It is said that in teaching, mastery of neither the subject matter nor having the repertoire of teaching methods, strategies and techniques are not enough. One must also understand the nature and styles of the students in learning.

As with most things in life, the way in which students approach their studies varies greatly from one person to the other. What works for one student will not necessarily be ideal for another.

Mathematics has been branded as a very difficult subject that is why students have different styles to learn the subject. Experts have identified three basic learning styles: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic. Visual learners easily remember visual details and prefer to see what they are learning. Auditory learners remember things by talking out loud, like to have things explained orally and may have trouble in written instructions. Kinesthetic learners prefer activities that allow them to do what they are learning about.

            Learning style is the way how information is processed. It focuses on strengths, not weaknesses. There is no right or wrong learning style. It is very important for the teachers to understand the learning styles of his/her students for him/her to prepare suited activities for each group of learners especially in teaching Mathematics.

Reference: Ebite, et al, “Learning Styles of Second Year High School Students of Bataan Peninsula State University in Relation to their Academic Performance in Mathematics”, (Unpublished Thesis, Bataan Peninsula State University, Dinalupihan, Bataan, 2008)

By: Angelyne E. Pedron | Teacher III | Orani National High School Main