Someone told me to SHUT UP!

And no, I wasn’t singing at the time!

Let me start by saying, before I post anything educational related, I check my facts. Yes, I am a teacher, but I am very aware there are better, more educated and more experienced teachers out there and I am VERY scared of being called out!

So, you can imagine my surprise when, after posting about the virtues of multisensory learning experiences benefiting a wide range of learning styles, someone commented I need to stop perpetuating the myth that learning styles even exist! I was shocked!

I’ll admit I did my teaching degree well over 15 years ago, but I actually did a whole subject at University called Dimensions of Learning, which focused entirely on learning styles.

Moreover, when planning lessons at university, across all subjects, there was an expectation planning included consideration of learning styles. The notion of learning styles was deeply embedded in the course content.

The commenter respectfully encouraged me to do some research on how, in recent years, learning styles had been debunked and in fact, I found lots of articles supporting her argument.

So off I went to the university to get my money back.

No just kidding. I just had a good, hard think about it.

It’s true, I don’t think there’s anything in terms of brain science that supports the theory of learning styles, and I am not going to use that terminology anymore.

However, in my experience as a teacher, learner, employer, mother and aunty, I have enough anecdotal evidence to support, learning PREFERENCES are definitely a thing.

If I am told to read something, I retain very little. Whereas my son retains almost everything. I find that amazing.

If someone explains something to me, I retain more.

If someone explains something to me AND draws a picture, oh yeah, I’m picking up what you’re putting down.

BUT, If I go somewhere like the science center in Canberra where the learning is very interactive… I TOTALLY get it.   

I believe brains are like fingerprints and every learner processes and assimilates knowledge in such unique ways it would be impossible for us to ever, fully understand or map. 

I also think providing children with as many ways to absorb information is critical to quality education and I am not going to give-up on it.

Yours In Education,