How to Help Students Discover Their Best Learning Style in the Drama Classroom

Every student learns differently. Some do well when they can listen and take notes, some prefer visuals to make sense of information, some like to read articles and books about different topics, while others need to move and experiment. Understanding their learning style gives students more ownership of their education; it helps them recognize and employ strategies that support their success in the drama classroom, in their other classes, and beyond. Here are some ways to guide your students toward uncovering their best learning style.

1. Talk about learning styles early and often.

Start the learning styles conversation early in the semester. Explain that people often learn in different ways:

• Visual learners — They need to see it: pictures, diagrams, blocking charts, colour-coding.
• Auditory learners — They need to hear it: verbal instructions, discussions, sound cues, explaining concepts back in their own words.
• Kinesthetic learners — They learn by doing and practicing: improvising, hands-on stagecraft, movement work.
• Reading/writing learners — They learn by reading instructions, checking things off written lists, responding to journal prompts.
• Combination learners — They learn best by combining two or more learning styles, for example, looking at a diagram while the teacher gives a verbal description, and taking notes to cement the concept in their brain.

You’ll find more information about learning styles here: Giving Instructions for Different Learning Styles.

2. Present exercises and activities in multiple styles.

You can ask your students in a questionnaire what their preferred learning style is, but they may not know. Or, they might believe they’re an auditory learner, but only because they haven’t had the opportunity to learn in a different style. So try designing or adapting activities that highlight each learning style. For example, if you’re teaching stage directions:

• Draw a stage map on the board or tape it out on the floor (visual).
• Say the directions out loud (downstage left, upstage right, etc.) and have students repeat them back (auditory).
• Have students walk the stage directions themselves, or play a game like Trapdoor (kinesthetic).
• Give students a paper diagram of a blank stage and have them label the different directions by hand (reading/writing).

3. Combine styles for maximum impact.

Blending and combining learning styles in one lesson can not only help students discover what their best learning style is, but also solidify the concepts in their brains. You can use all four of the learning styles in combination in different ways:

• As a lesson through-line: Introduce the topic visually → discuss it verbally → explore it physically → reflect on it in writing.
• Station rotations: Set up four stations, with each station presenting the concept in a different way (watch it, read it, act it, discuss it).
• Peer teaching: Have students get in groups of four; each student will present/explain the concept in different ways (sketching/illustrating/showing a video, reading about it, physically demonstrating, talking it out).

Encourage students to notice not only when they feel they’re absorbing the material best, but also when learning is feeling a bit more challenging. For example, some students may find it challenging to listen to instructions but thrive when working from a written checklist. Or, they might have trouble physically doing the exercise, but can explain it verbally with perfect clarity. It doesn’t mean they can’t work in that particular learning style; their strengths might be in different areas, or they may just need more time to practice in different ways.

4. Offer choices when possible.

When assigning a project, if you’re able to, build in learning style options. For example, if you are studying an introductory overview of theatre history (Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and so on), students might choose one of the following options that best suit their learning style:

• Create a visual timeline poster of important times/moments in theatre history (visual).
• Record a podcast-style report and analysis of a period in theatre history (auditory).
• Perform a short scene from a particular era of theatre history (kinesthetic).
• Read an article about a particular era in theatre history and answer comprehension questions in writing (reading/writing).

Giving students choices empowers them to use their strengths while still meeting learning goals.

5. Encourage self-reflection.

Use journal prompts or exit slips to get students thinking about their successes from the day’s lessons and communicate them with you. If possible, allow students to respond in a method that works with their best learning style (handwritten response, typed response, recording a voice note, filming a video, etc.). See the giveaway below for some free exit slip prompts.

Note: Helping drama students discover their best learning style doesn’t mean labeling them forever. Students are always growing and evolving, and they may discover that a style that worked well in the past doesn’t work as well anymore, or that now they have different tools that help them even more. When students identify how they learn best, they become more confident, adaptable, and independent thinkers, and that’s a skill that will serve them well both in the drama classroom and in life.