Tailoring Teaching Style to Learner's Needs

As you plan to meet your learners’ needs and educational objectives you will broaden the range of teaching methods and learning strategies that you can offer them. In considering which teaching method to use, you will be asking yourself the following questions:

• What am I trying to achieve, what are my objectives?
• What are the learners’ objectives?
• Is this the best way of achieving them?
• What other ways are there of achieving them?
• What are the strengths of the way I have chosen?
• What are the potential weaknesses that I will have to be on the guard for as facilitator?
• How will I know that this way is the most appropriate way – for me and my learners?
• How will I assess whether the objectives have been achieved?

Some teaching styles fit better than others with the various approaches to teaching and methods of learning.

Although you may initially build the class around the techniques that you have determined best fit your teaching and learning styles, you are never committed to using just those styles. If you determine that your students are not responding well to your style, then don’t be afraid to try something new. Remember the best teaching style is one that accommodates the student’s needs and makes them successful learners.