There is No Magic Spell to Teaching, but knowing Learning Styles and Personalities Can Help.   

Data is all around us, and one skill of an effective teacher is their ability to use data to influence and guide their instruction.    Collecting data about my students' learning personality styles provided new ways for me to plan and execute instruction in my classroom. Teaching human beings without making them feel as if they belong makes teaching more complicated than it has to be. When students feel a sense of belonging and acceptance in a place, they experience respect and inclusion and know they are in a place where they will find support (Bowen, 2021). Using learning styles assessments and personality assessments to get to know your students is another tool that can reveal the multiple layers that make our students human. Knowing how a student engages with information will help shape instruction to encourage students to engage.   

Knowing how a student engages with information shapes how information is presented. In the classroom, there are various types of learners and personality types. We took an online learning style assessment that gave a student a glimpse into their personality via the Myer Briggs categorization. Each student could assess how much their assigned learning style reflected how they learn best and how much the personality label tells their story. This process encouraged cognitive and emotional reflection of themselves. By being exposed to a learning style they can identify, the students can find new ways to engage with all types of learning in a way that makes it more relevant. For instance, a student got a rating of a visual learner and an I N personality score.  

By reflecting on this aspect of themselves as learners, they need to have solo time to assess reading and have a way to read along if it is being read out loud. Because of this revelation, the student could advocate for printed material or online items and extra time for learning alone before we begin group work. This sense of belonging and support encourages them to take risks and step outside their box. Thus, confidence can also be seen as they engage in linguistic learning and social-emotional learning.  

As I reflected on the learning and personality styles inventory data a few facts influenced my instruction style. First and foremost, a few more students lean towards being introverted than extroverted. Interestingly, I also received the label of an introvert when I took the same assessment as the students. In sharing my results with students, I realized it is easier to lean more on instructional styles supporting my learning and personality types. A robust connection exists between an educator's learning/personality style and instructional strategies (Threeton & Walter, 2009). While many of my students are also introverts who are visual, I must stretch myself to be sure that I am including an introduction that encourages engagement with ALL learning styles. For instance, I use group work sparingly in my instruction, but I must include more. The trick will be in the presentation on the process, and all the group work must include self-reflection time and trust-building at the beginning. My students and I have a great, trusting relationship, but more time is needed to build trust between students. This will also encourage the growth of emotional and social learning that will help prepare students for life in the real world.  

Another fact that became clear in the evaluation of the data is that while some students are more vocal about it, most of the students in the class have a strong sense of self and can reflect with support. I plan to utilize this fact to encourage student-designed instruction and increase reflection on their learning through continued support and structure. A project-based instructional style could benefit the students and encourage the development of critical thinking skills. 

References:

Bowen, J. (2021, October 21). Why is it Important for Students to Feel Belonging at School? 

‘Students Choose to be in Environments That Make Them Feel a Sense of Fit,’ Says Associate Professor DeLeon Gray. College of Education News. https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2021/10/21/why-is-it-important-for-students-to-feel-a-sense-of-belonging-at-school-students-choose-to-be-in-environments-that-make-them-feel-a-sense-of-fit-says-associate-professor-deleon-gra/

Sadler‐Smith, E. (2001). The relationship between learning style and cognitive style. Personality 

and Individual Differences, 30(4), 609–616. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0191-8869(00)00059-3

Threeton, M., & Walter, R. (2009). The relationship between personality type and learning style: 

A study of automotive technology students. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 46(2), 

6. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&context=jste