Structuring a Class Period - Reaching Different Learning Styles in the Classroom

Abstract

Adapting to students’ needs in the classroom can be critical to their success. Only teaching to one learning style can leave students feeling excluded or locked out from the content of the class. However, it can be difficult to know each of our student's learning style to be able to reach them in a positive manner. One way to approach the problem is to adapt the structure of the lesson to intentionally reach more than one learning style in one class period. This gives everyone a chance to learn. My class periods are staged to begin with example problems through which students may learn by example. The faculty leads the discussion on how to solve a problem while delivering the concept of the day. The next stage in the classroom is used to allow students to work together to apply their newly learned knowledge on a new problem. The third, final stage of the class is where students collectively lead the discussion on how to solve a new problem. Sprinkled within these problem solving periods are opportunities for visual/verbal learners to take in information, questions and answers to stimulate active & reflective learners, and at times demonstrations to help sensing and intuitive learners.