So far we have discussed the personality types of extroverts and introverts. In addition to your child having one of these two personalities, he or she will also have three other personality labels.
The next label given by Myers and Briggs is either sensing or intuitive. If you are sensing, you often use your senses to observe the world around you. Sensing people like to process information that is realistic and concrete. They prefer to be able to see and touch what they are learning about. Sensing people carefully observe what is happening around them. They are often practical and take in all details. Sometimes, sensing people take in so many details and worry so much about the little things that they miss out on the whole big picture.
Sensing students do better when they are given facts to study. They do not do well with abstract thinking activities. They like to be told exactly how to carry out a task. Sensing students need guidelines or steps to follow. Before they begin a task, they want to know all of the details of the assignment including how it will be graded.
Sensing students also have trouble with activities that allow freedom or choices. They may be doubtful about beginning journal writings without begin told a topic to write about.
A student with a sensing personality often creates list or outlines. They like to work in the present and understand how things affect them directly.
Sensing students like working with information that they already know. It can be difficult for a sensing student to deal with complicated, unfamiliar information.
These students will work best in the classroom with a very organized teacher. Sensing students will gain more from a teacher that has well thought out and planned activities. They may become very frustrated with a teacher that jumps from thought to thought or activity to activity. These students do better in a more structured environment.
Connecting Personality and Learning
Teaching Your Auditory Learner