Lesson1: Understanding Students' Learning Styles and Strategies (Part2)
Résumé de section
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1. Introduction
Learning styles and learning strategies are related concepts in education, but they differ in terms of what they represent and how they are applied in the learning process.
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2.Learning Style
A learning style refers to the preferred way a person processes, absorbs, and retains information. It is more about how a learner naturally interacts with educational content. -
2.1 Key Characteristics–Innate preference: It’s based on an individual's natural inclination toward certain types of information delivery.–Types: Examples include the VARK model (Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, Kinesthetic) and other models like Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences.–Stable over time: While it can be developed or diversified, a person’s learning style is often a consistent characteristic over time.•Focus: How students prefer to learn (e.g., by seeing, hearing, reading, or doing).•Example: A visual learner prefers using charts, diagrams, or images to understand new information, while a kinesthetic learner might prefer hands-on activities or practical experiments.
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3. Learning StrategyA learning strategy is a deliberate, purposeful action or method used by a student to enhance learning and problem-solving. It’s how a learner approaches tasks in order to understand, remember, or apply information.
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3.1 Key Characteristics–Active choice: Strategies are methods or techniques chosen to help with learning, such as note-taking, summarizing, questioning, or using mnemonic devices.–Adaptable and flexible: Learning strategies can change depending on the subject matter, task, or difficulty level. Students may switch between strategies depending on what works best in a given situation.–Goal-oriented: Strategies are chosen with a specific learning goal in mind, such as improving memory retention or solving a complex problem.•Focus: The process or plan used to succeed in learning.•Example: A student might adopt the strategy of spaced repetition to improve retention for an upcoming exam, or use active reading techniques (such as annotating and summarizing) to better understand a difficult text.
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4. Comparison
Activity: Complete the table of comparison
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5. Relationship Between Learning Style and Learning Strategy•Complementary roles: Learning strategies can align with a student's learning style. For example, a visual learner may choose the strategy of creating mind maps to help understand a complex concept. A kinesthetic learner may use a strategy of role-playing or model-building to grasp abstract ideas.•Broadened scope: While learning styles provide a framework for understanding preferences, strategies allow learners to go beyond their natural tendencies and adopt different methods to succeed in varied learning environments.
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6. Suggested VARK Strategies
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7. Activity: Suggest a strategy for each student
•Scenario 1: A student is preparing for a history exam.–Learning style: He identifies as an auditory learner.–Learning strategy:……………………………………………..•Scenario 2: A student is struggling with a complex math concept.–Learning style: He is primarily a kinesthetic learner.–Learning strategy:……………………………………..
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