In my essay I am going to discuss different learning strategies and

In my essay I am going to discuss different learning strategies and the ways they can accommodate pupils with different styles and needs. I am going to discuss independent learning, the ways that pupils can carry out their independent learning and will discuss how a teaching assistant can support them. I am going to provide an analyses of the ways in which different learning activities can be used to motivate and challenge pupils. I am going to evaluate the ways pupils can react to different learning activities in the classroom setting.

Do you think that pupils learn better if teaching methods used by teachers match their learning style? Will they learn better if the teacher starts encouraging activities that take into account their strengths and preferences? There are many different ways classify learning styles, the Neil Fleming developed VARK model in 1987 is one of the most popular concepts. It was created in order to help pupils to learn more about their individual preferences.

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Its popularity increased in the 1970s and 1980s, despite the evidence that even the exited that personal preferences did not have a real impact on learning outcomes. In the Fleming's model pupils are classified by the learning styles which best perceive information - Visuals (photographs, films, and diagrams), Aural/Auditory (music, conversation, listening to lessons), Read/Write (compiling lists, reading textbooks, establishing links and logical chains), Kinaesthetic (trips, experiments, practical exercises). Visual learners perceive information through the visual channel much better. Graphics, charts, diagrams, illustrations, handouts and videos, are all useful tools for visual learners.

Pupils who belong to this style of learning prefer the information be presented visually and not in writing. To check if pupil can be attributed to this style, he should answer the following questions: Do you pay attention to body language? Do you have to see the information in order to remember it? Is art, beauty and aesthetic important to you? Can you say that you remember and remember better by visualizing information in your mind? If you can answer yes to most of these questions, most likely you are a visual learner. Aural/Auditory learner would answer yes to the most of these questions, do you prefer to listen to lessons in the classroom rather than read the material on the textbook? Does reading aloud help you to remember information better? Would you prefer to listen to the lesson or podcast reading the notes made in the lesson? Do you invent songs to make it easier to remember information? Such pupils perceive better information by ear. They as a rule take out more knowledge from the lesson and remember well what they say themselves. Read/Write learner, prefers to perceive the information displayed with the help of symbols and signs: words, numbers, etc. They are primarily interested in learning materials in text form. Maybe pupil attributes to this style? Answer to most of the following questions will be positive: Do you think reading a textbook is a great way to get a new information? Do you leave notes during class time and while reading books? Do you like make lists, search for definitions and create presentations? Do you like when teacher use handouts? For Kinaesthetic learner practical experience plays a special role. If pupil is a kinaesthetic by nature, then will answer yes on the most of the following questions: Do you like to perform tasks that include direct work with objects and materials? Is it difficult to sit still for a long period of time? Are you good at applying applied activities such as cooking, sports and working with wood? Do you need to practice something in order to learn it? Many pupils immediately understand which style is closest to them. Others may find that their preferences are not limited to one style. For example learner may feel that he perceives information well through both visual and auditory modes, these learners have multimodal learning style. Pupils themselves may find that understanding their style can be very useful. For example, if pupil know that the visual presentation of information suits you best, using visual materials can help you better remember the information you are learning or at least make learning a lesson more interesting and enjoyable. . It happens that a learner changes his learning style depending on the type of information being studied. In this case, talking about the multimodal learning style. But it is interesting that those who can use different styles to the VARK model, often feel insecure in the application of the right one, while students with a clear preference intuitively choose the appropriate teaching methods. Useful for visual learners: - Underline with colour the key points in the notes, reduce irrelevant details. - Search and make drawings, posters, slides, graphs and diagrams, watch the videos courses on the learned material. It is useful for auditory learners: - Participate in discussion groups or simply discuss the material with the peers. - Record lesson or individual fragments of the lesson and listen to the recordings. - To tell the content of the lesson out loud to yourself. Write down your words. Useful kinaesthetic: - If possible, use for learning experiments, trips, exhibitions, and that analyse the information received. - To collect collections of the learned material. - Recall life examples illustrating theory. Useful for read/write learners: - Edit learning notes, state the material in your own words, use new terms. - Refer to books, literature. - Make a structured plan of presentation of the material, breaking into paragraphs and sub-paragraphs, writing down key points. Learners are able to use all of these sensory modes in learning, but at the same time, each individual has unique preferences, or a set of preferences, in which one of them is dominant.

The form of individual learning is a practical and convenient. It is suitable for learners in schools as an additional way of learning, teacher and teaching assistant must take into account the needs, interests and aspiration of pupils. An individual learning plan allows a pupil to study at a comfortable environment which are: physical environment, time environment, peer environment, material environment. Physical environment - the relationship between pupils and the teacher or teacher assistant is a model that sets the tone for the whole educational process and lays a solid foundation for the comfortable independent learning of a child. Time environment - we live during the progress of new technologies that radically changed the life of world around. The internet has firmly entered out lives and virtual learning environment, such as communicating with a teacher via email became available. Many learners prefer this way of getting knowledge and teacher's support with individual queries is always available. Peer environment - with the help of ICT, children study tutorials and electronic textbooks, making entertaining virtual tours on the internet and communicating and corresponding with the peers or independently. Material environment - ICT based resources, CD-ROMS, internet resources, VLES which include pre-loaded teacher materials, activities and homework. To carry out the independent learning pupil should to sole the task themselves, ask themselves why was it difficult, what did I discover, did I learn the lesson, how can I improve? In addition, one-on-one communication with a support provided by the teaching assistant in most cases has a positive effect on the success of a pupil in individual learning. Teaching assistant can test the knowledge, skills and abilities of the learners to see which learning style a learner prefers to keep children interested and motivated in the learning activity. In a less harried way than a teacher teaching assistant is able to provide more time to help children with a learning plan and tasks. Pupil can look on teacher's previous feedback, feedback is only constructive, friendly and life-affirming for everyone it should describe how pupil can improve.

One of the main task of the teacher and teaching assistant at school is to teach the material in such a way that it becomes interesting for pupils and they will want to learn it. Sustained interest in the child can be developed by different lessons activities, painting activities, cooking, board games, trips, science projects, music, sports, performing arts, these all activities should be planned ahead and organised. Having a positive motivation and inspiration are one of the most important factors for future pupil's success. Primary and Secondary school teaching assistants should make maximum efforts to make sure that primary school pupils understand what is required of them, activities should be short and fun and move one from another as children are getting bored too fast, but secondary school pupils should be advised teaching assistant, guided and challenged throughout activity. Offer pupils tasks and activities that interest them. For example, hang a 'board of miracles' on the wall and ask students to write on it what motivates them to learn. You will see that they immediately immerse themselves in thoughts about their learning experiences and they will give you a lot of ideas and factors that influence their motivation. Then progress will grow, pupils will feel comfortable. And those who feel inner comfort are not afraid of any obstacles. Learning activities such as science projects could motivate a child to become a doctor or a scientist, sport activities could make a child to want to study in police academy. Challenging activities could help a child to learn how to focus on activity such as draw a map how you are getting to school. Game activities motivates children to become friends and to work on projects together. Spelling activities motivate children to learn from their own mistakes. Cooking activities could motivate a pupil to help his parents to follow hygiene. Spelling activities could motivate a pupil to read more to learn how to write more words correctly.

There are in a primary school hands-on activities build a model, numeracy and literacy white board activities when teacher assistant will need to make sure that pupil's questions were being answered, pointing on a board asking them questions and asking if someone needs assistants. Messy activities fingers or hands printing, chalk drawing, how to make sand foam, water games such as colour water or rice which are sometimes distressing for children as they prefer to be clean, teaching assistant will need to find out a strategy how to help these pupils to carry on the activity in a playful way, to build up pupil's self-esteem. Secondary school students have more range of different emotions to react on certain activities as their emotions are more developed. Such kind activities as school paramedics visit for pupils who are studying health, one of the pupil's must find out that has needle-phobia and collapse in this situation teaching assistant should act quickly with the pupil's needs. Each age finds its own in the learning activities and in general have a huge effect in formation of a pupil's personality, his knowledge and thinking.

In conclusion, teacher and teaching assistant should show that they are interested in what each of the pupil's in the class is doing, and that they value everyone as an individual, regardless their needs, achievements, performance, behaviour or character.