How to Support Hands-On Learners

What is a hands-on learner?

Hands-on learners are students who are successful through trial and error. These students work best when they have the opportunity to do a task rather than being told how to do it.

Benefits of being a hands-on learner:

There are many benefits to being a hands-on learner, some being: supporting the student's understanding, increasing the ability to recall information, and the ability to imitate behaviour to acquire new skills and learn.

How to support hands-on learners:

There are a few ways to support these types of learners in the classroom, some strategies include:  

• Providing them with real examples

• Making connections to school and the real-world

• Allowing the students to understand the main idea of the information, then creating their own connections and examples
  

Being a hands-on learner myself, I know it is challenging in the classroom when the teacher does not provide strategies to support my way of learning. I learn best by doing something rather than listening to an individual explain the concept to me. Imitating the teacher or fellow peers helped me in my academic journey as I was able to see what I was expected to do before attempting it myself. This allowed me to know what I understood, and where I needed extra support. 

As a future teacher, I will ensure that I am aware of my student's way of learning, so they are successful in the classroom. I believe trial and error, communication, and observations will help me discover how my students learn best. 

To learn more about the different types of learners, click here: https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/auditory-visual-and-kinesthetic-helping-children-succeed-through-different-learning-styles

References 

Woolfolk, A., Winne, P., & Perry, N. (2019). Educational Psychology, Canadian Edition, 7th edition. Pearson Canada.

Courtesy of Nicole@NU