LEARNING STYLE & STUDY HABITS Dr. McGravey School Psychologist MEMS 6 th Grade Orientation August 18, 2014
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEARNERS Learning styles vary from person to person Many students have more than one dominant learning style Later in 6 th grade, you ll be learning about Multiple Intelligences, but today we ll be talking about three specific learning styles
WHAT TYPE OF LEARNER ARE YOU?? There are various learning inventories available online. Today we are going to take a learning inventory to find out whether we learn best by seeing (visual), hearing (auditory), or doing (kinesthetic or tactile) http://www.odessa.edu/dept/govt/dille/brian/courses/1100orientation/learningstyl einventory_survey.pdf https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/ace/downloads/lsi.pdf
TIPS FOR AUDITORY LEARNERS Ask questions All auditory learners should aim to ask questions during a lesson. Record class lectures (with teacher permission) Also, Auditory learners could benefit from taping their notes once they ve written them. This will force them to say out loud what they ve just learnt in a way that makes sense to them cementing it into their head. They can also use the spoken notes to revise later. Watch videos (Kahn Academy is great!) Use word association/mnemonic devices Participate in discussions Talk about what you learned with a trusted adult or find a friend who is also an auditory learner and study with him/her before a test quiz each other! Avoid auditory distractions While everyone is different, and some people study well with music, auditory learners are incredibly susceptible to distraction. Music should be quiet and instrumental.
TIPS FOR VISUAL LEARNERS Copy down all the diagrams you can If a teacher draws a diagram on the whiteboard copy it down. Ask them to label it properly. It wouldn t even be too much to ask a teacher to draw their own version of a diagram for you. The more diagrams you can get your hands on the better. Watch videos Videos are great resources for Visual Learners. Which is why it s fantastic that there are now so many freely available educational videos online. Khan Academy website is a great place for this. The site currently has over 1800 videos, predominantly science and math focused. Use highlighters Visual Learners love using highlighters. They make things bright and colorful while making the important bits stand out. Consistently highlighting certain types of facts in predefined colors will help Visual Learners sort out where facts sit in their heads. Use flash cards They are particularly effective if used with diagrams or charts. E.g. What is this part of a cell called, what does it do? What does a graph that looks like this mean? Who is this, when was she born and what did she do?
TIPS FOR KINESTHETIC LEARNERS Use flash cards Flash cards make kinesthetic learners turn simple recall into a game. This makes them perfect for kinesthetic learners. Simply write a question or topic suggestion on one side of a card, and the answer or a list of details they should remember on the other side. Study in short blocks Kinesthetic learners tend to have a relatively short attention span when they re studying. But this doesn t mean they shouldn t be doing just as much study as everyone else. They should break their study up into shorter periods, but also take shorter breaks. Use plenty of examples when writing study notes Many main points and concepts can be demonstrated with examples. Kinesthetic learners tend to make better associations with the examples than just the plain facts. Study with other people Kinesthetic learners enjoy discussion. Talking about what they ve learnt is often a great way to consolidate what they ve learnt. Do something while you study Tap a pencil, squeeze a stress ball, or do something to occupy the want to do something with their hands without becoming a distraction. A note about music while studying Kinesthetic learners tend to be less distracted by music while studying than other people, although this is a personal debate.
GENERAL HOMEWORK TIPS FOR INCOMING 6 TH GRADERS Having a routine can help you be more successful at school. Try to do your homework at the same time, in the same place as often as possible. Most students benefit from a short break after school before beginning homework, but it s not good to wait too long. Take a 15-30 minute break to have a snack, relax, or play outside. Then make a plan and get your homework out of the way. If distraction is an issue, complete your homework in a visible place away from cell phones, computers, etc. Turn off the internet unless you need it for schoolwork!
PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM PROJECTS Middle School involves more long-term projects than Elementary School. In order to be successful, you need to make a plan! Backwards planning can be very helpful. This involves utilizing a calendar (online or on paper) and starting with your end before figuring out what steps you need to take to get there. This method can be used for many things including: Planning a party Studying for a big test Completing long-term assignments Planning a vacation
SAMPLE BACKWARDS PLANNING (STUDY PLAN) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesda y Study for Karate Study for Study for Science 5pm (Study Science (20 Science (30 (30 for Science minutes) minutes) minutes) in car 15 minutes) Kara s Birthday Party Thursday Friday Saturday Science Test Today!!!
SAMPLE BACKWARDS PLANNING (LONG-TERM ASSIGNMENT) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Shop for Dad s gift Find three sources for speech project Take notes for speech project Write first draft of speech First draft of speech due (social studies!) Dad s Birthday! Horseback Riding @ Noon Study for Math Test (15 minutes) Study for Math Test (45 minutes) Edit Speech using teacher notes Study for Math Test (30 minutes) Practice speech in front of mirror Math Test Today Practice speech in front of mom Practice Speech in front of whole family Speech Project Due in Social Studies!!!
RESOURCES AND USEFUL WEBSITES http://www.thestudygurus.com/ http://www.coedu.usf.edu/zalaquett/help_screens/study_skillsmhs.htm http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz