Get your FREE ticket to the International TEFL day online conference! Get your FREE ticket to International TEFL day! Register here →

The Controversy Over Learning Styles

Join a global community of over 200,000 TEFL teachers working throughout the world! Enrol me!

We’ve all learnt about the different learning styles and how they can affect learning and how they should affect our teaching. At a basic level, it makes sense that learners learn differently and that different activities appeal to different learners. It can be difficult, though, to cater for all of our learners all the time when we have a class of 30 students, so often we end up with a hodgepodge lesson which includes all the different learning styles in the hopes that each learner will be satisfied at some point.

Theories on learning styles

The reason these theories on learning styles came about was because we were trying to find a reason why some people are better learners than others. If a learner does not grasp a concept, for example, it could be because it was not presented in the way that was optimal for that particular learner. The teacher, then, is responsible for making sure that learners are taught in ways which suit their learning style.

It also resonates with study habits. If you need to make mind maps and draw pictures when you are studying, then you are clearly a visual learner and that’s easy for you to identify with. As a student, then, you would imagine that lessons which incorporated visual elements would suit you better. Again, then, it’s up to the teacher to ensure the lessons are appropriate for the individual learners.

However, there is actually not much evidence to prove that if you are taught in a manner which matches your learning style, then you will learn better. So, there is no reason to try and think of activities which can be adapted to suit all your students’ different needs. Instead, you should focus on finding the best way to teach that particular concept. In other words, which learning style suits the content and not the learner.

Thankfully, this takes a lot of the stress off the teacher. Though, of course, different activities still need to be included in the lesson simply to provide variety, the burden of learning is on the learner rather than the teacher. As teachers, we cannot learn for our students; this is something they need to do themselves.

Of course, this does not mean that learning styles should be ignored completely. Learning styles are important when it comes to self-study. If you know and understand how you learn best, you can use those methods when you are studying independently. So encourage your students to utilise their own learning style to make their studying more effective, but don’t bend over backwards trying to deal with the different needs of all your learners just to satisfy their learning styles.

Get Social

Follow us on social networks, join our newsletter - get the latest news and early discounts

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us on social networks, sign up to our e-newsletters – get the latest news and early discounts

Accreditation Partners

The TEFL Academy was the world’s first TEFL course provider to receive official recognition from government regulated awarding bodies in both the USA and UK. This means when you graduate you’ll hold a globally recognised Level 3 (120hr) Certificate or Level 5 (168hr) Diploma, meaning you can find work anywhere and apply for jobs immediately.

Product added to your cart

You have added to your cart:

Request call back

    Please leave your details below and one of our TEFL experts will get back to you ASAP:

    Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

    Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

    Thank you! Your message has been sent!

    Register Now

    Download the TEFL World Factbook

      Please enter your details in order to download the latest TEFL World Factbook.

      Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

      Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

      Thank you for downloading the TEFL World Factbook!

      If the TEFL World Factbook did not download
      > Click Here To Download <

      Download the Online Teaching Guide

        Please enter your details in order to download our Online Teaching Guide.

        Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

        Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

        Thank you for downloading our Online Teaching Guide!

        If the Online Teaching Guide did not download
        > Click Here To Download <

        Download Prospectus

          Please enter your details in order to download our latest prospectus.

          Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

          Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

          Thank you for downloading our prospectus!

          We hope you enjoy reading our prospectus, we have tried to make it as useful as possible! Please get in touch if you have any questions.

          If the prospectus did not download automatically
          > Click Here To Download <

          $
          $