Recommended Teaching Style for Every Learning Style

Contributed by Alexander J. Salazar, Teacher II, Pablo Roman National High School

Teachers should design their teaching style based on the learning style of the students to improve students’ performance in class, research suggests.

It has been proven by several studies that students’ learning style and teachers’ style in teaching affect the students’ performance in class, but there’s limited literature that recommend which teacher’s teaching style is compatible with the learning style of the students.

In the research study of Salazar in May 2016 entitled “Juxtaposition of Learning and Teaching Styles in Science: Towards a Matching Style Model”, the author determined a set of compatible teaching styles and learning styles in Science class and he developed a matching style model. Since the researcher adopted the questionnaire of Grasha-Riechmann, the students are described as avoidant, collaborative, participant, independent and dependent while the teachers as classified as formal authority, delegator, facilitator and expert.

Based on his study, avoidant learners or those students who are uninterested in the class and learn best with formal authority teachers. Authoritarian teachers set standards and define acceptable ways of doing things and classroom management is usually based on traditional methods involving teacher-designed rules and expectations.

Meanwhile, students with collaborative learning style or those who believe that they can learn by sharing ideas and talents match with teachers who practice delegator teaching style. Delegator-teachers explain what is expected, give the students the resources needed, and spend the rest of the time acting as a resource of sorts thus developing students’ ability to function autonomously.

Further, students with participant, independent or dependent learning style are matched with the teachers who practice the facilitator and expert teaching style. Participant-students are those who are eager to take part in class activities. Independent-students are those who like to think for themselves and work alone while dependent-students are those who need structure and support from teachers.

On the other hand, facilitator-teachers refer those who guide and direct students by asking questions, exploring options, and suggesting alternatives while expert-teachers pertain to those who serve as transmitter of information. The expert-teacher is basically the know- everything in the classroom. Students are nothing more than empty vessels designed to receive the knowledge being given by the teacher.

In general, the study also affirmed that there is significant relationship between the students’ learning style and teachers’ style in teaching science. Moreover, the study found out that years in teaching science and the number of seminars and trainings attended are two significant factors that affect and develop teachers’ styles.

Therefore, the author suggests that it shall be mandatory to the newly hired teachers to undergo further training on learning and teaching styles and the academic heads should religiously send their in-service teachers to professional lectures and conferences.

The researcher further recommends that the proposed matching style model in teaching science shall be adapted by the Science teachers for effective teaching-learning process that will improve the students’ performance in Science class. However, the matching style model still can be improved by incorporating list of suggested teaching strategies for every teaching style where the teacher may choose from.

Reference:

Salazar, A. J. (2016). Juxtaposition of Learning and Teaching Styles in Science: Towards a Matching Style Model. Bataan Peninsula State University-Graduate School, City of Balanga, Bataan.