learning styles

• Performing Paul & Paula:  Need for excitement and movement

   
  Performing Paul & Paula are most often labeled Hyperactive in the traditional school setting, or ADD, or ADHD.
   
  Performing Paul & Paula are movers, risk-takers, adventurers. They crave hands-on, experiential activities. They are often passionate about (and talented in) sports, acting, comedy, dance, building, out door activities, or a combination of these. In general, they learn best when involved in activities that allow them to be active: do, experience, and keep things moving so as not to get bored. They also generally like games and competition.
   
  When planning a school program for Performing Paul & Paula, you can integrate movement with learning. The student can put on a skit or demonstration, recite/memorize facts while jumping on trampoline, build a pyramid, landscape the yard. Performing Paul & Paul need frequent breaks from traditional sit-down school work -- every 20 to 30 minutes (10 to 15 for the younger ones!). They also do best when the topics they are studying are relevant to their interests and their lives - subjects that do not relate to their experiences make no sense to them. 

• Inventing Isabel & Ian: Need to explore, discover, ask, solve!

  
  Inventing Isabel & Ian are often labeled ADD in the traditional school setting. This is also the Disposition that is sometimes referred to as the "absentminded professor."
   
  Inventing Isabel & Ian are explorers, collectors, experimenters. They ask a lot of questions and often seem to be asking questions that are unrelated to the topic at hand. It is these questions that allow them to make connections and this is how they learn best.
   
  They are often passionate about (and talented in) electronics, technology, archeology, any of the sciences, cooking, engineering, building, problem solving, or a combination of these. In general, they learn best when involved in activities that allow them to be inquisitive and inventive: take apart, put together, tinker, try out, make something out of nothing.

  
   When planning a school program for Inventing Isabel & Ian, be sure to include lots of hands-on activities: making models, building replicas, working on collections, designing systems, developing projects. Also provide ample opportunity for questions, and encourage students to use their own natural problem solving strategies.

• Thinking/Creating Ted & Terry: Need to think, create, be alone!

  
  Thinking/Creating Ted & Terry are often labeled ADD in a traditional school setting. This is also the Disposition that is sometimes referred to as withdrawn, shy, moody, or "spacey."
   
  Thinking/Creating Ted & Terry are imaginative and creative. They are the idea people. They bring a new perspective to every situation. Often their comments seem to be coming out of nowhere, or out of "left field"! This is the disposition of great philosophers, mathematicians, scientists, poets, writers, artists, musicians, and designers.
   
  They are often passionate about (and talented in) theoretical math and science, music, art, cooking, building, or a combination of these. In general, they learn best when involved in activities that allow them to be freely creative. The most important thing to these students is ideas: getting ideas, trying out new ideas, contributing new ideas.
   
  When planning a school program for Thinking/Creating Ted & Terry, incorporate teaching materials and techniques that allow for time alone and involve the arts and/or the creative process. They thrive in atmospheres that allow for unscheduled time to think and create. Include hands-on assignments, drawing and doodling during study and "listening" times, and plenty of opportunity to wonder, think, and express themselves imaginatively. .

• Relating/Inspiring Rita & Ron:  Need to talk, interact, cooperate!

  
  Relating/Inspiring Rita & Ron are often labeled "chatty" or "busybodies." They are sometimes seen as "nosy,", "overly sensitive," or "emotional."
   
  Relating/Inspiring Rita & Ron are usually talkers and social by nature. Cooperation, interaction, and discussion are important to them, and they generally do not respond to competition. They need time to talk, relate, and be social. They often need to talk things out and discuss in order to understand and retain information.
   
  They are often passionate about human interest topics, and creating harmonious and fair environments is very important to them. In general they learn best when working on cooperative projects that provide opportunities discuss, express personal feelings, and work with others.
   
  When planning a school program for Relating/Inspiring Rita & Ron, incorporate subjects that are "social" by nature, such as cultures and stories of people. Include opportunities to work in small groups, and learning experiences that involve discussion and collaboration.

• Producing Pete & Pam:  Need for order!

  
  Producing Pete & Pam have the Disposition that is perfect for the traditional school setting because it is the only Disposition that the traditional school setting is set up for! This is also the Disposition that is often labeled by others as rigid, inflexible, or "teacher's pet."
   
  Producing Pete & Pam are punctual, neat and "productive." They thrive on rules, routine, and tradition. They love schedules, keep to-do lists, plan ahead, and are "responsible" -- meaning they follow the rules, meet deadlines, and are on time. They can work on multiple projects and assignments and keep everything perfectly organized. They are every parent's and teacher's dream students. They seem to be self-motivated and need little, if any, supervision to do their work and complete assignments. They usually memorize well, quickly fill in workbooks, and follow all directions and requirements when doing assignments. Reading and writing are often talent areas.
   
  When planning a school program for Producing Pete & Pam, by all means meet their needs for order and structure. But also encourage them to explore other ways of learning and to discover and develop all of their gifts. For high Producing students, it is so easy for the Producing part to take over to the detriment of other characteristics, especially when the learning program so highly rewards Producing behaviors.
   
  For a complete analysis of your child's Learning Style click here to purchase A Self-Portrait™ Online Learning Style Profile. Get instant results for Dispositions, Modalities, Interests, Talents, and Best Environment, plus printable manuals and guides.

• LEARNING MODALITIES
  
  Your Child's Best Way of Processing Information
  (for best results integrate other learning style information, such as Disposition)

• AUDITORY
  Listening - needs to HEAR
  ex. audiotapes, lecture, music, rhymes, songs
  Verbal - needs to TALK
  ex.give oral presentations, sing, discuss, record themselves
  VISUAL
  Picture - needs to SEE
  ex.videos, computers, picture cues, diagrams, charts, time lines
  Print - needs to READ
  ex. reference books, novels, dictionary, encyclopedia, workbooks
  TACTILE-KINESTETIC
  Hands-On - needs to TOUCH
  ex. build, form clay, take apart, put together, manipulatives, textured materials
  Whole Body - needs to DO
  ex.walk-on materials, act out, do play or demonstration, dance
  Sketching - needs to DRAW
  ex.make illustrations, charts, graphs, picture note taking, doodling
  Writing - needs to Write
  ex. workbooks, outlines, copying, word note taking