How diverse are learning styles amongst children?

Firstly, what is a learning style?

People are starting to talk a little about learning styles, especially as the mainstream education system sees, but not quite acknowledges the amount and depth of diversity amongst learners.

A learning style is a preferred method of input for sensory information to gain understanding.

We take in millions of pieces of sensory information each hour, let alone each day. It is no wonder learning, life and community interactions can be extremely exhausting for children, especially ones with diversity. The information comes in through various sensory systems, auditory (ears), visual (eyes), tactile (touch), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), vestibular (head movement in space) and proprioception (sensations of the body from joints and muscles). All of the inputs that come into our body come through the pathway of the sensory systems. They then pass into the brain for processing. The first port of call is the working memory, all accept the olfactory (smell), it goes directly into the brain for processing. Have you ever had that moment, what is that smell, I know it but can’t put my finger on it? This is because it didn’t enter your brain through your working memory before processing.

What information enters the sensory system?

It is easy to take the senses for granted, they are really underrated and not a focus when it comes to learning and education. We use our sensory systems to sleep, eat, walk, talk and most importantly learn. We all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to sensory systems. As a result, we rely on our strongest system and it can become dominant, and dominant at the expense of the other systems. Essentially, we need to be strong across all the sensory systems to have a balanced life and be able to learn and interact in a sophisticated manner. Have you ever been at school and spent time developing and strengthening your sensory systems for learning? Maybe…

Is there space is an overcrowded curriculum for the basics, for developing the sensory systems for learning, or using the sensory systems for learning?

Which learning style does the education system favour?

It is pure and simple, if you wish to succeed in the traditional education setting then you must a very strong auditory system. This is the predominant mode of delivery of information within the education setting.

What happens if the auditory sensory system is not your strength?

It will create a barrier to learning. There will be an auditory overload, this sensory system will feel and behave like it is full and learning will not persist.

Is there an alternative?

There totally is an alternative! A holistic approach.

When learning experiences are delivered with a multi-sensory approach, which is experimental, fun, messy, involves movement (kinesthetics), encourages touch and exploration then it is multi-sensory. It moves from being teacher centred to being learner centred and a self-directed rich, intrinsic learning experience can begin. Exploring and learning with the all the sensory systems, this is holistic.

Yes, you can make an edible learning experience and taste it!

Create skills for life knows the importance of a multi-sensory approach when it comes to learning. The teaching resources available cater to all types of diverse learning styles, developmental stages and sensory needs.