Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1. What is Learning Style?

• "Learning style is the way in each individual learner begins to concentrate on, process, internalise and remember new and difficult information" - Dr Rita Dunn
• Each of us has a unique combination of learning and working preferences
• Addressed appropriately, our strongest preferences greatly improve our ability to work efficiently and effectively at school, at home or in the workplace

Q2. Who needs Learning Styles?

• People of all ages and ability levels
• Anyone experiencing difficulty, either across the curriculum or in a particular subject area
• Learners and workers seeking a wider variety of approaches to work or study
• Students perceived to be challenging or non-conforming
• Anyone who is not enjoying learning
• Those who don't know how they learn or work best
• Businesses wishing to enhance teamwork, increase productivity and improve employees' job satisfaction
   

Q3. How will I/we benefit from Learning Styles?

• Teachers, students, parents, employers and employees can create an optimal environment for learning.
• Motivation increases
• Concentration improves
• Learners and workers discover a wider range of engaging activities and successful strategies
• New and difficult work is completed more confidently and enthusiastically
• Time management and self-discipline improve
• Learners enjoy the feeling of success: quality of work is raised, results improve, homework or after-hours stress is reduced

Read more about the benefits of learning-style approaches

Read testimonials about learning styles from teachers, parents and students

 

Q4. What is the philosophy underpinning the Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles model?

The Dunns’ learning-style model is based on the following proven theoretical assumptions:

• Everyone has learning strengths and preferences
• Different people have different strengths
• Individual instructional and work preferences can be reliably measured.
• Instructional and work environments, resources and approaches can be designed to respond to diversified learning style strengths
• Given responsive environments, resources and approaches, students attain statistically higher achievement and attitude test scores in matched rather than mismatched treatments.
• Most individuals can learn and most teachers can learn to use learning styles as a cornerstone of their instruction.
• Students and employees can learn to capitalise on their learning-style strengths when concentrating on new or difficult material.

Q5. What are the specific advantages of a Dunn and Dunn program?

• Learning strategies are based on an internationally researched, award-winning, clinically tested and proven model.
• Participants’ learning styles are reliably assessed using age-appropriate instruments endorsed by the International Learning Styles Network.
• Learners’ preferences are identified on a comprehensive continuum.
• Learners receive detailed feedback to guide their study, both at home and at school.

Read more about the Dunn and Dunn learning-style model

 

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Q6. Does Learning Styles involve a lot of extra work?

• No!
• ILSA will provide you with a manageable, step-by-step implementation plan to suit your needs, whether you are an individual teacher, student or parent, a team or business group, or a whole school.
• If you are a teacher, a student or a parent you’ll enjoy creating your own examples of learning-style materials. It takes a little time to begin with, but not a lot – and it’s fun.
• If you are a business person you’ll discover how to make simple but significant adjustments to your work environment, teamwork strategies and project planning
• Over time, learners and workers become self-managing, increasingly incorporating effective learning-style strategies into their tasks and activities – don’t be surprised if your workload actually decreases!
• ILSA trainers are available for follow-up advice and support.

Q7. Is a Learning-Style program expensive to run?

• No!
• You’ll discover that ILSA training is more of an investment than a cost, and we trust you’ll find our prices competitive with other educational training providers’.
• Most learning-style materials used at school and at home can be created using resources that are readily available, free or cheap.
• ILSA can provide affordable commercial materials and advise businesses and institutions of other recommended suppliers.

Q8. How can educators meet everyone’s individual needs all at once?

• Learning-style approaches are most important when work is new or difficult. Realistically, teachers and supervisors cannot meet everyone’s individual learning style preferences all the time.
• ILSA will show teachers and parents how to teach students to teach themselves, and how to do their home-work to reinforce their understanding of challenging information introduced at school.
• We’ll show all trainees which learning-style elements make the biggest difference most quickly when students or employees indicate a strong preference for them and educators and employers address them effectively.
• We’ll share some wonderful planning strategies that allow individuals to adopt a differentiated approach to a common or prescribed topic or theme.
• And we’ll show you how to recognise and avoid mismatches of teaching and learning style or management style and working style.
   

Q9. How is discipline maintained in a Learning-Style environment?
 

• Learning styles involves a healthy mix of freedom and discipline. People enjoy learning or working when they are given the freedom to use their individual strengths, but they must also comply with a simple set of non-negotiable expectations.
• ILSA will show you how learning-style contracts require children and employees to complete their work on time and to a better standard than they might otherwise achieve.
• We’ll also explain the emphasis we place on learners and workers’ rights and responsibilities, both as individuals and as members of learning groups and communities.

Read more about the discipline of Learning Styles

 

Q10. How soon can ILSA train us?
 

• Contact ILSA today and let’s talk about the dates that suit you best.
• An early booking will increase the likelihood of your preferred dates being available.

 

Any further questions? Email ILSA

Charlotte: ph 027 3219033 (NZ); 0064 27 3219033 (International)

Sue: ph 0408 615324 (Australia); 0061408 615324 (International)