Learning how we learn02/02/12
Finally – I can justify to my parents all those school reports that mentioned how ‘vocal’ I was in school. According to a study by Durham University, reported on the BBC, it appears that pupils who shout out in class achieve better results than those who appear to be better behaved and quiet. The study of 12000 primary school pupils found that the outspoken pupils tended to perform better in maths and English.
We all have different learning styles, and even today, if I’m reading an article on a topic I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll find myself reading aloud to myself. Speaking aloud obviously helps me to process and retain information. Although perhaps there’s more to it? The lead author of the research, Peter Tymms, believes that pupils who are outspoken in classes perhaps benefit from receiving additional feedback and attention from their teachers.
What this article has made me think about is the fact that we do all learn in different ways and at different speeds - a real challenge for any teacher faced with a class of 30 children. With a daughter due to start school later this year, it’s also made me realise that I need to be aware of different learning styles and to ensure I try to identify my daughter’s preferred style in order to help encourage and support her learning. If you’re unsure of what your learning style is and you’re keen to find out, here’s a link to the BBC Open University site which features an online survey designed to find out which way of learning works best for you.
http://www.open2.net/survey/learningstyles/ | 
