Help for Struggling Learners: Styles versus Strategies

Written by Sandie Barrie Blackley, Speech-Language Pathologist

Published on March 21st, 2017

diagnosing dyslexia (10) Children are often asked to complete various tests in schools that will help determine their “learning style”. These tests categorize children as “visual” learners or “kinesthetic” learners, for example.4ae88d815992e62857567993856ddd29_visual-learning-styles-clipart-visual-learning-clipart_283-348 The implication is that children should be taught in their preferred sensory format (seeing, hearing, touching, etc.). However, recent research has found no concrete evidence that learning styles exist. The notion that children can be identified has having one learning style or another is a neuro-myth. It sounds like science, but there is no science to back it up!Imagine this: Your child takes a test and they are told: “Sally, you’re visual learner”. Sally then tries to study with pictures and videos but finds that she still struggles to learn. She may begin to wonder if she is just "not smart" enough. 8370889743_1cf76d4b3b_zLearning style is a popular buzz-word that is often confused with learning strategies. But these are very different concepts! A learning style implies a passive learner who is powerless to change their "style" but presumably benefits from information provided in a specific format. In contrast, a learning strategy, such as the use of elaboration techniques and/or retrieval practice, implies an active learner.Lexercise has a number of different curricula used to help struggling readers, spellers and writers. For example, the Lexercise Structured Literacy Curriculum™ is used with students who struggle mainly with spelling and reading unfamiliar words. The Mind's Eye™ Curriculum is used with students who may be good readers and spellers but who struggle with understanding and remembering what they hear or read. All these curricula make use of proven methods, practice, and retrieval principles. Click here to learn more about Lexercise and how it can benefit your child!
References: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sheila_sund/837088974

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Sandie Barrie Blackley, MA/CCC

Sandie Barrie Blackley, MA/CCC

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Sandie is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a former university graduate school faculty member, and a co-founder of Lexercise. Sandie has been past president of the North Carolina Speech, Hearing & Language Association and has received two clinical awards, the Public Service Award and the Clinical Services Award. She served two terms on the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists.

As a faculty member at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Sandie developed and taught structured literacy courses, supervised practicum for speech-language pathology graduate students, and coordinated a federally funded personnel preparation grant. In 2009, Sandie and her business partner, Chad Myers co-founded Mind InFormation, Inc./ Lexercise to provide accessible and scalable structured literacy services for students across the English-speaking world.