Learning Styles in the Classroom

The support for learning styles has fluctuated over time, but many still believe that they are effective when it comes to knowing and teaching students. The term learning style is defined by Keefe (1979) as the “composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment” (p. 61). My research looked at the impact of learning styles in the classroom and how integrating those styles into teaching benefits student learning. Over the course of a semester, data was collected through field notes and videos in a first grade classroom. Through data analysis and reflection, it was found that students gained an understanding of concepts when large group lessons were catered to the three important learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. This is valuable information for educators who are striving to create classroom learning environments that are supportive for all types of learners. This is because, by integrating learning styles into teaching, educators are making their instruction differentiated, diverse, and accessible for all students