SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT

Learning About Learning Styles

Most educators believe that students will learn better if material is presented in a way that suits their “learning style” - for example, “visual learners” will do best if lessons are presented in a format that emphasizes the visual presentation of information. The belief in learning styles is very well accepted among educators and has spawned a thriving industry of teaching materials and professional development that is very lucrative for the the individuals who peddle these wares. The researchers in this study surveyed the studies on learning styles and found no evidence to support the notion that students learn better if their supposed learning styles are catered to. Furthermore, teachers’ attempts to cater to supposed learning styles turned out to result in the use of suboptimal teaching approaches. Quoting from the report: “Limited education resources would better be devoted to adopting other educational practices that have a strong evidence base, of which there are an increasing number”.