Activities for Pupils with Different Learning Styles

Sonul Erdogan teaches at MV Ayazaga
Isik Ilkogretim Okulu, Turkey
E-mail: erdogansongul@hotmail.com

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Introduction
Old Project
New Project
Practical Ideas/Examples

All language teachers know that it is crucial to get children involved and motivated if you want them to learn better. In a traditional way of teaching, the same teaching technique and materials are used for every learner in the class ignoring that each learner has a different learning style.

The school where I work has been partners with 5 other schools from Sweden, Norway, Romania and the Netherlands in a European project for 3 years I'm working actively in this project called School Development Project (Comenius 1.3). Each school has a project which has been piloted in their schools. Ours is Individualized Learning Support Program of which aim was to enable pupils to be more responsible for their own learning, to see their mistakes as opportunities to learn, to see what has been learnt and what to improve, to keep their work in a file for further reference both for the pupils and parents, to feel of self-improvement and to be aware of strengths and weaknesses. This programme has been done in Maths, Turkish and English with three age groups. I've been piloting our programme in English with one of my classes (11 year-old pupils) for two years. Last year the project was presented to the piloting group of pupils and their parents. Each pupil's individual needs were defined by necessary tests and observations. A suitable support programme was prepared for the pupils according to their needs. Self-evaluation forms were prepared for them to see their progress. A portfolio folder was provided for each pupil for the defined subjects. I gave my pupils a streaming test to find out their levels. Before giving the test, they were asked to evaluate themselves about their own level of English. After that, some worksheets were prepared according to their levels and once a week they did those worksheets related to the subjects studied that week. Each group was given answer keys to check their answers while I was working with slower learners.

This year I wanted to do something different and related to the pupils' learning styles. Each pupil's learning style was found out by necessary tests last year. I have 19 pupils in my class. 5 of the pupils are auditory learners, 6 of them are visual, 3 of them are kinaesthetic and 5 of them are visual, kinaesthetic and auditory learners. I usually try to use activities related to different learning styles in my lessons but what I want to do is to get my pupils to do different activities at the same time. This term, at least every two weeks, I am going to prepare different kinds of activities for my pupils according to their learning styles. Last week I prepared 4 different kinds of worksheets on comparative and superlative adjectives for a 40-minute lesson. Actually, I was a bit worried if I would be able to manage the class doing different things at the same time. Would they go crazy or be very noisy? It was the first time I'd done a totally different lesson. To my surprise, nothing bad or chaotic happened during the lesson. What I saw were all involved and motivated pupils. I was very happy to see them working so eagerly and happily. Of course, it takes a much longer time to prepare such an activity instead of using a text book or doing the same thing with all of your pupils but it is worth doing it if you also want to have a good time with your pupils.

Below you will find my activities prepared for pupils with different learning styles. If you try it out, I am sure you will definitely not regret it.

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
WORKSHEET FOR AUDITORY LEARNERS

NAME:
DATE:

- Write the correct form of the adjectives in brackets. Then practise the sketch to act out for your friends.

The Best Vegetable

A presenter presents The Best Vegetable contest. There are four vegetables: A carrot, a potato, a leek and a cabbage,

Presenter: Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Best Vegetable Contest.
Thank you, thank you. Now, I'd like to introduce the vegetables. They all want to be the __________ (good). Here is the first one: The carrot.

Carrot: Hello. I'm the carrot. I am the ______________ (healthy) vegetable. I am the ____________ (pretty). Look at my colour. It is the ___________ (bright) colour. Rabbits like me a lot and I like them too.

Presenter: OK, thank you, Carrot. Now, the second one: The potato.

Potato: Hi. Look at me. I am the ___________ (heavy) and the __________ (pretty).
I am ___________ (healthy) than the carrot. Children like me a lot. I am the _______________(delicious).

Presenter: Thanks, Potato. All right, now it is the Leek's turn.

Leek: Hey! Look at this beauty. I have got the __________ (long) and the ________ (beautiful) legs. I am _________ (tall) than the Potato. I am the____________ (thin) of all.

Presenter: OK, thank you, Leek. Ladies and gentlemen! Here is the Cabbage.

Cabbage: Thank you, thank you. I am _________ (white) than the other vegetables. I am the ____________(healthy) and the _________ (big). One more thing: I am the _____________ (pretty).

Presenter: Yes, ladies and gents. Which vegetable is the ___________ (healthy)?
Which one is the ___________ (pretty)? Which one is the__________ (attractive)? Which one is the_____________(delicious)?Now, it is your turn to choose the best. To vote, I want you to clap your hands for each vegetable. According to how you clapped, we will choose the _________ (good) vegetable.

Then the presenter calls each vegetable to come to the front for voting.

(The answer key is given to the pupils to check their answers before they act out.)

Answer Key

The Best Vegetable

A presenter presents The Best Vegetable contest. There are four vegetables: A carrot, a potato, a leek and a cabbage,

Presenter: Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Best Vegetable Contest. Thank you, thank you. Now, I'd like to introduce the vegetables. They all want to be the best. Here is the first one: The carrot.

Carrot: Hello. I'm the carrot. I am the healthiest vegetable. I am the prettiest. Look at my colour. It is the brightest colour. Rabbits like me a lot and I like them too.

Presenter: OK, thank you, Carrot. Now, the second one: The potato.

Potato: Hi. Look at me. I am the heaviest and the prettiest. I am healthier than the carrot. Children like me a lot. I am the most delicious.

Presenter: Thanks, Potato. All right, now it is the Leek's turn.

Leek: Hey! Look at this beauty. I have got the longest and the most beautiful legs. I am taller than the Potato. I am the thinnest of all.

Presenter: OK, thank you, Leek. Ladies and gentlemen! Here is the Cabbage.

Cabbage: Thank you, thank you. I am whiter than the other vegetables. I am the healthiest and the biggest. One more thing: I am the prettiest.

Presenter: Yes, ladies and gents. Which vegetable is the healthiest? Which one is the prettiest? Which one is the most attractive? Which one is the most delicious? Now, it is your turn to choose the best. To vote, I want you to clap your hands for each vegetable. According to how you clapped, we will choose the best vegetable.

Then the presenter calls each vegetable to come to the front for voting.

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
WORKSHEET FOR KINAESTHETIC LEARNERS

Presenter: Now, it is time to announce the winner. The winner is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, !

NAME:
DATE:

- Follow the instructions. Write the answers.

Go to the tallest boy in the class and ask him what his favourite sport is.
_______________________________

Go to the girl with the longest hair in the class and ask her who the oldest person in her family is.
_______________________________

Go to the best dancer in the class and ask her/him what her/his favourite song is.
______________________________

- Have some pieces of paper. Make three balls. Make one of the balls the smallest and one the biggest. Then colour the biggest one blue and the smallest one red. Write your names on the balls. After you finish them, put them on the teacher's desk.

- Find the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives below.

GOOD
BAD
HEAVY
HOT
BEAUTIFUL
NICE
PRETTY
WIDE

- Put the words in the correct order to make sentences. Then stick the sentences below.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

(You cut out the words in the sentences before you give them to the pupils.)

1. I am older than my sister.

2. I think playing basketball is more exciting than playing volleyball.

3. I don't think Science is more difficult than Maths.

4. Dolphins are faster than turtles.

5. Dancing is more enjoyable than doing homework.

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
WORKSHEET FOR VISUAL LEARNERS

NAME:
DATE:

- Draw a green car. Now draw a bigger car than the green car and colour this car in red. Now draw another car but this time it is the smallest car of all and it is blue. Give each car a name.

- " Answer the following questions.

- Circle the correct answers.
Jane's hair is long. Sarah's hair is long too. Sarah's hair is longer than Jane's hair. Who is Jane?

Tom and Mark are very tall boys. John is very tall too. Tom is taller than John and Mark is taller than Tom. Who is the tallest?

Tom Mark John

Draw the following descriptions.
There are three balls. They are white, red and blue. The blue ball is smaller than the white ball. The red ball is the biggest.

- Kelly has got three T-shirts. Her red T-shirt is 10 YTL. Her orange T-shirt is 7.5 YTL and her yellow T-shirt is 15 YTL. Draw the cheapest and the most expensive T-shirt. Then write the prices of the T-shirts under them.

- Complete the table.

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
WORKSHEET FOR V/A/K LEARNERS

NAME:
DATE:

- Circle the correct answers.
Tim's ears are big. Tony's ears are big too. Tim's ears are bigger than Tony's ears. Who is Tony?

Jenny and Amy are very tall girls. Becky is very tall too. Jenny is taller than Amy and Becky is taller than Jenny. Who is the tallest?

Jenny Amy Becky

- Draw the following descriptions.
There are three cars. They are white, red and blue. The blue car is smaller than the white car. The red car is the biggest.

Tim has got three bags. His red bag is 10 YTL. His orange bag is 7.5 YTL and his yellow bag is 15 YTL. First colour the bags. Draw a square around the cheapest and a circle around the most expensive bag. Then write the prices of the bags under them.

- Complete the table.

Go to the tallest girl in the class and ask her what her favourite subject is.
_______________________________

Go to the boy with the shortest hair in the class and ask him who the youngest person in his family is.
_______________________________

- Write a rap or a song using the following words. Practise it and sing it to your friends.

faster, taller, the best, prettier, bigger, the worst, more interesting, the most beautiful, smaller, the biggest, more enjoyable, the most comfortable.

Please check the Multiple Intelligences for the Primary Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the The Methodology and Language for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the The Creative Teacher course at Pilgrims website.