Learning styles
08.04.2010
| Language work | Level/Time |
|---|---|
| speaking, reading |
medium/advanced, 90/60 minutes, two-lesson activity |
| Preparation | Materials |
| none |
“Be your own teacher” (pages 12–17), Business Spotlight Audio, Skill Up!, Business Spotlight plus |
Procedure
Lesson one (90 minutes)
- Before the lesson, read the beginning of the article (page 12) so you can explain how the choice of a cake recipe can indicate a personal learning style.
- Discuss with your students how they choose cake recipes. Introduce the idea of learning styles to them. Are they are aware of their own learning styles?
- In groups, the students discuss what language-learning methods work best for them, and why. They then do the quiz on page 12 and discuss their results.
- Try one of each of the VAK activities on page 14 (remember to take some objects with you for the kinaesthetic activities). Hold a feedback session to discuss which method each student preferred and why.
- Post-task activity
- Assign pages 12–15, including the “Plan. Practise. Review.” section on page 15.
Lesson two (60 minutes)
- Do a feedback session on the post-task activity. Do they agree that you can categorize learning styles? Explain that there is criticism of the idea.
- Working in pairs, the students read the interview on pages 16–17. One person reads the first three questions, the other the second three. Then in new pairs or groups of four, they explain to each other what they’ve read. Now, ask the students whether they think what they’ve learned can help them to learn English better.
Read Helen Strong's blog on this topic for more ideas: Learning styles
In the future, Deborah Capras will be adding regular learning tips for students here: Learning tips.
