KID SMART Unit: Working with Schools

B-2 Agricu ltural Extension S ervice, The U niversity of Ten nessee ● Tennes see State U niversity Cooperative Extens ion Program

Distribute handout "What is Your Learning Style?" � (B-1-a) to eachparticipant. Have participants rank the endings for each statementwith a 1 for the ending most like them to a 4 for the ending least likethem. Ask them to add the numbers in each column.

The section with the lowest score is their most-preferred learningstyle. The section with the highest score is their least-preferredlearning style.

Ask a class member to tie a bow in the lace-up shoe. Have her do thiswhere o ther class members c an see wha t'� s she'� s doing. Ask if anyoneelse ties her shoes in a different way. Allow participants who tie shoesdifferently to demonstrate their methods.

Ice Breaker

We had several different ways of tying shoes demonstrated. The outcome wasthe same -- the shoe was tied -- but how it happened differed from person toperson. Just as we had different ways of tying shoes, people have different waysof learning. Each of us may learn the same information, but we may learn it in adifferent way.

Facilitator's Script

Today we will be learni ng about different le arning styles. Let'�s begin bycompleting a handout on different learning styles.

This worksheet describes four basic learning styles:

1. Intuitive -- If your lowest score was in the first column, you are probably anintuitive thinker. Intuitive thinkers trust their feelings when making decisionsor when learning something new. They use the right part of the brain mostfor thinking.

2. Visual /Audito ry -- your lowest score was in the second column, youprobably learn best by seeing (visual) or listening (auditory). Visual/auditorylearners usually do well in school because most teaching is done byshowing and telling.

KID SMART Unit: Working with Schools

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B-3Agricu ltural Extension S ervice, The U niversity of Ten nessee ● Tennes see State U niversity Cooperative Extens ion Program

Give p art icipa nts the hand ou t "Thr ee S tyles of Le arn ing"� (B- 1-c ). Talkabout and look at the three main styles of learning. Have participantslist each child in their family and what they think is the child'� s preferredstyle of learning.

Ask why it would be important to know your own learning style andthe learning style of your child? Allow participants to share theirthoughts.

Some possible reasons include:You could figure out ways to learn or to help your child learn athome by using his or her favorite learning style.You might be able to communicate better (for example, making surethat your child who is a visual learner is looking at you before youtell him or her anything).You might tell your child � s tea cher abo ut his o r her favo rite lear ningstyle.You might be able to choose a job that fits your learning style.

3. Logical -- If your lowest score was in the third column, you use the left partof your brain for most thinking. Logical learners think things through verycarefully and look at all sides of an issue before making a decision oraccepting new information. They also do well in school.

4. Kinesthetic (kin� � - es - thet�� - ick) -- if your lowest score was in the fourthcolumn, you probably learn best by working with your hands or doingsomething physical. Kinesthetic learners like to touch and work with things.

Most people use more than one style of learning and use different styles indifferent situations, but they usually have a preferred style.

Our next handout focuses on three of these styles of learners: visual learners(those who learn through seeing), auditory learners (those who learn throughhearing), and kinesthetic learners (those who learn by moving, doing ortouching).

KID SMART Unit: Working with Schools

B-4 Agricu ltural Extension S ervice, The U niversity of Ten nessee ● T ennes see State U niversity Cooperative Extens ion Program

Show the "Right Brain/Left Brain" � poster or overhead (B-1-d).

Allow participants to respond.

Scientists have new tools to help them study the brain. By using these tools theyare able to look at images of blood flow and electrical activity in a brain as aperson is thinking. They have found that certain types of thinking seem tohappen on one side of the brain and other types of thinking happen on the otherside of the brain.

The right side of the brain is used for imagination, emotions, intuition (hunchesor gut feelings), and spatial relations or artistic thinking.

The left side of the brain is used more for thinking through steps of a problemor process, being logical, and organizing thoughts.

Children'�s brains are more flexible than adult brains. If a child has an injury toone part of the brain, often another part of the brain will take over that function.As the brain matures, it becomes more set in the jobs that each part of the braincontrols. As a result, brain injuries are harder to overcome in adults.

Persons who use their left brain most for thinking and who learn by seeing andhearing usually do well in school.

Those who use their right brain and who rely on hunches or intuition in makingdecisions or learning something new may not do as well in school.

Think about working a math problem. Often the teacher is just as interested inhow the problem was solved as in whether the student got the answer correct.Some children are able to come up with the right answer but they go about it in adifferent way than is taught in class. If the teacher wants the student to do theproblem the way he or she was taught, the student may get a bad grade, eventhough the answer is correct.

What do you think of first when you hear the word "dog"� ?

● If you see a dog, you are probably a visual learner.

● If you hear a bark, you are probably an auditory learner.

● If you see the letters D-O-G, you are probably a logi cal learner who has astrong style of left-brain thinking.

KID SMART Unit: Working with Schools

B-5Agricu ltural Extension S ervice, The U niversity of Ten nessee ● Tennes see State U niversity Cooperative Extens ion Program

Distribute blank copies of "What is Your Learning Style?" � (B-1-a)-- �enoug h for ea ch of t he part icipants'� schoo l-age childr en. Review theassignment with participants.

Divide the class into three groups. Give each group a large piece ofpaper with one of the learning styles written on the top of the page(seeing, listening, touching). Have each group think of ways that achild with that part icular learning style could learn spelling words.Have each group share its ideas. Add any new ideas others may have. Do the same thing for math and reading, if time permits. Post the listsfor everyone to see. If there are only one or two participants, givethem the three pages and let them work on each learning style. Thendistribute the handout "Working With Learning Styles" � (B-1-e). Haveclass members add their ideas to the handouts.

Final Thoughts

Here is a homework assignment:

Take home enough blank copies of "What is Your Learning Style?"� for each ofyour school-age children. Have your children take the quiz to identify theirlearning styles. Compare the results of your children �s activity sheets with yourown list that you made in class.

Then ask yourself if you already knew your children'�s learning styles or whetheryou were surprised by what you discovered.

Once you'�ve identified your children'�s learning styles, select two activities fromthe handout "Working W ith Learning Styles"� (B-1-e) to try it out with your child orchildren this week to help them with their studies.

When we get together for the next class, be prepared to report back to the groupabout how things went.

KID SMART Unit: Working with Schools

B-6 Agricu ltural Extension S ervice, The U niversity of Ten nessee ● Tennes see State U niversity Cooperative Extens ion Program

Notes...