Think of the students you’ve taught and try to identify one or two students who seemed to learn with particular facility$ one or two who seemed to learn with particular difficulty.
In your own classroom observe your students and attempt to identify their preferred styles of learning and their characteristics.
Read the explanation of four types of learners identified by Honey and Mumford.
1. The ACTIVIST learns by doing the task. In the language classroom, these are the learners who enjoy the communicative tasks or the communication practice. They enjoy using the language and experimenting with communication.
2. The THEORIST learns by understanding the underlying theory. These are the learners who want to know why a particular language form is used in a specific situation or why a particular communication technique is appropriate in a particular setting.
3. The PRAGMATIST learns by practising in a controlled environment. These learners enjoy the security of controlled practice exercises. They often feel that this stage gives them the confidence to use language forms or communication accurately.
4. The REFLECTOR learns by watching others doing the task. These learners are likely to feel insecure about their ability to perform in the language. However, in a secure environment they become willing to participate in the range of communicative tasks and communication activities.
(Honey P. & Mumford A.(1982) Manual of Learning Styles. London: P. Horney)
Note: Given a task, such as improving presentation techniques, each learner will approach the task with their preferred learning style. Some learners will be more successful than others. If we can adapt our training style to their learning style, we can go some way to helping them achieve their learning objectives more effectively. This approach involves:
- identifying and being aware of the learning styles of your learners;
- providing classroom tasks adapted to their style.
Points for reflection
Do you think this classification of types of learners helps to explain different effect of your students’ learning?
How can you help “problem learners” to learn more efficiently?
How can you make the most of the learning styles of your learners?
Do the learning styles of your students correspond to the observations made by Honey and Mumford?
PLEASE, DON'T FORGET TO POST YOUR COMMENTS!
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But are they learning?
This is a space to discuss and share ideas and views on different issues related to the scope of ESP.
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- Multiple Intelligences(1)
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- Online Journal for Teachers "English for Specific Purposes World"
- The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- the Internet TESL Journal
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The good teacher explains.
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2 comments:
Sure, this classification of types of learners helps a lot to explain different effect of students' learning. It is very important to distinguish between activists and theorists. Theorists may seem less active in communicative activities, still their level of acquiring a foreign language tend to be higher. The problem is a teacher is not able to perceive a "thing in itself". On the other hand, activists may be less effective in tests, and generally in accuracy.
In order to help "problem learners" to learn more effectively it is necessary to take their learning styles into consideration. A balance should be maintained between their favourite activities and "problematic" activities. So it brings us to the individual approach.
The problem is either to pay more attention to "problematic" language activities or to develop further skills in favourite activities. It is possible to build on the most preferable aspects of language learning. All of them are interconnected - so any progress is bound to involve all the aspects. Anyhow everyone has to pay attention to all kinds of tasks, after all life is not a bed of roses. One has to focus efforts on what is necessary.
A teacher can make the most of the learning styles of their learners in project work where and when every student could focus on one side of common work.
This message emphasizes again that we have chosen very interesting, but rather complicated trade. Alongside with other aspects, the teacher should also be an experimental and educational psychologist and preparing for a lesson ought to think over different types of exercises for different students.
As to the given classification, I think it helps explain different effect of our students’ learning. But it covers far from being all peculiarities of students. And is it possible to do? In fact, students are so different and everyone is unique. Certainly, if it is possible the individual approach should be applied. Nevertheless even having understood some distinguishing features of learners, it would be incorrect to give them monotonous tasks. And our task is to develop different aspects of activity. In conclusion, I want to say we should consider features of each student, but still use the best efforts to involve him in different kinds of activity. What do you think: is it possible for carrying out?
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