Santa Susana High School

Senior Project 2015

The Types of Learning

Samantha Latham
CP English 12 Period 4
Bradley
20 November, 2011
I truly believe that teachers really do make a monumental difference in a students early
education. I chose my senior project on teaching a middle school class and learning about the
different learning styles because I want to pursue the career of teaching after college. My senior

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project was to teach a planned lesson in a class at my former middle school (Sinaloa Middle
School), and to gain experience in teaching students in a classroom environment; as well as learn
about the different learning styles that are utilized in a classroom, and what types of lessons
pertain to each learning style. I recently contacted my former english teacher, who is now the
head of RTI (Response to Intervention), and she has been having me teach TED Talk lessons to
the students once a week in her class for an hour. These lessons incorporate basic reading
comprehension activities on interesting topics. The background I have for this project of teaching
is when I used play school with my little sister when I was younger. I of course had to be the
teacher every time, and I would assign work and grade it. I also have experience in teaching
younger kids ballet classes at my former dance studio. Currently, I really enjoy tutoring kids as a
side job, and helping them in all sorts of subjects such as: history, english, math and science. It is
a satisfying feeling seeing these students coming back with better grades and knowing that I
made a difference. The learning stretch for this project was to actually gain real classroom
experience and having the responsibility to control the class, and learning along the way, which
lessons work most efficiently for all of the different learning styles of the students. Although
teachers make their job seem effortless, this occupation can be challenging because of the
different learning styles students have; which can make a teachers job of attempting to get
across to the students more difficult, as they try to fulfill every students educational needs.
What personally connects me to the topic of teaching and methods that they use, is that I
have always had a passion for being an elementary school teacher. The type of research I have
done to establish credibility for this project has been about the different techniques that teachers
use. First I will describe, the three main learning styles (kinesthetic, visual, auditory). Second I
will examine, what examples and types of lessons teachers utilize to catch the students attention

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using these types of learning styles. Third, I will discuss how these examples connect to these
learning styles, and what specific lessons teachers can use that incorporate all learning styles so
that all students can benefit from one single lesson.
The kinesthetic way of learning, is a physical style. Using your body and the sense of
touch is the way to learn and is much more effective to kinesthetic learners. People who are
kinesthetic learners are more likely to participate in sports and are into physical activities such as
gardening or hiking. Lessons that utilize hands-on activities and that require physical movement
will attract and be the most beneficial to that sense of learning for the students. (www.learningstyles-online.com/style/physical-bodily-kinesthetic).
Some of the kinesthetic learners will also benefit from the visual learning style. The
second main learning style, visual, is a very common way to gain knowledge. Visual learners
tend to prefer images, pictures, colors, and maps to represent a topic that theyre currently
learning about. Students who lean to the more visual style tend to have very exceptional spatial
sense, which can give you a good sense of direction. Imagery is the key to comprehending
information for visual learners. Looking at something and using the eyes is the way these
students will soak up the important information. The mind catches more information from the
pictures or things that attracts the eyes. (www.learning-styles-online.com/style/visual-spatial).
Another one of the major sensory systems on the human body, is also an important main
learning style for students. The third main learning style is the auditory style. Auditory learners
gain their knowledge by listening and hearing. They use their hearing senses to gain information.
For most students, listening is the hardest way of learning to material. These auditory learning
students tend to gain more information when listening to a teacher speak verbally in a lecture.

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Repetition is key for gaining much more for auditory learners.

(www.whatismylearningstyle.com/auditory-learner.html)
A lot of the lessons that teachers utilize, incorporate at least one or more of these learning
styles. For kinesthetic learners, hands on activities are the most effective. Using flashcards for
memorizing different concepts, allow them to use their hands. Letting students make a model to
represent what they are learning is also very useful. Playing a game that requires getting up
catches their focus and keeps them active and awake. (CU-Portland.edu) Peer tutoring also gets
more students involved and allows them to interact as well as gain knowledge from other peers
(EMICH.edu). As long as the student can physically touch something that represents what they
are learning about, kinesthetic learners will be more proficient in their learning experience.
For visual learners, lessons that involve looking at something that catches the eye, causes
the visual learners to be more attentive in their class. Powerpoint presentations that show
different slides that incorporate words and pictures catch the students attention. Demonstration
through drawing on the whiteboard with different colors, allows students to have a visualization
of the topic they are currently learning about in school. Showing videos that are entertaining yet
informational, for example Bill Nye, are a great source to have in keeping the students aware and
awake. (teaching-certificate.com)
Auditory learners learn by hearing and listening to other voices, while interpreting what
they hear in their mind as they speak. The traditional lecture, where a teacher is simply providing
students with facts and information on the topic, is very useful for auditory style learners. (CUPortland.edu) Showing a visual while lecturing also attracts both auditory and visual learners,
which is a bonus (mydigitalstory-vantwoud.weebly.com). Collaboration where talking and
listening to other peers, is another great way to get auditory learners to participate. Class

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discussion where everyone is involved also helps students interact and listen to other ideas that
are mentioned by other people. It keeps ideas flowing and invites conversations to occur. Class
presentations where students present to their peers also keeps the class interesting by learning
what they research on their own, as well as by their peers. (UNCC.edu)
Some teachers only use one specific method of teaching a lesson to students, which may
only benefit only one specific learning style that the lesson is implied towards teaching. This is
not beneficial to students who learn in different ways and styles. The more often that teachers
include lessons and activities that incorporate most or all learning styles, the more that students
are likely to succeed in their education. Only 30% of students are auditory learners; which means
that if a teacher just gives notes or assigns a lot of book work, these students may not gain much
of the material as they should. (Whatismylearningstyle.com) This will only benefit visual
learners, who can look at something, and comprehend what the information is telling them. It is
better if teacher use many different methods of teaching to keep the class interesting and affect
all of the students. (CU-Portland.edu) Powerpoint presentations that show pictures and bulletpointed notes while a teacher is lecturing about the notes will benefit visual and auditory
learners. (UNCC.edu) If they are taking notes during the presentation then kinesthetic learners
will get gain the information too. Finding the key points are crucial when teaching certain types
of learners for instance: repetition for auditory, imagery for visual, active for kinesthetic.
I applied my relevant findings to my specific project by using what I learned from my
research on the different methods of teaching, and applying them while teaching the RTI class. I
read aloud the passage they were learning about for the auditory learners, let them read and
follow along on their own paper for the visual learners, as well as had them underline words they
did not know and write down side notes which paraphrased the passage for the kinesthetic

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learners. I also had the students try different methods of comprehending the passages, so that
they could see which method they liked most. I discovered that all the students were benefiting
most from all three methods of learning and that the lessons that incorporated all kinesthetic,
visual, and auditory learning styles.
In this report, I first described the three main learning styles that students have:
(kinesthetic, visual, auditory). Secondly, I examined what examples of lessons that teachers
utilize in class to catch the students attention with these types of learning. Thirdly, I discussed
how these examples connect to these learning styles and how the teachers should use lessons that
incorporate all of the learning styles.
I think the teacher makes all the difference in a students education, and without them, we
would not be able to succeed later in life. There is always that one special teacher that we
remember, who made a big impact on our lives. I wish to become one of those teachers. Using
various teaching methods to benefit all learning styles: kinesthetic, visual, and auditory, will help
improve students intake on information and material that is taught in class. The earlier these
methods are used, the more confident and beneficial it will be to every single student in a
classroom. It is crucial that every student comes out of class each day with something new that
they learned in class. The different learning styles makes every individual student unique in their
own special way; which is why teaching is what I want to pursue in the near future. Learning
about these different methods to coincide with every learning style will help me as a future
educator and as a presenter in general. I will be sure to use these methods of learning in my final
presentation so every person in the room can fully understand what my project is about. This
research will assist me for the future and I am so glad I chose this as my senior project.

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Works Cited
"Learning Styles Online." Learning Styles Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.learning-styles-online.com/style/physical-bodily-kinesthetic/>.
"Lecture Practices:." Lecture Practices:. UNC Charlotte, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/largeclasses/effective-instruction>.
Martel, Heather A. "Effective Strategies for General and Special Education Teachers."
Eastern Michigan University Digital Commons. N.p., 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1251&context=honors>.
Mayberry, Fiona. "Common Teaching Techniques." Teaching Degree Link. Teacher
Certificate.com, 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2015. <http://teachercertificate.com/common-teaching-techniques#formPage_1>.

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"Most Common Teaching Styles Used with Elementary School Students." Concordia
Portland Online. N.p., 11 June 2015. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. <http://education.cuportland.edu/blog/reference-material/most-common-teaching-styles-used-withelementary-school-students/>.
"Resources for Social Skills: Lesson Plans for Elementary Students." Concordia Portland
Online.
N.p., 5 June 2013. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.
<http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/reference-material/resources-for-social-skillslessonplans-for-elementary-students/>.
Vantwoud, Suzanne. "Teaching Styles." - My Educational Workspace. Weebly, n.d. Web. 17
Sept. 2015. <http://mydigitalstory-vantwoud.weebly.com/teaching-styles.html>.
"The Visual Learning Style." Learning Styles Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.learning-styles-online.com/style/visual-spatial/>.
"What Is My Learning Style - Auditory Learner." What Is My Learning Style - Auditory Learner.
N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.whatismylearningstyle.com/auditory-learner.html>.
"150 Teaching Methods." 150 Teaching Methods. UNC Charlotte, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/instructionalmethods/150-teaching-methods>.

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Annotated Bibliography

"Learning Styles Online." Learning Styles Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.learning-styles-online.com/style/physical-bodily-kinesthetic/>.
This website describes the kinesthetic learning style. This styles is a bodily, physical way
of learning. Students who learn this way like to be active while learning, to process the
information given to them. Hands on activities benefit these students the most.
"Lecture Practices:." Lecture Practices:. UNC Charlotte, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/largeclasses/effective-instruction>.
This website tells its readers effective ways to present new information orally to fit
differences in learning styles. Lecturing and asking rhetorical questions helps keeps students
awake and participating. Surveying with an exemplifier lets students express their opinions.
Asking students to turn and discuss a topic with their partner lets them prove a point and give an

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opinion. Spending time to explain things and give specific directions also helps students not
make mistakes.
Martel, Heather A. "Effective Strategies for General and Special Education Teachers."
Eastern Michigan University Digital Commons. N.p., 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1251&context=honors>.
This paper states three research based instructional strategies and one teaching model
which all coincide to help a student's success in a classroom. This paper explores the
methods of peer tutoring, direct instruction and the behavioral strategy of selfmonitoring. Co-teaching is also explained and shown how it can be utilized in an
everyday class.

Mayberry, Fiona. "Common Teaching Techniques." Teaching Degree Link. Teacher

Certificate.com, 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2015. <http://teachercertificate.com/common-teaching-techniques#formPage_1>.
This website teaches new ways of exploring different methods of teaching. The
typical giving a lecture explaining a certain topic through powerpoint presentations,
brainstorming ideas within the class of different problem solving ideas, showing videos and other
forms of media, and role playing stories to help students imagine the events that took place.
"Most Common Teaching Styles Used with Elementary School Students." Concordia
Portland Online. N.p., 11 June 2015. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. <http://education.cuportland.edu/blog/reference-material/most-common-teaching-styles-used-withelementary-school-students/>.
This website shows the different techniques and methods of teaching, teachers use
for elementary school students. Students typically have different learning styles, so

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teachers use different methods to get across to all students in some way. Through
demonstration, teachers can show visually a mathematical problem; hands-on/off both
teach students responsibility of tasks; a traditional lecture helps students know what they
may be tested on in the future as well as lets them know what they're expected to know;
collaboration teaches problem solving, communication skills, and interactive learning.

"Resources for Social Skills: Lesson Plans for Elementary Students." Concordia Portland
Online. N.p., 5 June 2013. Web. 18 Sept. 2015. <http://education.cuportland.edu/blog/reference-material/resources-for-social-skills-lesson-plans-forelementary-students/>.
This website tells its readers that students in elementary school are still learned basic
social skills that will come in handy in their life. It informs us of the many different resources for
social skills and lesson plans on social skills. These resources enable students to make friends
more easily, improves academics, and improves interactivity, productivity, and helps them follow
directions.
Vantwoud, Suzanne. "Teaching Styles." - My Educational Workspace. Weebly, n.d. Web. 17
Sept. 2015. <http://mydigitalstory-vantwoud.weebly.com/teaching-styles.html>.
This website talks about how lecturing is used the most often and shows to be the least
effective method of teaching. It says that students apply old knowledge and skills when learning
new concepts. Students also examine things and perceive things based on opinions. Students also
use prior knowledge to handle problem solving situations. It is also very common for students to
grasp a different meaning of certain things that are presented to them.

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"The Visual Learning Style." Learning Styles Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.learning-styles-online.com/style/visual-spatial/>.
This website informs us about the visual way of learning. Whatever catches the eye is
what these learners will be informed by. Pictures and images are what attract them. Powerpoint
presentations are the most commonly used method of visual learning.

"What Is My Learning Style - Auditory Learner." What Is My Learning Style - Auditory Learner.
N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2015. <http://www.whatismylearningstyle.com/auditorylearner.html>.
This website tells us about the auditory learning style. This style is pertained by what the
person hears and listens to. Listening to a teacher lecture, or other peers talking about the
material will be comprehended more to this student's mind.
"150 Teaching Methods." 150 Teaching Methods. UNC Charlotte, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
<http://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/best-practice/instructionalmethods/150-teaching-methods>.
This website introduces 150 commonly used, and rarely almost never used teaching
methods that contribute to all learning styles. Techniques such as lecturing, class discussion, oral
presentations, discussion groups, different assignments in the textbook, workbook, or
worksheets, games that conclude to prize winning, study tips, and class discussions on current
events.

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