the values to obtain your preference scores under each heading. The highest score indicates your learning style preference. The lowest score indicates your learning style weakness.
VISUAL AUDITORY KINESTHETIC/TACTILE
2. 1. 4.
3. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
10. 11. 12.
. 13. 15.
16. 18. 17.
20. 21. 19.
22. 24. 23.
Total Total Total
What Type of a Learner Are You?
If you are a VISUAL learner, by all means be sure that you look at all study materials. Use charts, maps, filmstrips, notes, videos and flash cards. Practice visualizing or picturing words and concepts in your head. Write out everything for frequent and quick visual review.
If you are an AUDITORY learner, you may wish to use tapes. Tape lectures to help fill in gaps in your notes. Listen and take notes and review your notes frequently. Sit in a classroom where you can hear well. After you have read something, summarize it and recite it aloud. Talk to other students about class material.
If you are a KINESTHETIC/TACTILE learner, trace words as you are saying them. Facts that must be learned should be written several times. Make study sheets. Associate class material with real-world things or occurrences. When appropriate, practice role-playing or complete hands-on activities or projects.
The following chart will provide you with information on using this type of learning style inventory. Remember, there are many different theories of learning styles. The important thing is to teach each concept in as many different ways as possible so that each student can use his/her strength in learning.
Learning Style Characteristics
|
Area Observed |
Visual |
Auditory |
Kinesthetic/Tactile |
|
Learning Style |
|||
|
Reading |
Enjoys dialogue, plays; avoids lengthy description; unaware of illustrations; moves lips or subvocalizes |
Prefers stories where action occurs early; fidgets when reading, handles books, not an avid reader |
|
|
Spelling |
Recognizes words by sight; relies on configuration of words |
Uses a phonics approach; has auditory word attack skills |
Often is a poor speller; writes words to deter- mine if they "feel" right |
|
Handwriting |
Tends to be good; spacing and size are good; appearance is important |
Has more difficulty learning early stages; tends to write lightly; says strokes when writing |
Good initially; deteriorates when space becomes smaller; pushes hard when writing |
|
Memory |
Remembers faces, forgets names; writes things down, takes notes |
Remembers names, forgets faces; remembers by auditory repetition |
Remembers best what was done, not what was seen or talked about |
|
Imagery |
Vivid imagination; thinks in pictures; visualizes in detail |
Subvocalizes, thinks in sounds; details less important |
Imagery not important; images that do occur are accompanied by movement
|
|
Distractibility |
Generally unaware of sounds; distracted by visual disorder or movement |
Easily distracted by sounds |
Not attentive to visual or auditory presentation so seems distractible |
|
Problem Solving |
Deliberate; plans in advance; organizes thoughts by writing them; lists |
Talks problems out, tries solutions verbally, talks self through problem |
|
|
Response to Periods of Inactivity |
Stares; doodles; finds something to watch |
Hums; talks to self or to others |
Fidgets; finds reasons to move; holds up hand |
|
Response to New Situations |
Looks around; examines structure |
Talks about situation's pros and cons, what to do |
Tries things out; touches, feels; manipulates |
|
Communication |
Quiet; does not talk at length; becomes impatient when extensive listening is required; may use words clumsily; describes without embellishment; uses words such as see, look, etc. |
Enjoys listening but cannot wait to talk; descriptions are long but repetitive, likes hearing self and others talk; uses words such as listen, hear |
Gestures when speaking; does not listen well; stands close when speaking or listening; quickly loses interest in detailed verbal discourse; uses words such as get, take, etc. |
|
General Appearance |
Matching clothes not so important, can explain choices of clothes |
Neat but soon becomes wrinkled through activity |