In previous articles, I detailed some ideas for teaching each type of the following learner: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. I also discussed how it is important for teachers to address each of these learners in their lessons.
For this reason, my next two articles will describe two lessons that reaches all three types of learners. This article will be geared toward a primary grade level while the next article will focus more on a middle school class level.
During the Christmas holiday season, my class reads the Gingerbread Man. We sequence the people or animals that the Gingerbread Man passes in the story. When reading and carrying out a lesson on this story, auditory learners can be reaches by reading the story and discussing the order of the characters. There is also a song to the book that we listen to and sing.
To meet the needs of visual learners, the students can take turns placing magnetic pictures of the characters in order on a magnetic board. The students can also look back through the book at the pictures.
When teaching this lesson, kinesthetic learners are reached by movement during the song. The students are also give a picture of the characters with a piece of yarn tied to it to hang around their necks. The students then try to order themselves according to the story.
No special activities or amount of time was used during this lesson. All of the activities are enjoyed by all of the students. The goal in each activity is the same, for students to recall the order of events from a story. However, each time the activity is presented a different way, therefore more learners are reached.
Planning lessons such as this does not have to be difficult. Just remember to present the material in as many different ways as possible.
Planning for Different Types of Learners