Is the practice of testing a child to determine his learning style necessary?
Are training teachers in the multiple learning styles and having teachers modify their methods to fit each child's particular learning style necessary?
Should the multiple intelligences theory even be applied to education?
Considering that prior to the multiple intelligences’ craze children seemed to learn just fine, all this testing and training in learning styles begins to seem a little excessive.
What’s more, there have been multiple follow-up studies to the multiple intelligences theory and the studies have not found evidence to support a learning-styles shift in education.
“The contrast between the enormous popularity of the learning-styles approach within education and the lack of credible evidence for its utility is, in our opinion, striking and disturbing.”
The Pashler study also noted that the acceptance of the multiple intelligences theory is a result of all the advertising by vendors who make billions of dollars selling learning-style products.
WHAT THE ANCIENT’S KNEW
What’s more interesting is that the Ancient Chinese and Greeks recognized that different personality types were predetermined.
Whether or not you were born with a predisposition to become methodical, analytical, sensitive, artistic, talkative, social, ambitious, or a visionary was cast in dye before you came into the world.
The classical understanding correlates with Howard Gardner's Frames of the Mind (1980) where he identifies what he later said were 8 1/2 intelligences.
The intelligences Gardner describes are a complicated way of saying what was obvious to the Ancients which is that some kids are more inclined one way than another.
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
“It becomes important to consider individuals as a collection of aptitudes rather than as having a singular problem-solving faculty that can be measured directly through pencil-and-paper tests.”
Since Gardner himself is warning us not to put undue focus on his theory, shouldn’t we heed his advice?
THE ART OF TEACHING
Teaching is a skill and while it may come more naturally to some, it has to be developed. All skills have to be developed; as we obviously aren’t born with them.
If you have ten students and you introduce a new concept, nine will comprehend the concept and one student will not.
As a teacher, what do you do?
You find a new angle and you explain the concept again.
This is teaching.
“If classification of students’ learning styles has practical utility, it remains to be demonstrated.”
THE DANGER OF LEARNING LABELS
A bigger concern is that labeling a child can also limit the child's perception of how he learns.
If we teach our children that they fit under a label that says they are a particular kind of learner, then we teach them to think in narrow constructs about themselves.
But we don’t want to limit our children’s mindset. Instead, we want to instill a growth mindset in our children so the world of possibility remains open to them.
THE WORLD WON’T BEND
The world won’t bend to a self-limiting label we put on a child. When he lands his first job, is his employer going to ask what what his learning style is and train him accordingly?
Labels are boxes we put our children into and sometimes they never get out.
Instead of boxes, we have to raise our children to believe that with enough hard work and effort, much is possible.
And there is no easier place to do this than in a homeschool.
THE GOOD NEWS
Don't worry that you have to become proficient in the multiple learning styles before you can teach your children.
Don't worry that you've got to modify everything you teach to each child's particular learning style.
And don't worry that you've got to figure out what each child's learning style is!
Teaching your children at home is not that difficult.
☞ Disclaimer: This is not a politically-correct blog.
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Elizabeth Y. Hanson is a homeschooling thought-leader and the founder of Smart Homeschooler.
As an Educator, Homeschool Emerita, Writer, and Love and Leadership Certified Parenting Coach, Elizabeth has 21+ years of experience working in education.
She has developed a comprehensive understanding of how to raise and educate a child, and she devotes her time to helping parents to get it right.
Elizabeth is available for one-on-one consultations as needed.
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