Learning Styles

There are different theories on learning styles, but they generally posit that each person has a dominant learning style and can learn best by using that style (e.g., visual learners can learn best through a visual presentation of information). Related to these theories is the idea that teachers can be most successful when they understand their individual students’ learning styles and effectively match each student’s unique, individual style to the strategies and methods they employ in the classroom. The idea that instruction is best provided in a way that matches the individual’s learning style is known as the meshing hypothesis.

Research evidence for these ideas is lacking. Although there is empirical evidence that children and adults express preferences about how they want to present information or ...