Alien Earths

Teaching Strategies

Learning Styles Model

My chosen strategy for teaching this unit will appeal to the various learning modalities that students in my class have.  David Kolb first outlined his theory of Learning Styles in 1984 in the book titled “Experiential Learning-: Experience as the Source Of Learning and Development”. David Kolb believed that our individual learning styles emerged due to our genetics, life experiences and the demands of our current environment. ¹⁰

Each lesson will be taught in different ways by which each type of learner will be able to absorb the most from the lesson.  There are four learning styles or models that will help me to provide the best academic experience for my students.  There will be opportunities for the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learners to excel in the modality that best suits their learning style.  Consideration will also be given to students who are diverse learners and need extra support to succeed academically.  These scholars are already participating in the “Inclusion Model” which allows students to participate in a general education class, avoiding isolation issues and encouraging social bonding with their peers.  The general education classroom teacher and the special education teacher work together to support the special education student academically and emotionally.  The general education teacher along with the special education paraprofessional will scaffold lessons and adhere to all the accommodations that their Individual Education Plan outlines for their personal success.  The Individual Education Plan outlines accommodations that will be used by both teachers to help these students have a better understanding of the lesson.

Visual

These students learn best when they are able to look at visuals.  Visual learning stimulates the cortex of the brain.  The strategies that will be used for these students will be the usage of charts, movies, videos, graphic organizers, comics and the use of computers.  We are going to take a trip to the Adler Planetarium.  Students will be able to learn a lot about outer space.  They will be able to talk to professionals who will help to broaden their experiences and knowledge about the solar system.

Auditory

Auditory learners benefit most when they are able to hear information being given to them.  Kanar argued that auditory learners like listening and speaking, have compatible personalities, and have difficulty in following written instructions.¹¹ They have to listen to an explanation and hear it to understand and learn.  These people do not necessarily paint in their minds as visual learners do; on the contrary, they filter through the ability to listen and replicate incoming information.¹²  Classroom material for these learners will come in the form of discussion, songs and other audible assignments.  The students will make up songs using the information that they have learned in class. The processing of information will be best acquired when they are actively engaged in auditory stimulation. 

Kinesthetic/Tactile

Kinesthetic learning gives students an opportunity to move and use their hands to touch.  These students get the most out of learning when they are offered a combination of learning opportunities.  Students who experience ADHD find kinesthetic style of learning greatly appreciated because they can move and touch things to gain the stimulation that they need for success.  The types of activities that we will be doing in class will be experiments in the lab, drawing, coloring, using the telescope. 

Problem Based Learning

Problem Based Learning requires that students use their investigative skills of inquiry and problem solving to solve a real-world problem.  My students acquire more understanding of their learning experience when they can relate the activity to a real-world problem.  Students can actually see the relevance of learning about and exploring a situation that could personally affect them.  This model works well for middle school students because they are less engaged in learning unless they can actually see how the lesson affects them.

Students will assume the role of an astronomer.  They will have the task of discovering a planet that meets the qualifications for habitability.  In their role as an astronomer, they will learn about planets, stars and other celestial objects in their quest for finding the “Goldilocks” planet in the habitable zone.

Room Design Model

The implementation of The Learning Styles Modalities will also be used in conjunction to The Room Design Model as described by Rita Dunn and Kenneth Dunn¹³. This model simply states that the design of the classroom will strengthen the effectiveness of each learning modality.¹⁴ The design of the classroom will allow for small group discussion as well as peer to peer collaboration.  The visual design that I will achieve in my classroom will be a setting that reminds the students that we will be experiencing a journey to outer space.  Students will be able to look around them and above them and see various mobiles of planets, stars, the Moon, meteorites, asteroids and other celestial objects.  The auditory learners will be listening to a soft classical selection which will remind them of music that they have heard before while watching sci-fi movies in the past.  These combinations of learning modalities will stimulate and increase successful outcomes for students while they are doing their assignments.