It is important to know how each student learns in order to make the teaching effective. It is also important to know how you learn, so you can make progress with your language learning in a more efficient way.
What are learning styles?
They are the way an individual learns and include all the ways in which an individual acquires, retains, and retrieves information.
Individuals differ in how they learn: some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in different circumstances. With time people can develop ability in less dominant styles, as well as further develop styles that they already use well.
There are several different methods for teaching languages at home or at school. All methods are valid and can give great results, if used in the right combination.
What is a teaching method?
Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or discuss; some focus on rules and others on examples; some emphasize memory and others understanding.
Students learn in many ways: by seeing and hearing; reflecting and acting; reasoning logically and intuitively; memorizing and visualizing.
How much a given student learns in a class or at home is governed in part by that student’s native ability and prior preparation but also by the compatibility of his or her characteristic approach to learning and the instructor’s characteristic approach to teaching.
Each different teaching approach targets specific parts of the brain and one or all five senses. For this reason, once you know your students learning style, you can use a mix of methods that is also suitable to your children’s age and capabilities.
So, you may want to make it your goal today, to understand your (or your students/children) learning style. Search the web for suggestions or check out this free ebook.
Happy learning!