"The Way They Learn" by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias is a book for the average person to understand different learning styles. It is a very easy read with each chapter giving examples of what learning style it is talking about with personal stories included. Every chapter ends with a section called "In a Nutshell", this section gives a summary of what was in the chapter.

The first chapter is written to explain what is a learning style and how to recognize and appreciate them. The second chapter tells about the Gregorc Model of learning styles. This model is based on Perception, the way we take information in, and Ordering, the way we use the information that we perceive. Perception is broken into Concrete and Abstract, Ordering is broken into Sequential and Random. These four are combined to create Gregorc's four learning styles; Concrete Sequential, Abstract Sequential, Abstract Random and Concrete Random. Mrs. Ulrich Tobias discusses each of these styles by describing how an adult, a parent and a child would act. She also talks about how each style deals with stress, what causes them stress and how to lessen their stress. She ends each chapter with a chart designed to represent each style that shows what other styles admire about that particular style, negative perceptions by others and "Ten Commandments for Getting Along" with the particular style.

The next four chapters each discuss another learning styles model. The first is Environmental Preferences by Dunn and Dunn. This model deals with using our children's choices of environmental preferences to help them concentrate and learn. These choices include where they study, if it is quiet or is there sound, the lighting, the heat and if the child is allowed to eat while studying. Another factor to consider in concentration is time of day. Some people can work best in the morning and others, later in the day.

Second is modes of sensory perception (ways of remembering) presented by Barbe and Swassing. They use the term modalities. This book discusses the three most easily recognizable: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory is, of course, learning by listening, visual is learning by seeing and watching and kinesthetic is learning by becoming physically involved.

Third is Witkin's model that helps us recognize how the way in which we take in information affects how we communicate it to others. He uses the terms analytic or global. People who are analytic are good at remembering specifics, the do one thing at a time, the are good at giving direct answers, they are self motivated and they need to know what to expect. Global learners see the big picture or overall view, they read between the lines, they can do several things at once, they work hard to please others and they are flexible.

The last model discussed is Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. He lists seven intelligences: Linguistic, verbal abilities; Logical-Mathematical, abilities in numbers, patterns, and logical reasoning; Spatial, ability to think in vivid mental pictures; Musical, natural rhythm and melody; Bodily-Kinesthetic, a high degree of ability in bodily movement or physical activity; Interpersonal, gift of understanding, appreciating and getting along well with other people; and Intrapersonal, natural gift of understanding ourselves.

The book ends with a chapter on "Putting It All Together" and one on knowing the difference between learning style and learning disability. Being a teacher, and the parent of Pre-schoolers, I have found the information I gained in this book very valuable. I have used it in my every day dealings with my children and will use it with my students when school starts again in the Fall.

-- Anonymous, June 24, 1999