Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 7

Proverbs 9:9 ESVGive instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

This is the last learning style in Jung’s theory of learning styles. This one will wrap up the series and then we can start looking into applying them in the classroom.

The Interpersonal style of learning is the Sensing-Feeling learners and they are the friendly ones! These students are sensitive to people’s feeling and truly want to learn about you and your life. They often take a personal approach to learning and go with what “feels right” to them. They enjoy talking to and about people and find it interesting to learn what they can about people. These are the ones who enjoy biographies and true-to-life stories.

They are the helpers in the classroom and want to be recognized for their efforts. They look for that personal relationship with their teacher as well as their fellow students. They may come to you asking if they can help but many times it is just to engage in a conversation or are just seeking a little attention.

Interpersonal students are the social. They like to work with others, share their ideas and get input from friends. They are cooperative not competitive and they need reassurance that they are doing well at the task they have been given. They will complete tasks more for praise than their own interest in it. They may also think and read out loud even when it is on their own.

They want to know the value of learning and will want to make a connection to their lives and feelings. If a lesson doesn’t connect them to real-life then they may disengage and you will find them talking to a friend.

Here is the next list I took from the book So Each May Learn. I mentioned this in the first post on this subject. I highly recommend it as it has great charts, visuals, and ways to integrate all of this into your classroom.

Sensing-Feeling or Interpersonal Learners

Prefers to learn by:

• Studying about things that directly affect people’s lives rather than impersonal facts
• Receiving personal attention and encouragement from his/her teachers
• Being part of a team-collaborating with other students
• Activities that help him/her learn about his/herself and how he/she feels about things

Learns best from:

• Group experiences and projects
• Loving attention
• Personal expression and personal encounters
• Role playing

Likes:

• Receiving personal attention and encouragement
• Opportunities to be helpful in class
• Personal feedback
• Sharing personal feelings and experiences with others

Dislikes:

• Long periods of working alone silently
• Emphasis on factual detail
• Highly competitive games where someone loses
• Detailed and demanding routines.

 

One thing to remember, these are NOT “one size fits all” categories. Everyone uses all four styles throughout their life, but may show more strength in one or two of them. Depending on circumstance or context you may see a learning style descriptor which is quite different from their strengths.

A good place to start using these learning styles in the classroom is to differentiate instruction, integrate curriculum, show many ways to problem solve, and provide choices in learning.

Blessings to you,

Tammy

Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 5

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Proverbs 18:15 ESV

It has been sometime since I have posted and I apologize. I will be finishing up this series within these next few weeks. Here is the next style of learning for you.

The Understanding Style of learning is the Intuitive-Thinking types and they are theoretical, intellectual and knowledge oriented learners. They like to be challenged and think things through. These are the ones who will work through a puzzle; they like the complexity of problems and are inquisitive about concepts. They break problems down into their independent parts looking for logical connections as they reason things out.

 They are well-organized with their planning, time and ideas. These are the students who will make lists, story outlines and the like. They like to have all of the necessary resources out and ready before they get to work. They look for significance, applicability, and meaning; they often ask the question “Why?” as they process information. Understanding learners will use a lot of detail to express their ideas. These are the students that give you great detail and reasoning in their writing. It needs to make perfect sense to them and they want that conveyed to the reader as well.

 The written word is practically their best friend! They love to read, learn, and collect data of all kinds to support their ideas. They enjoy playing “devil’s advocate” and take an opposing view just to bring about debate or to make a point. They are in search of objective truth more than fact. They look for logic and support in these truths.

 They can get lost in time if something is of high interest to them. Understanding learners don’t like to be pressed for time and have a great deal of patience and persistence when completing tasks that they enjoy.

Here is another great list I took from the book So Each May Learn. I mentioned this in the first post on this subject. I highly recommend it as it has great charts, visuals, and ways to integrate all of this into your classroom.

Intuitive-Thinking or Understanding Learners

Prefers to learn by:

• Studying about ideas and how things are related
• Planning and carrying out a project of his/her own making and interest
• Arguing or debating a point based on logical analysis
• Problem solving that requires collecting, organizing, and evaluating data

Learns best from:

• Lectures
• Reading
• Logical discussions and debates
• Projects of personal interest

Likes:

• Time to plan and organize his/her work
• Working independently or with other Intuitive-Thinking types
• Working with ideas and things that challenge him/her to think, to explore, to master

Dislikes:

• Routine and rote assignments
• Memorization
• Concern for details
• Rigid rules and predetermined procedures

Blessings to you,

Tammy

 

Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 4

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, Prov. 1:5 ESV

So let’s dig into the Mastery style of learning. Remember, these are the Sensing-Thinking learners; realistic, matter-of-fact, and practical. These students will complete their work in an organized and efficient manner. They have materials in place and are ready to get to work. You will probably see organization in their desk even if it isn’t always tidy!

They focus on the “things”; they like hands-on learning, and are project oriented. They don’t like to plan and bounce ideas around as much as they like to get straight to the task-at-hand. So you may not see outlines and story boards and idea clouds; they know the plan in their head and don’t want to waste their time planning it on paper.

They enjoy working and will always want to be busy, but may want to get out of their seats to do so. Movement is the key, even if it is seat work; so reading, writing, math; keep their hands busy and they will produce results. They are results driven and will want to please, they may check-in to see if they are on track just for some movement, but also for feedback, that’s what drives them!

They are the learners that ask “What?” and “How?” They prefer step by step instruction, but if it is too long they lose interest. They want the directions precise and to the point. They like structure and want to master the task. They like right or wrong answers rather than vague interpretations. They are motivated by competition even if the prize is a good grade!

Here is a great list I took from the book So Each May Learn. I mentioned this in the first post on this subject. I highly recommend it as it has great charts, visuals, and ways to integrate all of this into your classroom.

Sensing-Thinking or Mastery Learners

Prefers to learn by:

• ·         Seeing tangible results
• ·         Practicing what he/she has learned
• ·         Following directions one step at a time
• ·         Being active rather than passive
• ·         Knowing exactly what is expected of him/her, how well the task must be done and why

Learns best by:

• ·         Drill
• ·         Demonstration
• ·         Practice
• ·         Hands-on experience

Likes:

• ·         Doing things that have immediate, practical use
• ·         Being acknowledged for thoroughness and detail
• ·         Praise for prompt and complete work
• ·         Immediate feedback (rewards, privileges, etc.) 

Dislikes

• ·         Completing tasks in which there is no practical uses
• ·         Activities with complex directions
• ·         Open-ended activities without closure or pay-off
• ·         Activities that focus on feelings or intangible results

Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 3

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:6

Did you take and/or administer the tests? What did you find out? What two areas did you fall in? The two areas where you and your students fell are the learning styles I will be discussing in this post.

Let’s begin with a simple explanation of each learning style. If you are Sensing & Thinking you are considered Mastery learning style. Mastery learners are realistic, practical and matter-of-fact. They are efficient and result-oriented, preferring action to words. They have a high-energy for doing things that are logical and useful. (This one was my lowest score). You will probably find a lot of the Type-A personalities fall in this learning style.

If you are Sensing & Feeling you are considered Interpersonal learning style. Interpersonal learners are sociable, friendly, and interpersonally oriented. They are sensitive to their own feelings as well as others’. They want to learn about things that affect them directly. It’s not about the facts to them; it’s about social interactions about the world around them.

If you are Intuitive & Thinking you are considered Understanding learning style. Understanding learners are theoretical, intellectual, and knowledge-oriented. They like a challenge and the ability to think things through. They are curious, like to know the theory behind the learning, and like complex problems.

If you are Intuitive & Feeling you are considered Self-Expressive learning style. Self-Expressive learners are curious, insightful, and imaginative. They dare to dream, are committed to their values, and open to alternative ideas. They search for new and unusual ways to express themselves. (This was my highest score on the test!)

The visual below shows you the relationship of each function and style. My Highest score was Self-Expressive and my lowest was Mastery, they are opposites, you will usually find this in most cases. You may also find that one of the adjacent styles has a score close to your top score. Tendencies toward two styles are not a rarity, as you read the above descriptions you might agree that you fit into more than one, maybe not completely but in some respects. Remember, we are not trying to put students into a box; we are trying to see and help them work within their learning styles, whether it is one or more style.

Ponder over these a bit; in the next few post I will go into more detail on each of them and then offer some ways to incorporate them into your classroom.

Blessing to you,

Tammy

Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 2

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Continuing from the last post on Carl Jung’s Theory of Learning Styles; let’s continue with the Judgment Functions. The two judgment functions are thinking and feeling and they help one put to use the perception functions, sensing and intuition.

Thinkers are objective, use logic and reason to analyze decision making. They are rational and use order and organization in situations when making a decision. They are uncomfortable in emotional situations. Everything can be treated rationally and they don’t need the approval from others when making decisions.

As suspected; feelers are subjective, allowing personal perspectives to develop. Decisions are based on values and personal beliefs, likes, and dislikes. They look for human connections that make life rich and meaningful. They make decisions with their hearts, they like to bounce ideas off of others and give purpose to decision making. Everything is personal and they look for approval from their peers.

This post was a bit shorter, but check out the site below for thinking and feeling to see where you fall in the spectrum.

Self-assessment (judgment)

What is your preference when it comes to thinking and feeling? When you make a decision, do you rely more on logic and objectivity (thinking) or do you go on how the situation feels to you (feeling)? Are you somewhere in-between or do you fall closer to one side than the other? Thinking_________________Feeling

If you need more questions to help you figure out where you are in the judgment preferences try this site

In the next few posts I will put them together to explain the four learning styles and how to put them to use in the classroom.

As a side note, I have come to discover over my first year of blogging, as much as I enjoy the research and sharing, I am not going to put pressure on myself to stay on a schedule just to get a post out. I want the post to have meaning and purpose; being well thought-out and written, would we expect any less from our students?

Blessings to you,

Tammy

Learning Styles-Carl Jung/Myers-Briggs Theory Pt. 1

Proverbs 1:8-9 ESV

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

So back again with teaching and learning, styles and strategies; this section will focus on the theory based on Carl Jung’s model. This model is a teaching/learning style. It is important to know a student’s style of learning so you can help guide them in the direction of reaching the objective goals. Meyers-Brigg developed the application of Jung’s model. It uses our personalities to help find our learning styles. It works in a way that shows our preferences and repeated behaviors; it’s who we are as much as how we learn. Harvey Silver and Richard Strong along with other highly respected researchers work to successfully apply it to education. They focused on the process of learning; with the focus on the “how” rather than the “what” of learning styles.

As a side note: There is no right or wrong strategy; it is a matter of matching the correct one with the learner to create a climate most conducive to learning the objectives. To clarify a bit more, a strategy is a tool used to learn/teach an objective; where a style is the manner or behavior in which the objective is learned/taught. I can teach many strategies on how to solve a math problem, but my style will remain relatively the same, when speaking of the Jung theory. However, the strategies I offer accommodate the styles that my students may possess, different from my own, which allow me to facilitate my students in reaching the objective goals.

The four functions provide a framework for analyzing and categorizing teaching and learning behaviors. This categorization places a learner’s dominant behaviors in one or four distinct groupings. The groups include sensing, feeling, thinking, and intuition. Sensing and intuition are two ways of perceiving the world through the senses or intuition and thinking and feeling are ways of judging one’s perceptions.

“The sensing orientation (function) focuses on things as they appear. Sensors assume that what their senses tell them is what exists.”¹It operates in the present and deals with shapes, color, texture and the arrangement of objects. Sensors use the five senses to gather information. They have a realistic outlook on life and work toward definite goals. When things are unclear or details are complicated they become frustrated.

“The intuitive orientation (function) focuses on the inner meaning and relationships of what is occurring.”¹ It operates in the near and distant future and deals in seeing possibilities and interpreting what might be. Intuitors use inspiration and insight to find meaning behind facts and details. They like flexibility and freedom to explore possibilities and ideas. The trust their insights and are inspired by new opportunities.

Next blog post will cover the judgment of perceptions, thinking and feeling. Until then, try this self-assessment for perception on the spectrum on sensing/intuition from So Each May Learn Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences by Harvey Silver, Richard Strong, and Matthew Perini.

Take a moment to reflect on your own perception preferences. Are you more focused on the facts and details of sensing or the big picture and patterns of intuition? Are you somewhere in-between or do you fall closer to one side than the other? Sensing_________________Intuition

If you need more questions to help you figure out where you are in the perception preferences try this site

This is a great site to check out for charts between sensors and intuitors.

 

¹(Teaching Styles and Strategies by Silver, Hanson, Strong, Schwartz 1996).

How to Tap Into Learning Styles for Home and Classroom Pt. 4

“The mind of the wise acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15

Here are some strategies for you to use for the last four Learning Styles. There is some overlap in strategies and you will probably see that your students will fall into more than one style where they overlap.

Verbal learners love to read; in fact you may have trouble tearing them away from a book once they are reading. Because of this love for reading, they immerse themselves in very rich written language and in return they are good writers too. They are good with word play and easily pick up on new vocabulary. They will use this new vocabulary in their writing as they become comfortable with it. They know the meaning of many words and will question what a word means if it is new to them. They are talkers; where Aurals talk to hear themselves as they learn, i.e. read aloud, Verbals talk through steps or procedures. Verbal learners talk with knowledge.They may want to work with a similar partner or group so they can “discuss” the content.

Logical learners are mathematical and see patterns in just about everything. They like order, lists, and use systematic approaches in their learning. They like games that challenge their thinking and are great at building puzzles, Legos, and models. They are curious learners and wonder how something works or is put together. They can easily get caught up in the process and while they may look busy, they aren’t moving toward the goal at hand.

Social learners, you would think are the talkers, however they are very good listeners too. They like to work in groups and when they work on their own, will check in with the teacher to make sure they are on track. They don’t have often come to the teacher with a question about understanding, they just have a need to interact and so they check in without the need. They show empathy, are problem solvers, and like to bounce ideas off of peers. They are team players and enjoy those kinds of sports activities.

Solitary learners are reflective and like to really put some thought into what they are working on. They prefer to work on their own and rely on themselves to get the work done. They don’t always trust that other members in the group will do their part and they tend to do some of the work of others to make sure that everything is complete. They are independent and like to have “think time” before answering a question or starting their work. They want to know how their learning relates to their life and world. They are the ones to ask, “Why do we need to learn this?” They want to know why it matters and this is where learning objectives come in to play.

These are the last four learning styles of the seven in this series. Let me know how these strategies work for you in your classroom.

How to Tap Into Learning Styles for Home and Classroom Pt. 3

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.

Now that you have had the chance to take the test and perhaps have your students take it; I want to give you some helpful suggestions that your students can do independently after you have taught your lesson. It is difficult to change a teaching style because you teach the way you learn, however, you can give your students options and as you learn from these different styles you will be able to tweak your lessons to help with all the learning styles. So, I am not here to tell you how to teach your lessons; I want to give you the tips and tools that are in your classroom to help your students complete and understand the lessons.

Since these Learning Styles focus on the senses, I am going to concentrate my discussion there. We will focus on environment in another post.

Visual learners want to “see” the lesson. Use your white board for words, numbers, and pictures; if you have a computer that projects to a screen or a smart board, even better. Find ways to give your students a visual of the lesson being taught. This is one of the most common ways of teaching in the elementary school. In middle schools and even more in high schools, lecture is the main focus of a lesson. By adding a few key words, phrases, or diagrams to the white board allows visual learners to focus in on the lesson because they have a connection that is being made in their mind.

Visual learners may have several colored highlighters or pens out. They underline, highlight and doodle on their pages. Let them! They may choose to have manipulatives out as they are working but may not touch them. For the visual learning it is about seeing, picturing and imagining.

                                                               

Kinesthetic/Physical learners not only need to move, they need to work with “things.” Have manipulatives available, such as counters, number-lines, whiteboards, markers etc. Kinesthetic learners need sensory motivation, they are very tactile; some things are texture issues and some are stimuli. Allow Kinesthetics to get up and move after a lesson. Sometimes just getting up for a tissue or allowing them to work standing up will help calm the fidgetiness that they are feeling. Give students an opportunity to stretch, some will some wont, that’s ok. The ones that don’t, may want to get out the supplies for the lesson work and that is movement enough. Also, deep breathing can help calm and refocus their minds back to learning.

Auditory/Aural learners need to talk everything out; want peer and group work and can thrive when given the proper instructions/objectives for the group goals. They also tend to talk to themselves so that they hear their own thinking. However, if they need to focus on work, sound is incredibly distracting because they will tune into the noise instead of the work in front of them. Think about offering headphones to Auditory learners who need to tune out ambient noise around the room. They enjoy sounds and even learn to music, but it can also be a distraction when not used for a learning purpose.  Allow them to come up with mnemonics if they can, or if you know some, use them in the lesson to help them make a connection (HOMES – names of the Great Lakes – Heron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).  Auditory learners are very good with word play because they enjoy sounds and playing with sounds.

These are the first three of seven. I will add the next four in another post. Until then, try a few of these tips with your students and let me know how it goes. Did you find other ways to implement strategies for these learning styles? Please share in the comments.

How to Tap Into Learning Styles for Home and Classroom Pt. 2

Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.~ Proverbs 19:20, NLT

These are the scores from my test. I have taken these types of test before so my scores are no surprise to me. I have three strong strengths and a couple minor ones. As you can see, I use all learning styles and it usually depends on the task.

The scores are out of 20 for each style. A score of 20 indicates the style is used often.

Style Scores

Visual 16

Social 9

Physical 16

Aural 6

Verbal 10

Solitary 13

Logical 16

• Visual (spatial). You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.

I do prefer using images, pictures, colors, diagrams and maps to organize information and to communicate my thoughts. I can easily visualize objects, room plans and design ideas. I sew and I can take a look at a piece of fabric and see the finished product. I also have a good spatial sense, which means I have a good sense of direction.

I use underlining, highlighting, and jotting notes adding stars or check marks. I like an organized space with color supporting my organization. I have a good sense of furniture placement and color coordination.

When I teach, I use a lot of visuals. I circle, underline, draw awful pictures (I am not an artist), I use charts and pictures. I love the white board and all of the color markers I can use in my lessons.

• Physical (kinesthetic). You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.

If I was dominant in any style, I would have thought it would be this one. I talk with my hands no matter what the situation! I am a mover; I don’t like to sit in one place for long and like to keep busy when I am. I am also tactile, which means the feel of things factors into my learning. When I shop I feel the fabric because that means as much to me as the look of an object. Gardening and sewing are some of my favorite activities because I am moving and manipulating the items I have selected. I read and listen to podcast and think out problems while I exercise. I would rather go for a walk or clean the house if something is bothering me.

However, because I am also visual, if I am not comfortable with a project, I will seek out plans, drawings and instructions instead of just jumping in and working with the objects.

• Logical (mathematical). You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.

I am a logical thinker. I look for patterns and connections to help me understand and learn content.

I don’t typically work out problem in my head because I am visual and kinesthetic I like to see and work through calculations. However, I am very systematic; I create charts and lists and organize my routines very precisely so I use my time constructively.

I use examples from research or from information I have read to back up my statements. I am not always grammatically correct, but I can usually pick it out when I hear or see it is incorrect.

• Solitary (intrapersonal). You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

I know, strange for a teacher. I earned my Masters online and now I am blogging. Remember, this is one of my learning styles and it is a 13/20 so I would consider it a minor strength.  I decided to pull the statement below directly from the information on the test results site because it explains me quite well in this style.

“If you have a solitary style, you are more private, introspective and independent. You can concentrate well, focusing your thoughts and feelings on your current topic. You are aware of your own thinking, and you may analyze the different ways you think and feel.

You spend time on self-analysis, and often reflect on past events and the way you approached them. You take time to ponder and assess your own accomplishments or challenges…

You like to spend time alone. You may have a personal hobby. You prefer traveling or holidaying in remote or places, away from crowds.

You feel that you know yourself. You think independently, and you know your mind. You may have attended self-development workshops, read self-help books or used other methods to develop a deeper understanding of yourself.

You prefer to work on problems by retreating to somewhere quiet and working through possible solutions. You may sometimes spend too much time trying to solve a problem that you could more easily solve by talking to someone.

You like to make plans and set goals.”

I am not dominant in any one category so I don’t have all of the strengths in one category; this is a good thing in my profession. I also know I need to have an understanding of each of the learning styles in order to help my students identify their strengths and to know that they may have many and are able to look at a problem or a lesson in many ways in order to gain understanding from it.

After taking the test for yourself, did you find that you understood yourself a bit better? Think of how our students will feel when they discover their learning styles.

In the next few posts I will offer classroom, homework, and lesson ideas to help you and your students use the learning styles to achieve the objectives in each lesson.

How to Tap Into Learning Styles for Home and Classroom

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.     ~ Proverbs 3:13, NLT

I learned so many things in my Masters courses, but the one that caught my attention was the class about brain research. This wasn’t a medical class, it was education based. If you are an educator you know the names Madeline  Hunter, Jean Piaget, Howard Gardner, Benjamin  Bloom and the methods learned through their research; Lesson Planning,  Cognitive Thinking, Multiple Intelligences, and Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning

You know we all learn differently, each of the above educators and researchers knew this and shared it through their methods, but Dunn and Dunn seem to be all over this fact. The Learning Styles model reveals just how complex or layered our thinking is. However, in the same respect, we can find out the best way to teach our students by the way they learn.  Learning Styles don’t separate or “group” students, they help them understand how another thinks. We all talk about and use teaching methods, strategies, and best practice when it comes to finding what works; Learning Styles is a method in which the student can take ownership of their learning.

I am going to start simple and build upon this method. I want teachers, parents, and students to benefit from knowing their Learning Style.

This visual is a simple way to start the process. Learning Styles extends well beyond this model and we will get into those processes in later posts. For the purpose of the next few posts I will use this model.

Most people find that they fall into several categories within the Learning Styles depending on what they are learning or doing. Others will find that they have a dominant Learning Style with some of the other categories showing a minor role. Children seem to have a dominant style because they are still developing ways to learn and tackle problems. There is no right or wrong mix; it is just how each of us is wired.

• Take the inventory test to see where you fall. Copy your results to a word document for further information in future blogs. Don’t forget to have your children take it too so you can see how to best help them at home.
• You can also have your students take this test by creating a “group” where you can view the result too. 
• go to User Menu on the side bar,
• scroll to Instructor Functions, and click on the links and follow the instructions.

I did find the free publication for the inventory test and all of the evaluation parts from Memletics. The only live webpages are the learning-styles-online links which take you to the same site I have linked to above.

The test is simple and quick, give it a try today! I will reveal mine in the next post.

Blessings to you