Nubia Valdez

TED 520

June 28, 2021

Self-Assessment of Learning Styles

My top three results for the multiple intelligences test were nature, self, and language. I

find this to be completely accurate. I love being in nature and finding out more about the world

around me. I am someone who loves to work independently and I notice I thrive while doing

this. Once I am shown something new, I like to try it on my own until I get it right and this is

how I learn, by trial and error like the test results stated. I am an avid reader. I can read anything

that is put in front of me and this is usually the way I come across new information. However,

even though this is the way that has always worked for me, it doesn’t necessarily mean this is the

learning style I will project onto my students as a teacher. Going into a classroom as a teacher, I

believe the most important thing to remember is that every student is going to be different. What

works for one student may not work for another. While I am a verbal learner, and there may be

some students who are as well, there will students who learn better visually or kinesthetic. Not

everyone likes to sit and read. Some people are not able to comprehend content by just doing

this. Sometimes there has to be other factors involved. Instead of reading, they are going to

understand content better by using images or visual media, like a video. There will also be

students who learn better by physically doing.

As I go through chapter four, on page 127, Woolfolk shows a chart of Howard Gardner’s

theory of multiple intelligences. It goes into detail and describes just how many different ways

there are to gain, process, and understand information. Some people are going to have better

logical or reasoning abilities. Others work better with words or personal knowledge of
themselves. Students respond to methods and comprehend content very differently. According to

research, matching learning styles with teaching method does not improve learning (Woolfolk,

139). Again, everyone learns in a different way. What works for one person may not work for

another so it should be be the basis for teaching.

While considering all of this, I did notice some idea from the multiple intelligences test

that I would implement in my teaching methods. For self, they list “ use brainstorming methods

before reading” and for language, they list “read a section, then explain what you’ve read.”

Students would definitely benefit from these two because it promotes discussion and critical

thinking. These are strategies all students should have. However, it will not always be the basis

of my teaching. There needs to be common ground that takes into consideration the way each

student learns or prefers to learn. There will possibly be times where I do have to work one-on-

one with a student because of this but every student should have an equal opportunity to learn

and understand the content they are taking in.