There are different types of activities for the different types of learners. In this post I would like to talk about a few activities which could be implemented by the teacher in the classroom. Some of these activities could be used to train the students in the acquisition of the four basic language skills. In this post I will try to deal with the activities related with the different types of learners in different paragraphs.
The activities which are related with the first type of learners, the verbal-linguistic learners or the word smart learners are activities in which the learners could connect vocabulary with pictures or symbols.The learners could also put ideas into a graph or a picture.In order to train the reading skills of these learners, the learners could be asked to underline prepositions in the story they are reading. They could then be asked to write sentences by using the same prepositions that they have underlined.To train their speaking skills, the learners could be asked to read out the sentences that they have written. While the other students listen to the sentences, they give themselves some training in their listening skills.New vocabulary could also be inferred from these sentences.
The activities which could be used in training the basic language skills of the logical-mathematical learners are activities like reading a mathematical problem in English and then they could try in groups of two to answer the problem. This will help the students in giving their cooperative skills some training as training in this field is largely needed in the present day learning context.In this way the weak and the below average learners could learn from the above average learners. To train their listening skills. the students could be given some mental arithmetic and they could write down their answers either in words or in figures.The speaking skills of the students could be trained when students try to explain to their partner why s/he has arrived at a particular conclusion.
The activities which could be introduced while teaching the visual/spatial learners are those in which students could describe a picture or write a story by looking at a picture.Picture stories could either be written which will train the writing skills of the students or they could be done orally in which the students could be asked to come up with a story by looking at a picture. This could be done in groups of four or five.Cooperative learning is initiated in the classroom and learners will learn to respect the views and ideas of the other learners in their group.In this way students will come up with new vocabulary either by inferring words from the picture or from their peers.
The activities which could be used in teaching the bodily/ kinesthetic learners include activities like writing about an event, an article, a story and creating a slogan which will improve their writing skills. In the classroom, students could be asked to read a story and act out a part of the story for the class.This will help students to improve their reading skills. To improve their listening skills, students could listen to a song and do an action song.Students could also move around the classroom to ask questions from their peers and to improve their vocabulary, the students could run around the classroom and touch the objects as the teacher will call out the names of the objects.
Musical learners could train their listening skills by listening to the lyrics of a song.The learners could also read the lyrics as they listen to the song.Students could also be motivated to write down their own lyrics. As they listen to the lyrics, the students could be asked to count the number of times a particular phrase is repeated in the song and also to listen to new words that they come across in the lyrics. Writing their own lyrics would expand the imagination of the students from their classroom and take it outside the classroom.
Some of the activities which could be implemented in the classroom for interpersonal learners are reading together in a group of ten students and discussing the themes of the story. As the students take turns in reading the story, the others will listen as the story is being read. The students could be asked to come up with the different themes that could be found in the story. They could be asked to write down the different themes and they could discuss each theme with the whole class. The students could also do a role-play by taking the identity of the characters in the story.
With regard to the activities which are related with the intrapersonal or the self-smart learners are activities which require the students to read a story or an article on their own. These learners could learn on their own with little help from the teacher. The role of the teacher is significantly reduced from the traditional role of the teacher to the new role of a supervisor or an advisor. Students could write down what they think about the story or they could be asked to write down on different topics which fall under their academic purview or on any current topic.These students could also be asked to give their views and opinions and discuss it with the whole class.
While teaching the naturalists or the nature smart learners,the teacher could take the students outside the class to the school garden. The teacher could ask the students to observe the different kinds of flowers that they see in the garden.When they return to their classroom, the teacher could read out or do a model reading of a poem about a flower. The students are then required to read aloud the same poem by following the correct pronunciation, stress and intonation in the way it has been modeled by the teacher.The students could be asked to draw a picture of their own garden with the different flowers or vegetables in it. After this is done, the students are required to exchange their drawings with the other students so that each student will get an opportunity to describe their friends' garden. New vocabulary to match their friend's garden will also be acquired by the students.This will help create a pictorial effect on the imagination of the students.
Thus we could say that different activities need to be implemented by the teacher in the class in order to have an effective teaching-learning process.Different activities are needed to meet the needs and abilities of the different individuals in the classroom. If the activities are well planned by the teacher they will no doubt motivate his/her students to take part in the different activities. In this way the students will be able to learn freely as their needs and interests are meted out to them by the activities and learning will prove to be an experience which is full of fun and strategic implementations.
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