groups, e.g. a child who is bullied or teased at school will struggle to focus in the classroom. Language is often a challenge to children who are learning in a second language. A person is generally most competent when using his or her mother tongue – or primary language – the language used in the home and in social and cultural interactions. When taught in another language, they may experience barriers to learning. Teaching a class of children has other
challenges. For every child that is present in the class, there is a unique individual with unique abilities, likes, dislikes, needs, responses and learning styles. To teach so that every child is able to learn and grow sometimes means catering for a specific type of learner or a special need. A teacher who is flexible and open to dealing with individual needs will greatly assist children experiencing barriers to learning.
Learning style Visual Description
Needs pictures and images to understand
Different learning styles
It is important to understand that we all learn differently. Some people can work and learn with background noise or music and others need complete silence. Some people learn well in a group situation while others need to be on their own. Some people are good with numbers, others are good at languages. This awareness must translate into effective lesson planning and teaching. A teacher must avoid continuously using only one method of teaching. This will disadvantage some of the learners in the class. Some learning styles to be aware of have been outlined in the table below together with some ideas of ways to structure lessons to appeal to them.
Ideas for the classroom
Change the posters on your walls regularly. Encourage learners to draw mind maps. Get them to illustrate what they have learnt and display it. Use pictures to help with reading and writing.
Linguistic Audio
Prefers using words – in speech and written text
Learns through sound and music and speaking
Tactile
Needs to move, touch, use hands and body
Logical
Prefers using logic, reasoning and systems
Social
Prefers to learn in groups or with other people
Individual
Prefers to work alone and use self-study
Let them be the spokesperson or scribe for group work. Let them make up stories and poems in a creative writing note book.
Introduce a lesson with a song or music. Let learners write a jingle to help the class remember maths or spelling rules. Let them verbalise – they need to speak!
Get them to build a model or make a poster or go outside and dramatise a lesson. Give them errands to run or physical jobs around the classroom.
Give them problems to think about and solve. Let them write out lists instead of doing mind maps. Ask them to find solutions to small problems in the classroom.
These learners enjoy group work – give them various roles to perform and swap these roles around regularly. Let them read together in reading groups. They will also enjoy role play.
These learners do not enjoy group work so encourage them by giving them a specific role within the group, e.g. scribe or note taker. Let them read on their own and understand their need to be alone. Give them responsibilities in the classroom that will allow them this space, e.g. dictionary monitor.
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