Learning Style Preferences: Individualizing Curriculum in Today’s Standardized Classrooms

Learning style preferences are a controversial topic in education and psychology. According to some studies (Riener & Willingham, 2010; Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, 2009), researchers have found that learning style preferences do not exist. Although people have different preferences they do not impact learning. Due to ability, background knowledge, and interest, teachers often have suggested that differences do exist. Yet, when tendencies are put to the test under controlled conditions, no differences with learning are shown, whether students learn in the preferred style or not. Other studies show that matching the teacher\u27s teaching style to the students\u27 learning styles, students will perform better in the classroom (Carson, 2009). Some even say that if instruction is to be effective, it must be matched with individual needs (Landrum & McDuffie, 2010). This study will explore the idea of learning style preferences and how teachers are using them in their classrooms. There are over seventy different learning style preferences, four of which are most prevalent and the focus of this study: bodily-kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile (Institute for Leaning Styles Research, 2013; Eastman, 2010; & Dunn et al., 2008). Teachers were surveyed and interviewed to find answers as to if teachers value learning style preferences in their classrooms and if so, which ones