LEARNING/THINKING STYLES AND MULTIPLE

INTELLIGENCES
MODULE 5
INTRODUCTION
• One factor that brings about student diversity is
thinking/learning styles. Individual think and learn in
distinct ways. In any group of learners there will always
be different learning characteristics, particularly in the
learner’s manner of processing information. Some would
absorb the lesson better when they work with their hand
when they just listen. Other would prepare to watch a
video about a topic. Student, likewise, have preferred
ways of expressing their thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Some would prefer to write, others would draw or even
dance and sing. This preference involves thinking/
learning style and multiple intelligences.
 Student Diversity

Learning/Thinking style Multiple Intelligence

Visual/Spacial (Picture Smart)

Sensory
preferences Iconic Brain Hemispheres Verbal/Linguistic (Word Smart)
Visual Learner Symbolic Logico-Mathematic (Number/LOgic Smart)
Left Brain (Analytic)
Talker Bodily/Kinesthetic (Body Smart)
Auditory
Learners Listener Musical (Music Smart)
Right Brain (Global)
Interpersonal (People Smart)
Tactile/Kinestetic
Learners Intrapersonal (Self-Smart)

Naturalistic (Nature Smart)

Existential (Spirit Smart)

ENGAGE
What type of learner are you? what's your style? Answer the learning Style inventory below, and find out!
1. If I had to learn how to do something .I learn best when I:
(V) What someone show me how.
(A) Hear someone tell me how.
(K) Try to do it myself.
2. when I read, I often find that I:
(V) Visualize what I am reading in my mind’s eye.
(A) Read out loud or hear the words inside my head.
(K) Fidget and try to “feel” the content.
3. When asked to give directions, I:
(V) See the actual places in my mind as I say them or I prefer to draw them.
(A) Have no difficulty in giving them verbally.
(K) Have to point or move my body as I give them.
4. If I am unsure how to spell a word, I:
(V)Write it in order to determine if it's looks right.
(A)Spell it out loud in order to determine if it sounds right.
(K)Write it in order to determine if it feels right
5. When I write, I:
(V)Am concerned how neat and well-space my letters and words appear.
(A)Often say the letters and words to myself.
(K)Push hard on my pen or pencil and can feel the flow of the words or letter as I form them.
6. If I had remember a list of items, I would remember it best if I:
(V)Wrote them down.
(A)Send them over and over to myself.
(K)Move around and use my fingers to name each item.
7. I prefer teacher who:
(V)use the board for overhead projector while they lecture.
(A)Talk with a lot of expression.
(K)Use hands-on activities.
8.When trying to concentrate, I have difficult time when:
(V)There is a lot of clutter or movement in the room.
(A)There is a lot of noise in the room.
(K)I have to sit still for any length of time.
9.When solving a problem, I:
(V)Write or draw diagrams to see it.
(A)Talk myself through it.
(K)Use my enter body or move objects to help me think.
10. When given written instructions on how to build something, I:
(V) Read them silently and try to visualize how the parts will fit together.
(A) Read them out loud and talk to myself as I put the parts together.
(K) Try to put the parts together for first and later.
11. Keep occupied while waiting, I:
(V)Look around stare or read.
(A)Talk or listen to others.
(K)Walk around, manipulate things with my hands, or move/shake my feet as I sit.
12. If i had to provide describe something to another person, I would:
(V)Be brief because I do not like to talk at length.
(A)Go into great detail because I like to talk.
(K)Gesture and move around while talking.
13. If someone were verbally describing something to me, I would:
(V)Try to visualize what she was saying.
(A) Enjoy listening but whant to interrupt and talk myself.
(K) Become bored if her description gets too long and detailed.
14. When trying to recall names, I remember:
(V)face but forget names.
(A)Names but forget faces.
(K)The situation that I met the person other than the person's name or face.

Scoring instructions: Add the number of responses for each letter and enter the total below. The area with
the highest number of respond is your primary mode of learning.

Visual Auditory Kinesthetic

V=__________ A=__________ K=__________

The inventory just answer reflects whether you are a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner. This is only
but one way of describing the variation of learning and teaching styles. A Hilliard describes ''learning
style'' as the sum of the patterns of how individual develop habitual ways of responding to experience.
Howard Gardner identified nine kinds of intelligence that individuals may have.
Learning/Thinking Styles
Learning/Thinking Styles refer to the preferred way an individual process information. They describe a
person's typicaly modes of thinking, remembering or problem solving. Furthermore, styles are usually
considered to be a bipolar dimensions. For instance, your particular learning/thinking style would lie at a
point in a continuum. Having a particular learning/thinking styles simply denote a tendency to behave in
certain manner. Your style is usually described as a personality dimension which influences your attitudes,
values and social interaction.
There are several perspective about learning-thinking styles. We shall focus on sensory preference and
the global-analytic continuum.

Sensory preferences. Individuals tend to gravitate toward one or two types of sensory input and maintain
a dominance in which of the following types:

Visual Learners. This learners must see their teachers actions and facial expression to fully understand
the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting in front so no one would block their view. They may
think in in pictures and learn best from visual aids including: diagrams, illustrated textbooks, overhead
transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-out. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners
often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.

Ri Charde further breaks down visual learners into: Visual-iconic and Visual-symbolic
• Visual-iconic. Those who prefer this form of input are more interested in visual imagery such as film,
graphic displays, or pictures in order to solidify learning. The usually have good “picture memory” a.k.a
iconic imagery and attend to pictorial detail. They would like to read a map better than to read a book.

• Visual-symbolic. Those who prefer this form of input feel comfortable with abstract symbolism such as
mathematical formulae or written words. They would prefer to read a book than a map and would like to
read about things done hear about them. They tend to be good abstract thinker who do not require
practical means for learning.

Auditory Learners. They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions talking things through and
listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meaning of speech through
listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until
it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. They can attend
uaurally details, translate the spoken word easily into the written word, and are not easily distracted in the
listening ability.

Auditory fall into two categories: Listener and Talker

The “Listeners” this is more common type. “Listener” most likely do well in school. Out of school too, they
remember things said to them and make the information their own. They may even carry on mental
conversation and figure out how to extend what they learned by reviewing in their heads what they heard
others say.
The “Talkers’’. They are the ones prefer to talk and discuss. The often find themselves talking and those
around them. In a class setting when the instructors is asking question, auditory-verbal processor (talker)
tend to whisper commoents to themselves. They are not trying to be descruptive and may not even realize
that they need to talk.
Tactile/kinestetic Learners. Tactile/ kinesthetic persons benefit much from a hands-on approach, actively
exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods. They may not
benefit so much from the discussion or the written materials, and may become distracted by their need for
activity and exploration. Those preferring this form of input move toward active, sensorimotor learning.
They tend to prefer “learning by doing,” preferring the use of psychomotor skills to, say, abstract thinking
skills. They tend to have a good motor memory and motor coordination.

Global-Analytic Continuum.

Analytic. Analytic thinkers towards the linear, step by step process of learning. May tend to see finite
elements of patterns rather than the whole; They are the “tree seers.” They are more comfortable in the
words of details and hierarchies of information.

Global. Global thinkers lean towards non-linear thought and tend to see the whole pattern rather than
particle elements. They are the “forest seers” who give attention only to the overall structure and
sometimes ignore details.
Several theorists have tied the global-analytic continuum to the left-
brain/right-brain continuum. In accord with Roger Sperry's model, the left-
brained dominant individual is portrayed as the linear (analytic), verbal,
mathematic thinker while the right-brained person is one who is view as
global, non-linear and holistic in thought preferences.

Both side of the brain can reason but through different strategies In an
individual, one side may be more dominant than the others. The left brain is
regarded as analytic in approach while the right is described as holistic or
global. A successive processor (left brain) prefers to learn in a step-by-step
sequencial format, beginning with detailes leading to conceptual
understanding of a skill. A smiltaneous processor (right brain) refer to the
learn beginning with the general concept and learn going on the specifics.
LEFT BRAIN (Analytic) RIGHT BRAIN (Global)

Successive Hemispheric Style Simultaneous Hemispheric Style

1. Visual 1. Visual

2. Responds to word meaning 2.Responds to tone of voice

3.Sequential 3. Random

4. Processes Information Linearly 4.Processes Information in varied order

5.Respond to logic 5.Respond to emotion

6.Plans ahead 6.Impulsive

7.Recalls peoples name 7.Recalls peoples faces

8.Speaks with few gestures 8.Gestures when speaking

9.Punctual 9.Less panctual

10. Prefers formal study design 10. Prefers sound/music background while studying

11.Prefers bright light while studying 11.Prefers frequent mobility while studying