Howard Gardener introduced the idea of multiple intelligence and visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners (VAK). On understanding which of these I feel comfortable using or learn most from I can start to develop ways of improving the others and thus increasing my ability to take in more information.
At the campus sessions we divided into groups to talk about ourselves and our professions and then present a short bio from someone in our group. What I learn from this exercise was that I talked plenty about myself but didn’t actually listen or take in as much information as I could have done about others. If I had, I would have been able to ask more questions and the conversation could have really developed. Auditory learning is definitely not my strongest. Stephanie talks about how she has started developing this way of learning, by listening to BBC 4 radio drama which is something I’m going to try.
I learn most visually, I often say ‘I can see it in my head,’ I record choreography through drawings and diagrams, I learn from demonstrations and videos. I have just purchased the video dictionary of classical ballet as this will be a great tool in my ISTD classical ballet training. Knowing ones strengths means you can play to them but the development of others means you can increase the ability to learn.
Some questions that have started arising as I relate this back to my profession are;
How do I find different ways to teach individual learning styles?
Here are some examples of ways I do this within my dance classes already.
- I use imagery in the teaching of my younger pupils as they respond well to this. Are there parallels between age and learning strengths?
- I actively teach and the students physically do the exercises.
- I talk them through the names of each exercise relating this back to the exercise. For example in classical ballet tendu means stretched or pulled. I get them to bullet point all the excercise names and there meanings.
It is important that I address a variety of learning styles within my teaching plan. Through further exploration I came across a book ‘Teaching Students Through Their Individual Learning Styles’ by Dr. Rita Dunn and Dr. Kenneth Dunn, this shall make an interesting read if I choose to look further into these questions and for other dance teachers.
Interesting thoughts....I was interested in your comment about whether age had an effect on learning styles/strengths. I would imagine that in general as people get older, they become perhaps less kinaesthetic?
ReplyDeleteIf we observe young children, they are very happy to try things out by touching, putting them in their mouth, and being 'in contact' with the world. As we progress through school and then into the workplace, perhaps society and convention encourages us simply sit and listen, rather than try things out ourselves? Thus we become more 'audio' and begin to loose touch with ways to engage through our bodies.
Obviously dancers are probably an exception to this! But what do you think? Actors are often described as being like 'big children' and I think this is why - they have not lost the childish desire to be playful and experiment with their bodies.
I just found this quote on the internet which I thought might be interesting for you - as degree level study is about finding out who disagrees or challenges theories too. I thought it might give you a starting point for an alternative viewpoint about whether learning styles are helpful in the teaching of children.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Stahl, there has been an "utter failure to find that assessing children's learning styles and matching to instructional methods has any effect on their learning."
I haven't looked any further into it at this stage, but I am sure if you do a bit of googling on 'Stahl' it might lead you to some interesting stuff.
Stephanie this is a really interesting comment, it has sparked some questions and thus given me some new paths to explore. I agree that as we become a part of society we become less involved in our learning kinaesthetically.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know if teaching children through their individual learning styles is necessary beneficial in a Childs development. To have a variety of learning styles aids in the development of improving the weakest as well as teaching through the strongest. In adult life and society you will learn in all ways. It’s something I’m doing some research into; I’ll post a blog on my findings, thanks.