Teaching Strategies for the Visual Learner

There are three main types of learning styles that educators need to remember when planning lessons in the classroom. The three main learning styles are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. All students in the classroom are different types of learners. It is critical that teachers incorporate all types of styles into their everyday lessons. One of the schools I worked in required the teachers to include what type of learning style their specific lessons were tailored to. We were required to put V (visual), A (auditory), or K (kinesthetic) next to the activities. I thought this was a great idea because it challenged the teachers to show how involve a visual into their lesson or activity. As the teachers started to incorporate visuals into their lessons they realized that it was beneficial all students and not just students with special needs. This was discussed in the article, Visual Tools Make a Difference, from the editor of Disability Solutions where it was discussed as a part of differentiating instruction in the classroom. This is where a teacher “use a variety of methods to demonstrate what they are learning about a topic” (pp 2). Uses methods of differentiating instruction in the classroom is a best teaching method that encourages progress for all types of learners.

I had implemented several visual strategies into my classroom when I was a teacher of a middle school self-contained classroom I have implemented several behavioral strategies such as a photo of the child raising their hand and the words raise your hand on the bottom for students who have difficulty with calling gout. This is a great way to provide a non-verbal prompt to encourage the student to respond correctly. The teacher would point to the picture...

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...ipate on their level by giving them the appropriate supports they need. A student can show comprehension by matching pictures and visuals together or by If they cannot reads words, they can use the visual strategies to guide them with the assignments. Visual strategies are crucial to utilize in the classroom and help the success of all students, not just students with learning or language needs.

Works Cited

Dell A., Newton D., & Petroff J, (2008). Assistive Technology in the Classroom. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Elmo projector information (http://www.elmousa.com/)

Enoch-Gelbard Foundation (2003). Focus: Visual Strategies. Disability Solutions, pp 1-15.

Shank, M. , Smith, S., Turnbull, A. & Turnbull, R. (2004). Exceptional Lives Special Education in Today’s School 4th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.