EDITORIAL

Learning/Teaching Styles: Potent Forces Behind Them Anthony F. Gregorc

The use of learning style/teaching style Differences in Style

ideas and materials is a serious undertaking. It is
not for amateurs or for those who just want to be What accounts for differences in style? Are
fashionable. These conclusions are drawn from they inherited, or do we acquire them from ex
extensive observations, in-depth interviews, and perience? From various sources of research, style
subsequent analysis of data from students and appears to be both nature/nurture in its roots.
teachers who are involved in learning and teach Patterns of adapting to environments are appar
ing style activities. This type of research is phe- ently available to each of us through our genetic
nomenological. It consists of the cataloging of coding system. These patterns have permitted the
overt behavior (pheno) and the analysis of the survival of our family, nationality, and race.
behavior to determine its underlying cause (nou- Geneticists and sociobiologists are studying these
mena). From this, certain inferences are drawn mysteries.
that tell us about the nature (logos) of the learner. Patterns are also made available to us through
our environment and culture. These patterns are
Learning Style called expectations, preferred modes of behavior,
mores, and laws. They are designed to promote
From an analysis of what the people said and the survival of man and his environment. Be-
did, the following phenomenological definition of haviorists, anthropologists, and sociologists are
learning style was developed: " Learning style con studying these patterns and their effects.
sists of distinctive behaviors which serve as indi The third type of pattern is more esoteric in
cators of how a person learns from and adapts to nature and is being studied by eastern and west
his environment. It also gives clues as to how a ern psychologists. These patterns lie within the
person's mind operates." subjective part of our individual natures. They
Analyses of overt behavior indicated that are properties of the self, or soul, and are used
some people's minds operate best in concrete situ for self-actualization purposes.
ations, others in abstract, and some in both. Some Can these three types of patteins be at odds?
individuals have an ordering preference that is Yes. But they may also be in total harmony.
sequential, while others demonstrate nonsequen
tial patterned preferences. Some use both. Some Teaching Style
people process best through deduction, while
others use forms of induction. And, again, others The phenomenological study of environment
use both. Some individuals function best on their tells us that: "every environment places demands
own, while others are most productive through upon individuals for adaptation"; that is, indi
group activity. Some do equally well in either vidual needs align with the immediate and sur
situation. rounding environment.
The mind must also deal with such environ Applied to education, this means that when
mental factors as room temperature, humidity, a teacher selects a method of presentation such as
lighting, noise level, and the student's age and a lecture, he/she is placing certain and limited
stage of physical and emotional development. adaptation demands upon the minds of the stu-
234 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
dents. For example, a one-hour lecture could re ments and may withdraw, tune out, or become
quire such adaptive qualities as abstract symbol indifferent. Others may seek to change these en
decoding, an aural modality, dependency, separa vironments to suit their learning styles. Many
tive behavior, deductive reasoning, logical se discipline problems are rooted in the search for
quencing, the suppression of emotion and im compatible alignments.
mediate verbal response, and the ability and
willingness to adjust to the heat, humidity, light Obstacles in Diagnosis
ing, and sound level in the room for a prolonged
period of time. Practitioners, researchers, and writers have
This example points to the extraordinary re been focusing their attention on the realized and
lationship among student, teacher, and environ potential benefits of aligning learning styles and
ment. It points out the numbers of adjustments a teaching styles. As a result of their efforts, there
student's mind must make. But it also tells us are many materials out on the market today avail
about teaching! It is sobering to think of the able to educators interested in the learning/teach
powerful effect a teacher can have upon the minds ing style alignment process.
of students particularly when he/she is in charge We must bear in mind, however, that any
of a required course and offers only one or two idea that has the potential of doing great good,
means of reaching the course objectives. also has the potential for doing serious harm. This
Could it also be that the most successful stu must be kept in mind particularly when using the
dents in a classroom just happen to have adaptive many fine learning/teaching style assessment in
abilities that match the hidden demands being struments available. Analysis has revealed:
placed upon them by the teaching method? The
1. Instruments, by their very nature, are ex
answer is yes!
clusive; that is, they focus on certain variables
and therefore sacrifice other possibilities.
Alignment
2. Some students wittingly or unwittingly
The alignment process between learning lie on any type of self-reporting instrument.
style and environmental demands lies within the Others read elements into questions and state
rational powers of the mind. Students who align ments that are simply not there.
easily are able to "read or psych out" their en 3. Some students have used artificial means
vironments. They use both natural (inherent or of adapting for so long that they report these as
innate) and artificial (learned) means of adapting. "preferred means of learning." By doing so they
These alignment abilities permit successful adap run the risk of receiving prescriptions that con
tation to a range of environments including open tinue to reinforce artificiality rather than receiv
classrooms, strict study halls, and unsupervised ing means that would encourage and draw upon
independent study activities. Students who have their natural abilities.
any degree of difficulty in alignment ability often 4. An educator's attitude (either positive or
lack the required means for adapting. Some may negative) toward a particular student or toward
find themselves "trapped" in certain environ the concept of diagnosis/prescription itself can
JANUARY 1979 235
drastically influence both instrument interpreta teaching styles, the following inferences have
tion and consequent prescription. been drawn:
What do these findings mean to us? Basically 1. Learning style consists of the outward
they imply that educators must be wary of mak display of qualities of the mind.
ing prescriptions solely on the results of the in 2. Diagnosis of learning style is far from
strument itself. If prescriptions are incorrect, the being an exact science. We must, however, con
door is open to anger, confusion, and frustration tinue to diagnose in order to understand more
for both the teacher and student. Further, we about the human mind and how people learn.
must be aware that there are human elements in 3. Prescriptions based upon diagnosis must
learning that cannot be measured. This means be tentative, varied, monitored, and verified by
that a teacher must use his/her intuition and conversations with the student. In this approach,
sound judgment along with data from instru we can find out how our demands and sugges
ments. There is no teacher-proof diagnostic pre tions are helping or hindering his/her learning
scriptive tool! process.
From phenomenological studies of learning/
4. Teaching style is more than a methodol
ogy. It places subjective demands upon the learner
who may or may not have abilities to match such
SCHOOLS within SCHOOLS demands.
5. The alignment of any style is dependent
AN ANSWER TO
upon the capacities and abilities of both the
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DILEMMA learner and the teacher to adapt.

BY DPI. CLEMENT A. SELDIN

As we come to understand more about learn
ing/teaching styles and how the mind operates, I
Introduction by Dr. Mario D. Fantini, believe we will improve mental health and self-
Dean of Education. University of Massachusetts understanding as well as increase learning. Learn
ing styles and teaching styles have already re
vealed much to us and continued research will
Do you know the 10 essentials for the success of a
public school with coexisting programs? Dr. undoubtedly reveal more. This thrust can lead to
Clement A. Seldin, an educator who has taught the revitalization of "the noblest of professions."
extensively in a pioneering School Within a School,
analyzes the 10 essentials. If one Is missing, the
entire program may be jeopardized. Carefully
researched, clearly written, here Is a provocative
approach to the compatible matching of teaching Anthony F. C regorc is
and learning styles. "Seldin significantly expands Associate Professor,
our knowledge and understanding," says Dr. Department of Second
Fantini. Review of the literature, extensive ary Education, The
bibliography, solid recommendations. Paper, $4.60 University of Connecti
(includes postage and handling). Order today from
cut, Storrs.
BLYTHE-PENNINGTON, LTD., Croton-On-Hudson,
New York 10520.

236 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Copyright © 1979 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. All rights reserved.