Modality Table
The following table provides an informal means of assessing the student's preferred approach to learning.
|
MODALITY |
VISUAL |
AUDITORY |
KINESTHETIC |
|
Preferred Learning Style |
Learns by seeing or watching demonstrations. |
Learns through verbal instructions from self or others. |
Learns by doing and direct involvement. |
|
Spelling |
Recognizes words by sight; relies on configuration of words. |
Uses a phonics approach; has auditory word attack skills. |
Often is a poor speller; writes words to determine if the "feel" right. |
|
Reading |
Likes description; sometimes stops reading to stare into space and imagine scene; intense concentration. |
Enjoys dialogue and plays; avoids lengthy descriptions; unaware of illustrations; moves lips or subvocalizes. |
Prefers stories where action occurs early; fidgets while reading; handles books; not an avid reader. |
|
Handwriting |
Tends to be good, particularly when young; spacing and size are good; appearance is important. |
Has more difficulty learning in initial stages; tends to write lightly; says strokes when writing. |
Good initially but deteriorates when space becomes smaller; pushes harder on writing instrument. |
|
Memory |
Remembers faces but forgets names; writes things down; takes notes. |
Remembers names but forgets faces; remembers by auditory repetition. |
Remembers best what was done, not what was seen or talked about. |
|
Imagery |
Vivid imagination; thinks in pictures; visualizes in detail. |
Subvocalizes; imagines things in sounds; details less important. |
Imagery not important; images that do occur are accompanied my movement. |
|
Distractibility |
Generally unaware of sounds; distracted by visual disorder or movement. |
Easily distracted by sounds. |
Not attentive to visual or auditory presentation so may seem distracted. |
|
Problem Solving |
Deliberate; plans in advance; organizes thoughts by writing them; lists problems. |
Talks problems out; tries solutions verbally or subvocally; talks self through problems. |
Attacks problem physically; impulsive; often selects solution involving greatest activity. |
|
Response to Periods of Inactivity |
Stares or doodles; finds something. |
Hums, talks to self, or talks to others. |
Fidgets or finds reasons to move; holds up hand. |
|
Response to New Situations |
Looks around or examines structure. |
Talks about situation; discusses pros and cons of what to do. |
Tries things out; feels or manipulates. |
|
Emotions |
Somewhat repressed; stares when angry; cries easily; beams when happy; facial expression is a good index of emotion. |
Shouts with anger or joy; blows up verbally but soon calms down; expresses emotion verbally through changes in tone, volume or pitch of voice. |
Jumps for joy; hugs, tugs or pulls when happy; jumps, stamps, or pounds when angry; stomps off; general body language is good index of emotions. |
|
Communication |
Quiet, does not talk at length; becomes impatient when extensive listening is required; may use words clumsily; describes without embellishment; uses words such as see, look, etc. |
Enjoys listening but cannot wait to talk; descriptions are long but repetitive; likes hearing self and others talk; uses word such as listen, hear, etc. |
Gestures when speaking; does not listen well; stands close when speaking or listening; quickly loses interest in detailed verbal discourse; uses words such as get, take, etc. |
|
General Appearance |
Neat, meticulous; likes order; may not choose to vary appearance. |
Matching clothes no so important; can explain choices of clothes. |
Neat but soon becomes wrinkled through activity. |
|
Response to the Arts |
Not particularly responsive to music; prefers the visual arts; tends not to voice appreciation of any kind, but can be deeply affected by visual displays; focuses on details and components rather than the work as a whole. |
Favors music; finds less appeal in visual art, but is readily able to discuss it; misses significant detail, but appreciates the work as a whole; is able to develop verbal association for all\ art forms; spends more time talking about pieces than looking at them. |
Responds to music by physical movement; prefers sculpture; touches statues and paintings; at exhibits stops only at those pieces in which he/she can become involved; comments very little on any art form. |