(This article by Lisa Lewis, one of the founders and current Directors of SLO Classical Academy, was originally printed in the March 2006 edition of our monthly newsletter, the SLOCA SCOOP.)

One of the most intriguing and challenging parts of education is determining the way a student learns and pairing instruction with the appropriate learning style.  This article will focus on what learning styles are and resources for you to learn more as you have opportunity.

The theory of learning styles analysis was first brought forth by Dr. Anthony Gregorc in 1984.  He identified four main quadrants of learning process: concrete, abstract, sequential, and random.  There is a formal assessment of learning styles that determines what an individual’s learning combination actually is.  Typically an individual is found in one of the following combinations: concrete sequential (CS) or concrete random (CR); abstract sequential (AS) or abstract random (AR).

Once an individual’s learning style is determined it is easier to prescribe a method of instruction best suited to the way the person learns. Concrete learners want “just the facts, ma’am” like Joe Friday of the Dragnet show years ago.  For example, if a child is a concrete sequential learner, they want to hear the presentation of information in an orderly sequence, not jumping from one topic to another.  They are the learners who want to hear history presented in a timeline format with what happened first to what is most current.

Abstract learners take in information in an apparently unrelated manner.  They are the ones who may not look at you while you are talking and appear to be focused on a drawing they are involved with when they suddenly look up and make a connection between what you are talking about at that moment and something you read to them two weeks ago!  An abstract random learner is stressed by a linear method.  They like to step back from details and get the big idea first.  Give this learner meaning and purpose for what they are about to learn and they will more readily show interest.

Although Dr. Gregorc’s definitive body of work has been done with adults, there have been applications of his results for classroom use with children.  Two examples of  these applications are found in the books, The Way They Learn and Every Child Can Succeed by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias.   Both of these books are written to parents for the aid in understanding and working most effectively with your children, whether home schooling or advocating for their education in another arena.

These books are great tools in becoming a student of your students.  I have read both and have copies of both of these if you are interested in knowing more.  Remember to enjoy the gift of your children.  They do not stay young and under foot for very long!