Learning Styles and MI Theory

Learning Styles Don't Exist

The Three Claims That They Do Not Exist:
1. We are provoked to learn through meaning, not strictly visually, auditory, or kinesthetic.
While remembering words, we remember the meaning we attach to the word, not the word itself.

2. They predict that a visual learner will ALWAYS learn better visually and do better.
While learning a map, everyone needs to learn the shapes of those countries, not just the visual learners.

3. It is not always more than a coincidence that a student learns a certain piece of information better through any style. Sometimes it is good analogy and sometimes they just needed something to make it click in their minds.

The Reason They Seem To Be Correct:
1. The theory is widely accepted.

2. Some people do seem to learn better through image, sound, or motion.

3. If you already believe the theory, then you are most likely to interpret all ambiguous coincidences to go along with the theory.

The Multiple Intelligence Theory

Three Ways Schools Fail To Meet Learning Needs Of Children:
1.  Many teachers only teach logically, but there are multiple other ways children can learn and be taught that would cause the information to stick into the child's mind. 

2. Children get a superficial knowledge of multiple subjects that cover an array of information that they usually forget before they leave high school.

3. Assessment is very difficult and not student-centered. The students have no idea what they are supposed to be learning  and when they aren't learning it correctly. After assessments, nobody allows room for correction or overlooking, they simply just to the next important topic. 

Similarities and Differences:
Both theories assert that children learn through a variety of different means. The learning styles assert children learn either visually, auditory, or kinesthetically. The multiple intelligence theories assert children can learn through a variety of means: social, spatial, logically, socially, and much more. Both theories agree in that children are not being taught correctly in school. They also agree that children with specific learning habits need more attention in their own style, but neither realize the struggle that would cause a daily classroom.