LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES BARANGAY LITERACY WORKER PROGRAM

CONTENTS Learning Styles and Different Kinds of Learners “Multiple Intelligences” Adult Learning Principles – the “4As” Reflection Active Learning Strategies

UNDERSTANDING OUR LEARNERS Every learner is different! They have a unique personality, personal experiences, and different preferences when it comes to learning Some learners will be illiterate and taking the Basic Learning Program; others will be highly literate and taking the Secondary Education Program It is important to be flexible in our teaching style in order to reach every learner in a meaningful way, and that matches their skill level and aptitudes Teaching for ALS requires more effort than traditional teaching, but the results and attitudes of your learners will be a great reward!

LEARNING STYLES Learning styles are often divided into three main categories, defined by a dominant sensory experience: Visual (sight): approx. 60% of people. These learners prefer to write notes and see images, and respond well if key ideas are written on paper, or a blackboard. Auditory (sound): approx. 30% of people. These learners prefer to hear ideas spoken aloud to them, discussed in a group setting, or even communicated through music. Kinesthetic (touch and emotion): approx. 10% of people. These learners prefer to learn through doing physical activities like playing games, rather than through visual or auditory demonstrations. Q. What kind of learning activities would suit each group? Q. Why is it important to always use a combination of these kinds of activities in your lessons?

GARDNER’S THEORY OF “MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE” Linguistic Logical-mathematical Musical Bodily-kinesthetic Visual-spatial Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic Existential All intelligences are independent from each other (exist in different parts of the brain) ALL people possess ALL of the intelligences All individuals have a unique combination of the different intelligences Most people are stronger in a few of these areas

GARDNER’S THEORY OF “MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE”: GROUP ACTIVITY Get into pairs… Draw one topic out of one hat, and three “intelligences” out of the other; In your pairs, come up with one activity for each of your “intelligences” that teaches learners about an aspect of your topic. (For example, if you have the topic ‘The Human Body’ and the intelligence ‘Linguistic’, you could have your learners write a poem about the parts of the body and their functions); You and your partner have 10 minutes to complete the activity; Some groups will be chosen to present their ideas at the end

ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES In your work as a BLW, you learners will mainly be out-of- school-youth and adults (OSYAs). OSYAs often have different learning characteristics than students in the formal education system. Maybe they struggled at school. Maybe it has been a very long time since they attended a class. Or maybe they lack confidence in their basic reading and writing skills. As a BLW within the Alternative Learning System, you will need to use a range of teaching strategies to connect with your learners and help them understand ideas. We are going to explore some of the major characteristics of adult learners – these should be taken into account when it comes to designing your learning programs and activities.

ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES Adult learning should: Be linked to learner’s personal goals Acknowledge and utilize prior learning and life experience Have direct applications to real life Be self-directed (learner has choices, control and responsibility) Be self-motivated Build confidence through achievement Be a mutual learning experience between learner and teacher Encourage peer support Provide opportunities for reflection in order to integrate new learning into the learner’s existing knowledge base

THE “4 As” OF ADULT LEARNING: Activity, Analysis, Abstraction, Application Step 1 Step 3 Step 2 Step 4 Activity/Experience Abstraction/Generalization Analysis/Processing Application/Learnings “Look” “Took” “Book” “Hook”

REFLECTION Q. What kind of learner do you think you are? (Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination?) What makes you think this? [2mins] Q. Think back to the theory of “Multiple Intelligences”. How would you rate your participation in the group activity? Which “intelligence” do you understand the most, and which do you understand the least? [3mins] Q. Think-pair-share: Consider how you would use the “4 As” of Adult Education to design a lesson about ‘Water conservation’. Devise (1) an ‘activity’ around this topic; think about how you might (2) ‘analyse’ the topic with your learners; consider what (3) abstractions, or generalizations might be drawn from the lesson; and finish with a task where you learners must (4) ‘apply’ this new knowledge. [10mins] Some participants will be asked to share with the class.

WHAT IS “ACTIVE LEARNING” AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Active learning, according to Charles Bonwell, is any strategy “that involves learners in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing.” “Active learning” helps us learn better because it is based on experience and reflection Q. Why do you think it’s important to actively think about what you are doing?

ACTIVE LEARNING EXAMPLES Individual and group project-based assignments Pairing activities such as “think, pair, share” Involving learners in research Job shadowing (learners accompany an employee/worker at the workplace, observing and learning about various tasks associated with an occupation). Involving learners in well-structured questions and answer sessions

ACTIVE LEARNING STRTATEGIES

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES Role Play: a method of acting out an imaginary but real life situation Debate/discussion panel: offers opportunity to verbal presentations of views and arguments Brainstorming: learners are invited to quickly and freely generate ideas/responses to issues/problems/topics Buzz session: learners are divided into small groups to discuss a particular issue/problem

Concept Mapping: allows learners to visually represent connections and relationships between concepts/ideas and information. Demonstration: a practical presentation of a process or procedure or skill which is designed to illustrate theoretical principles, concepts or ideas. Jigsaw Method: each learner works on just one part of a project or problem, then learners combine their work to complete the whole task. Dialogue Journals: A formal repository for personal learners writing that can be used to promote reflection, synthesis of lesson/topics ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES

Carousel Brainstorming Exercise: learners working in cooperative groups write their responses to a question, moving from poster to poster at set time intervals. Case Studies: learners take one issue or event (e.g. Martial Law during the Marcos Era), and try to investigate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate various viewpoints on the issue. Think-pair-share: learners individually think for a moment about a question posed in class, before pairing up with another learner to discuss their thoughts. Pairs are then asked to share with the entire group.

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES Micro-teaching: learners are asked to give a lesson, speech, or presentation on a topic to their classmates. Project-Based Learning: learners investigate a problem in-depth and create a project (such as a poster or booklet) to present to their classmates, or display in the classroom. Clarification Pauses: after a minutes of the lesson, learners are prompted to ask questions about the topics covered.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING Many ‘active learning strategies’ are collaborative. Collaborative learning encompasses a variety of approaches to learning including small group or team-based activities. A way for learners to develop the ability to work as part of a team A way for learners to acquire and improve essential interpersonal life skills A way for learners to take turns with different roles, such as facilitator, recorder, reporter, etc. Q. How do you think ‘collaborative learning’ might help improve a learners’ understanding of your lesson?

ACTIVE LEARNING PHILOSOPHY What I hear, I forget What I hear, and see, I remember a little. What I hear, see and ask questions or discuss, I begin to understand. When I hear, see, discuss and do, I acquire knowledge and skill. What I teach to another, I master.

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