Quick Check for Learning Styles - RonaldMah

Ronald Mah, M.A., Ph.D.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist,
Consultant/Trainer/Author
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Quick Check for Learning Styles

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Quick Check for Learning Styles


• When you get a new gadget or new game, what is your instinctual reaction?
a) start playing around w/it,
b) read the instructions,
c) have someone tell you how to do it.
• To learn how to get to somewhere new, what is your preference?
a) have someone take/show you,
b) look at a map,
c) have someone verbally give you instructions.
• In a classroom or seminar situation what format do you prefer?
a) discussion,
b) visual aids,
c) lecture.

MOTOR-KINESTHETIC LEARNERS tend to favor answers (a).
VISUAL LEARNERS tend to favor answers (b).
AUDITORY LEARNERS tend to favor answers (c).
If you favor a combination of these choices or if it is hard for you to chose one over another, then you probably have strengths in more than one learning style.

Auditory (listening)
Strengths:
 Spelling, Phonics, Vocabulary, Ten Verbal Excuses, Talks a lot, Reads out loud well.
Weaknesses:
 Poor Reading, Poor Following Directions, Can't Hear Differences between sounds, Says "gizmo", "whosit", Poor comprehension.

Visual (seeing)
Strengths:
 Enjoys books w/ pictures, Recalls location of objects, Comments on clothing, Puzzles, Drawings, Notice/comment on visual detail.
Weaknesses:
 Short attention for paper/pencil tasks, Poor printing, Poor visual memory, Poor spacing when writing, Skip words when reading aloud.

Motor Kinesthetic (movement, touch)
Strengths:
Bear hugs, Thump buddies on back, Loves climbing-never spills, Touch everything, Makes airplanes & fans from paper, Loves clay, sandbox.
Weaknesses:
Illegible handwriting, Dislikes drawing, Awkward, clumsy, Poor speech, Lacks interests other than TV, Exhibit body tension.
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Many of the children who can't sit still, are always touching things, and tantruming that you have difficulty with in the classroom or at home have strong motor-kinesthetic tendencies.  Traditional classroom teaching is largely visually oriented.  Most teachers are visual learners, and thus, visual teachers.

As you recognize the learning style of each child, you can teach to that style; and you can help the child learn how to compensate for learning style weaknesses.  Examples are:
Auditory learners and knowing the time;
Motor-kinesthetic learners and touching inappropriately or violating personal space;
Visual learners and short  pen-pencil attention span.

Creating ways for and allowing the high energy, moving, touching motor-kinesthetic child to satisfy these needs prevents the frustration of being unable or not being allowed to met these needs in a strongly visually or auditorially oriented program.  And, once these needs are satisfied, the motor kinesthetic child is better able to attend, to sit quietly, to not touch and so forth.  In other words, what is seen as "giving in" to the child is really a means to bring him/her into the group.
ADDRESS:
3056 Castro Valley Blvd., #82
Castro Valley, CA 94546
Ronald Mah, M.A., Ph.D.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT32136
CONTACT INFORMATION:
office: (510) 582-5788
fax: (510) 889-6553
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