Learning Styles: VAK (Visual, Auditory & Kinaesthetic)

Learning Journal 1 - Week 4

Learning Styles

Introduction

Our lesson started with introducing Learning Styles and Strategies to us. We were required to read three Journals until now; (i) Learning Styles: A Review of Theory, Application, and Best Practices, (ii) Some unexpected results of a learning styles intervention? and (iii) The trouble with VAK. There were activities and explanations between which helped us to gain more understanding on the reading Journals.

Gist of Reading (content)

The three Journals reveal that over the years there has been lots of research going on about Students’ Learning styles (which also includes VAK learning style). Firstly, there were some relations between students’ learning styles and teachers’ teaching styles. Teachers knowing students’ learning styles can develop their educational experiences. But if teacher’s teaching style mismatches with students’ learning styles, it then may encourage students to challenge and expand their academic capabilities. However, in this modern days, teachers are encouraged to teach in a multi-style fashion since the number of students are getting larger and internationalised. 

Second journal was about VAK (Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic) learning styles. VAK theories are hugely popular in Primary Schools. Alistair Smith & Neil D. Fleming came out with VAK learning styles and they used the instruments from Dunn et al. Learning Style Inventory (LSI), Smith & Call (2001) Learning Style Questionnaire and others on more commercial in nature. There was research about VAK test on boys and girls which resulted that boys and girls prefers more to kinaesthetic activity and believe it helps in their learning. Here, this research helped teachers to encourage more variety lessons which they should consider variety teaching strategies as well. This way would make students to keep them on the task. 

Despite having this positive view on VAK learning styles, there are some critics shown on Journals about VAK theories. It is said that there is no research that has properly proved VAK theories. The VAK theories practitioners rely mostly on "second hand" information. This means that it is usually passed from the curriculum or head teachers or deputy heads and etc. which is not from teachers. Furthermore, this theory lacked reliability of questionnaires. There were only 15 questions (e.g. "I like music when I do my homework.") and with in 15 questions, how do those question results be in anything of any pedagogical value? Lastly, this theory is pseudoscience; it is a scientific myth. Years later, he himself admitted that he was wrong. He did fell out of context when he was interpreting and applying neuroscientific information.

Connection

Years of being educated in International schools, I believe that each individuals has their own preferred learning styles. In my International schools, they provide various teaching in each class and also can view different learning styles in students. While I was reading the first Journal, I totally agreed on the point where if teacher’s teaching style mismatches with student’s learning style, encourage them to challenge it. This is because I was one of the student who actually was in challenge and eventually expanded my academic capabilities. Basically, when I was in primary school, I always believed that I was a weak and hardworking student. Although I believed that I was a weak student, I would always end up my final exam papers with high or upper average grades. Reasonably, I would have studied hard for my final exams but through this Journal, I could see myself that I did have challenge myself and broaden my academic capabilities as well. Due to challenging these years, I was more confident on my studies during my Secondary school. In fact when I first came to University of Nottingham, the modules in Foundation itself was mismatching with my learning styles. However, (I don’t know how but) I managed it. :-)

Another Journals made me think again that the results were similar to my learning styles and my experiences in school. When I think back, I could see that everyone (boys & girls) in my classes (Primary and Secondary) liked kinaesthetic activities during lessons. They were never denied that they would not do it. Also in my opinion, during my primary school, our teacher did provide various lessons that includes VAK learning styles. Although our teacher would not tend to follow VAK learning style, we had lots of mind-map/concept-map, pictures, charts, cards of keywords, etc. during explanations by our teacher. Using these activities to make our classmates understand, I really liked our school. Furthermore, our primary school always had Assembly every Fridays and each Year (Grade) had to perform at least once or twice in a month. So, we get to choose what to perform. We usually performed two major section; Music and Drama. One Friday, we played recorders and another Friday, we performed Drama. While we are practising, we had to visualise the demonstrations shown by our teacher and listen to the used phrase tone. We also had to memorise our lines. Everyone in our classroom had to perform and I believe this rule helped students to improve on their weak learning style. 

Confusion & Conflict

I did have some confusion while reading the two Journals on VAK before going to class. This would be because encountering this topic was something new to me. I am weak at learning new things at once, rather I take time to “get absorbed” into my brain. However, after the class today, I kind of understood about VAK theories and its conflicts. Although the research has conflicts and not even been properly proved, due to Smith there were more developments on teaching lessons or styles and teachers were more considering at students’ views.

I do have a belief about learning styles also. I believe that everyone has their own learning style just like having different personalities. However, when I was reading, I thought that Smith’s model of accelerated learning in primary schools (ALPS) and No LIMIT (key element of Accelerated Learning) goes against my belief. ALPS is letting students know how the knowledge functions which can lead them to achieve beyond what they thought they could not. In certain extent, I do agree; but I do not belief in it. My belief about being able to achieve higher and beyond is their interest, passion, eagerness and the willingness. This would let anyone to achieve beyond than they would have expected in the future. And I am sure because my belief and my experience (living) is happening right now.

Conclusion & Consideration

Reading and learning new theory of VAK and learning style was interesting. This opportunity has actually given me to have an idea about my future teaching lesson plans. In my future practice teaching, I would use VAK teaching styles rather than learning styles. So, I should plan various teaching lessons to give students to enhance their academic learning. This will help them to encounter and face different learning styles. Moreover, this could be helpful to my Tamil school project experience. This is because we, our group, have planned to perform a short three scene drama at the end of the week. Drama considers kinaesthetic, auditory and visual skills. We, teachers, could (at a very least) enhance these three skills in the students.