Learning Styles Resources
The web is better than a handout, so here’s the same basic information from my KWCHEA handout but in a better format, including links to an interactive test you and your family members can take. (If you’d like the original handout emailed to you, maybe because browsing is difficult on your internet connection, please email me and I can provide it.)
Get the basics:
Quick scan of the main points of the 4 pairs of letters (E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P)
Short description of all 16 types in a grid
Two excellent places to get longer descriptions of the 16 profiles are Typelogic.com, and PersonalityPage. (Note: you can also type any 4-letter personality code into a web search and you’ll find lots of results)
Take a Learning Styles/Personality test online:
If you aren’t sure of your type by just looking at the 4 pairs of preferences, or want to verify your selection, you can find several tests online that will give you a 4-letter personality/learning type. Here are just a few: short, longer, very long
Books for more about learning styles and MBTI:
People Types and Tiger Stripes, Nature by Nurture, Gifts Differing & Please Understand Me II (includes a very good test at the beginning of the book), Differentiation Through Personality Types
Teaching students of a different type:
It’s natural to assume that others are like us, so you will tend to teach your children either the way you were taught, or the way you would have liked to be taught. The trick is to try to teach them in a way that plays to their strengths and target their weaknesses. Remember, teaching is about THEM, not you.
At the conference, we discussed the example of a colour blind student. Just because teaching with colours doesn’t help this student, that doesn’t mean we can’t use textbooks with colour illustrations. It simply means that we have to be constantly aware that what might in some cases be a very helpful learning strategy (colour-coded diagram), may not be useful in every specific case. The colour blind student may even adapt and learn to get some value out of those illustrations, but it will require more effort on his part and he may never get the full intended effect. This is how we should approach suggestions for how to teach Introverts or Judging students: they are reminders about natural tendencies and preferences, not rules to follow about actions to always use or avoid.
With that in mind, here is how we can think of the 4 categories affect the learning experience:
The E/I difference: Students need energy and focus to learn, so keep in mind what drains or charges their batteries (people, solitude) and where they are likely to focus their energy (internal, external)
The S/N difference: Students need to notice and trust information to assimilate it into their knowledge base, so keep in mind what kind of information students are naturally attuned to (thoughts or data received through the senses).
The T/F difference: Students need to come to conclusions about the data they intake as part of the learning process. Keep in mind what students naturally value (facts and arguments, feelings and harmony) as they attempt to make sense of the world around them and form their conclusions.
The J/P difference: Students need to manage time and scheduling while completing learning tasks. Keep in mind how students naturally perceive time (fixed, flexible) and view the structure of their external world (open, closed).
Introverts teaching extraverts may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Provide collaborative learning and time for movement
Build in time for questioning and discussion
Value enthusiasm and expression that extraverts demonstrate during the learning process
Extraverts teaching introverts may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Provide individual tasks and assignments
Provide written venues for thinking and learning, not just discussion
Value reflection & demonstrations of learning that occur well after the lesson
Intiuitive teaching Sensing may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Provide hands-on opportunities and clear step-by-step instructions
Explain the practical application so students can use information
Avoid long abstract/theoretical lectures
Value the use of past experience to inform current thinking
Sensing teaching Intuitive may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Provide opportunities for creative thought, including creative ways of doing a task
Explain the “big picture” so students can make connections
Use problem-based thinking strategies
Value the use of speculation and forecasting to inform current thinking
Feeling teaching Thinking may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Don’t overuse praise or emotional “check-ins”
Provide specific, direct feedback
Accept a degree of healthy conflict in the learning process
Be consistent in application of principles, rules, standards
Avoid being overly personal until trust is earned
Value logic in written work as part of the learning process
Thinking teaching Feeling may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Show warm feelings and include praise
Avoid conflict/confrontation in teaching style and activities
Plan cooperative activities instead of competitive ones
Avoid being overly critical before trust is earned
Value feelings in written work as part of the learning process (journals, ethics)
Perceiving teaching Judging may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Provide clear, written guidelines for assignments that they can refer back to and plan around
Provide a timeline for assignments and try to stick to it as closely as possible
Prepare students in advance for any changes in plans (due dates, nature of assignment)
Judging teaching Perceiving may need to consciously remind themselves to:
Allow for flexibility in assignment format and negotiate if appropriate. Be open to changing plans
Allow for some “experience/exploration” that doesn’t lead to completion or mastery of a task or skill
Recognize that working at the last moment may produce some of their best work.
Below are some instructional/pedagogical strategies for working with various learning preferences that work with a student’s natural preferences. You may find these useful if you are encountering obstacles or when learning seems to be difficult. Not all learning activities should be easy for students, but if you need a “pick me up” to get things moving more smoothly, then consider some of the following ideas, many of which come from the books mentioned above.
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH E’s
Allow students to turn to a partner periodically to discuss what they’ve learned. This allows them to verbalize concepts, file in memory, and be ready to receive more input
They remember more if they read content closely AFTER participating in lecture/experience. Do not put emphasis on reading before hand to “prepare” but instead choose an activity or outing as an introduction to a topic.
Help them form a network of acquaintances since they like to connect with others as a research tool
Come up with strategies they can use to hold a thought (jot down idea, image, keyword) to help them recall what they want to say if they don’t have the opportunity to share immediately
Teach them about an internal “mute” button they can use so that not every thought has to be verbalized if their thinking out loud is disturbing to those around them. Compare it to the TV remote. They can mouth words without making any sound
Since they think out loud, their first thoughts aren’t necessarily their final thoughts. Let them “go with it” for a while, and then ask, “Is this your final answer, or are you still thinking about this?”
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH I’s
Ask direct, probing questions instead of expecting them to volunteer a response to a general question, and allow a longer wait time between question and response
Use a non-verbal system (red/green card) as a procedure for non-verbally requesting assistance or letting people know he is OK.
Introverts get more out of experiences if they have had time with the idea first – prepare for field trips (brochures) or classes (reading text first)
For every one thing he says, there are probably 5 more thoughts in his head. If an idea he shares sounds strange, spend some time discussing the reasons behind the thought (unverbalized) to understand where it came from
Come up with a signal to show “I’m still thinking” – introverts are not always prepared to spontaneously answer quickly, and often prefer that their thoughts are well-formulated before expressing them
Help them develop strategies for participation, reminding them that they don’t need to have fully thought something out before sharing (“I find that interesting, and while I’m not entirely sure what to make of it, something that comes to mind is. . .”)
Consider allowing I’s to work side-by-side instead of “together” – since they typically want to set their own standards, they can find a social outlet in having another person near, but not directly involved in their work.
Set aside quiet time for yourself as teacher/parent, so that he feels there is a time to approach you privately
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH S’s
Help them sort relevant from irrelevant details because initially, all ideas seem important
Let them develop a framework for organizing specific details first, then using that information to make general conclusions
Provide time for practice – they enjoy reviewing tasks they do well, especially after they’ve just learned it
Give brief, direct, sequential instructions/directions so they are not left wondering what it expected of them and know they are on task
Encourage them to approach problem solving by considering “what has worked in the past” as a first step towards problem solving. They value previous experience and build on that to discover new solutions or perfect existing ideas
Use language related to collecting and experiencing to motivate them (not “create” “consider”)
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH N’s
Allow students some time to explore various themes/big ideas before filling in details
They may have grander ideas/designs than their age/skill will allow them to complete. Consider allowing them to supplement work with a description of “what they would have done with more time, with more resources etc.”
Give limited instructions so they can take the task in the direction they want. Consider some activities where process is not evaluated (so they can feel free to try new methods, start and switch gears) as long as they complete the task objectives.
Include activities where a final project is not required to be finished, but allows them to report what they learned about trying different ways to solve a problem (even if the problem was never solved)
If they get discouraged by details, remind them to consider how details fit in with their overall design and use their larger ideas to motivate them to tackle the necessary details.
Motivate with language of innovation, coming up with a new product or new way of doing something
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH T’s
Present work as challenges to be overcome. Use the language of problem solving to motivate students.
They make their decisions based on logic rather than on feelings and values. If their choice doesn’t make sense to you, ask about the underlying basis for their choice. It may have been the result of a logical analysis you did not expect.
They thrive on personal challenges. Teach them to win fairly and lose graciously. Encourage them to pursue activities where they compete against a set goal instead of against others.
They typically justify their answers, and when challenged, they expect the other party to be able to defend their position. This isn’t necessarily antagonism or disrespect; it’s how they reach decisions and understanding
They require independence and like to try things on their own without “checking in” with authority figures. Let them create a “decision tree” to describe situations in which they do and do not have permission to proceed autonomously.
They are quick to find flaws, focusing on what’s missing or doesn’t work. Motivate them by asking them to identify what’s wrong with a design or plan, or to find the errors.
They need to achieve, to have a sense of mastery, to know some things deeply and do them well. They need to endure, to persist, to overcome and to prevail in things they are committed to. Allow them to “battle” for their learning.
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH F’s
Start activities with greetings, check-ins and other ways for Fs to establish relationships before getting down to business
They make their decisions based on feelings and values rather than on logic. If their choice doesn’t make sense to you, ask about the underlying basis for their choice. It may have been a value or feeling you did not expect.
Always provide feedback. Lack of feedback is the same as a negative evaluation to them. If nothing is said, they will assume the other party did not value his contribution.
Recognize their need for affiliation. Fs need a group with which to identify. Independence can feel like loneliness. Teach them self-comforting strategies as well as self-coping mechanisms.
They are motivated by work that helps others. Find ways to incorporate the human side into their studies. Fs want content they can personally relate to, stories of people, ethical issues, how the material can help society at large. For example, math and geology are used in early warning systems for natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis
They enjoy harmonious group work where tasks help each other, shared responsibility. Being accountable and feeling like they are contributing to a group is motivating, especially when their work can be seen as helpful outside the classroom
Rather than finding fault, they can be unifying forces finding common ground. Help them see their work as finding the best in something and/or bringing thoughts/people together
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH J’s
Use planning language to motivate them: “What’s your plan for getting that accomplished?” “What’s your plan for solving that problem?” “What’s your plan for getting through the trip to the zoo?”
Help them develop flexibility by helping them create backup plans. Rather than expecting them to become flexible, help them learn to create multiple contingency plans to fall back on if they have trouble with inconsistency or changing plans. Having multiple contingency plans will honour their natural tendencies and allow them to be flexible in a different way
They need milestones, completions and a sense of closure. They may find value in progress charts and tangible records to illustrate progress and persistence. Their need for closure may also make them rush through without hitting all the necessary checkpoints. A system for tracking their progress can help both motivate them to keep going and at the same time prevent them from glossing over tasks in an attempt to be “done.”
They need a system of accountability that is clear and made known in advance, They want to know what they are responsible for, when how and by what standards they will be judged.
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORKING WITH P’s
Use works such as “experience” ,“explore” or “attempt” to motivate P students. Words such as “work”, “practice” or “should” do not motivate them.
Understand that the P student has no inherent need to complete all the projects they begin. Just experiencing a part of the task is sometimes a sufficient learning experience. They need opportunities to be spontaneous and follow their curiosity (to adapt to what they perceive in their environment). Create situations where they can explore and find new facts without a pre-determined task or goal.
It may seem as if they are born without a natural sense of time. They will likely underestimate how long a task will take. Helping them learn to estimate task length can help if they are consistently missing deadlines. (Note that this is an issue of time management, not necessarily responsibility, effort or ability).
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