Siena College, Inc.
EDUCATION Program
MODULE 5. Student Diversity, Multiple Intelligences, Learning and Thinking Styles
Course Code & Name ED 17 – Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching
Learning Outcomes At the end of the week, the students should be able to:
1. identify the different factors that bring about diversity in the classroom;
2. demonstrate a positive attitude towards diversity as an enriching element in the
learning environment;
3. describe the different multiple intelligences;
4. identify own intelligence/s, and pinpoint own thinking and learning style; and
5. show gratitude for the God-given intelligence/s, thinking and learning styles.
Time Frame Week 7 / three-hour period / Synchronous / Asynchronous Activities
I. INTRODUCTION
“We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic…
different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”
Jimmy Carter
One of the educational challenges that teachers face nowadays is the diverse learners inside the
classroom. This situation calls the teachers to become more innovative and creative to satisfy the
varied characteristics and needs of the 21st century learners. It is essential that future teachers like
you to be more knowledgeable, most especially on how to deal with learners’ needs and interests
for you to prepare learning activities that are more meaningful for the learners.
In this module, we will discuss how learners are the same yet they are all very much different from
each other. We will have a deeper understanding of the learners’ Multiple Intelligences and how
they actually learn through their own learning styles and preferences. Teaching techniques will also
be discussed to help future teachers educate the learners more effectively and accurately considering
their diversity.
Watch:
15 Genuine Signs of Intelligence You Can’t Fake
[Link]
Take note of the 15 signs of Intelligence. Which ones resonate with you? Be ready to share
your reflection/realization during the in-person meeting next week.
Activity 5.1: Research Connection-Data Gathering (20 points)
1. Examine the class where you belong.
2. Use the information sheet to gather the needed information.
3. Tally all of the responses to come up with a class profile.
4. Analyze and interpret the data.
5. Give your generalization.
II. CONTENT
A. Factors that Bring about Student Diversity
In all learning environments, individuals interact with others who are in some ways different
from them. Recall how these differences were shown in your class tally – gender and racial,
ethnic or cultural background (nationality, province, language). This diversity also comes from
other factors like the following:
Socio-economic Status The millionaire’s lifestyle differs from that of the
middle income or lower income group
Learning/Thinking Style Some of you learn better by seeing something; others
by just listening; and still others by manipulating
something.
Exceptionalities In class there maybe one who has difficulty in spoken
language comprehension or in seeing, hearing, and
other learning challenges.
B. How Student Diversity Enriches the Learning Environment
A teacher maybe challenged to handle a class with students so diverse. Some teachers may see this
diversity as a difficult predicament. Yet a more reflective teacher may see a diverse classroom as an
exciting place to learn not just for her students, but for him/herself, as well.
1. Students’ self-awareness is enhanced by diversity. Exposing students to others with diverse
backgrounds and experiences also serves to help students focus on their awareness of themselves.
When they see how others are different, students are given reference points or comparative
perspectives which sharpen assessment of their own attitudes, values and behavior.
2. Student diversity contributes to cognitive
development. The opportunity to gain access
to the perspectives of peers and to learn from
other students, rather than the instructor only,
maybe especially important for promoting
the cognitive development of learners.
As the German philosopher, Nietzsche, said:
“The more affects we allow to speak about
one thing, the more eyes, different eyes we
can use to observe one thing, the more
complete will our concept of this thing, our
objectivity, be.
3. Student diversity prepares learners for their role as responsible members of society. Suzanne
Morse stresses one competency that has strong implications for instructional strategies that capitalize
on diversity: “The capacity to imagine situations or problems from all perspectives and to appreciate
all aspects of diversity.” She further argues: “The classroom can provide more than just theory given
by the teacher in a lecture. With student diversity, the classroom becomes a ‘public place’ where
community can be practiced.”
4. Student diversity can promote harmony. When student diversity is integrated into the classroom
teaching and learning process, it can become a vehicle for promoting harmonious race relations.
Through student-centered teaching strategies, diverse students can be encouraged to interact and
collaborate with one another on learning task that emphasize unity of effort while capitalizing on
their diversity of backgrounds.
C. Some Tips on Student Diversity
1. Encourage learners to share their personal history and
experiences. Students will be made realize that they have
something in common with the rest. They also differ in several
ways.
2. Integrate learning experiences and activities which promote
students’ multicultural and cross-cultural awareness.
You can encourage or even initiate co-curricular
experiences that are aimed at promoting diversity
awareness. These activities could coincide with
already-scheduled national or institutional celebrations
like Linggo ng Wika, United Nations celebration,
Indigenous People Day, etc.
Let students interview other students on campus who
are from diverse backgrounds. These students of
different racial and ethnic origin serve as source of
first-hand information on topics related to their culture.
This can also provide opportunity for interaction
among students who may otherwise never come in
contact with each other.
Invite students to “online discussion or forum”; virtual visits of foreign countries and talk
to the natives of those countries.
Ask students if they have ever been the personal target of prejudice and discrimination, and
have them share these experiences with other members of the class.
3. Aside from highlighting diversity, identify patterns of unity that transcend group differences.
Clyde Kluckholn, an early American anthropologist who spent a lifetime studying human diversity
across different cultures, concluded from his extensive research that, “Every human is, at the same
time, like all other humans, like some humans, and like no other human”. His observation suggests
a paradox in the human experience, namely: We are all the same in different ways. It may be
important to point out to students the biological reality that we, human beings, share approximately
95% of our genes in common, and that less than 5% of our genes account for the physical differences
that exist among us. When focusing on human differences, these commonalities should not be
overlooked; otherwise, our repeated attempts to promote student diversity may inadvertently
promote student divisiveness. One way to minimize this risk, and promote unity along with
diversity, is to stress the universality of learning experience by raising students’ consciousness
of common themes that bind all groups of people – in addition to highlighting the variations on
those themes.
Periodically place students in homogeneous groups on the basis of shared demographic
characteristics (e.g., same-gender group or same-race/ethnicity groups), and have them share
their personal views or experiences. Then form a panel comprised of representatives from
the other groups. The teacher can serve as moderator.
Try to form groups of students who are different with respect to one demographic
characteristic but similar with respect to another (e.g., same-gender but different age groups).
This practice can serve to increase awareness that humans who are members of different
groups can, at the same time, be members of the same group – and share similar experiences,
needs or concerns.
4. Communicate high expectations to students from all subgroups.
Make conscious attempt to call on, or draw in students from diverse groups to participate
and be engage in all class activities.
Learn the names of your students, especially the foreign names that you may have difficulty
pronouncing. This will enable you to establish personal rapport with them which may serve
as social/emotional foundation for encouraging them to participate.
5. Use varied instructional methods to accommodate student diversity in learning styles.
Diversify the sensory/perceptual modalities through which you deliver and present
information (e.g., orally, in print, diagrammatic translation, pictorial presentation, and/or
‘hands on’ experiences).
Diversify the instructional formats or procedures (e.g., student-centered, structured or
unstructured, dependent or independent learning, etc.).
6. Vary the examples you use to illustrate concepts in order to provide multiple contexts that are
relevant to students from diverse backgrounds.
Have students’ complete personal information cards during the first week of class and use
the information to select examples of illustrations that are relevant to their personal interests
and life experiences.
Use ideas, comments and questions that students raise in class or ideas which they choose to
write about to help you think of examples and illustrations to use.
Ask students to provide their own examples of concepts based on experiences drawn from
their personal lives.
Have students apply concepts by placing them in a situation or context that is relevant to
their lives (e.g., How would you show respect to all persons in your home?)
7. Adapt to the students’ diverse backgrounds and learning styles by allowing them personal
choice and decision-making opportunities concerning what they will learn and how they will
learn it. Giving the learner more decision-making opportunity with respect to learning tasks:
(a) promotes positive student attitudes toward the subject matter,
(b) fosters more positive interactions among students, and
(c) results in students working more consistently with lesser teacher intervention.
8. Diversify your methods of assessing and evaluating student learning. You can accommodate
student diversity not only by varying what you can do with your teaching, but also by varying what
you can ask students to do to demonstrate learning. In addition to the paper-and-pen tests and written
assignments, students can demonstrate their learning in a variety of performance formats, such as:
(a) individually-delivered oral reports,
(b) panel presentations,
(c) group projects,
(d) visual presentations (concept maps, PPT/AVP, collages, exhibits), or
(e) dramatic vignettes – presented live or on videotape.
One potential benefit of allowing students to choose how they demonstrate their learning is that
the variety of options exercised may be a powerful way to promote student awareness of the
diversity of human learning styles.
9. Purposely, form small-discussion groups of students from diverse backgrounds. Small peer-
learning groups may be effective for promoting student progress to a more advanced stage of
cognitive development. Peer-learning groups may promote this cognitive advancement because: (a)
the instructor is removed from center stage, thereby reducing the likelihood that the teacher is
perceived as the ultimate or absolute authority; and (b) students are exposed to the perspectives of
other students, thus increasing their appreciation of multiple viewpoints and different approaches to
learning.
D. Learning/Thinking Styles and Multiple Intelligences
Student Diversity
Learning/Thinking Multiple
Styles Intelligences
Sensory Brain Visual-Spatial
Preferences Hemispheres (Picture Smart)
Left Brain Verbal-Linguistic
Visual Learners Auditory Learners Tactile/Kinesthetic
(Analytic) (Word Smart)
Mathematical-logical
Right Brain
Iconic Talkers (Number/Logic
(Global)
Smart)
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Symbolic Listeners
(Body Smart)
Musical-Rhythmic
(Music Smart)
Interpersonal
(People Smart)
Intrapersonal
(Self-Smart)
Naturalistic
(Nature Smart)
Existential
(Spirit Smart)
E. Learning/Thinking Styles
Activity 5.2: Learning Style Survey Questionnaire (20 points)
1. Answer the questionnaire.
2. Tally the scores.
3. What is your learning style based on the survey questionnaire?
Learning/Thinking styles refer to the preferred way an individual processes information. They describe
a person’s typical mode of thinking, remembering or problem solving. Furthermore, styles are usually
considered to be bipolar dimensions. For instance, your particular learning/thinking style would lie at a
point in a continuum. Having a particular learning/thinking style simply denotes a tendency to behave in
a certain manner. Your style is usually described as a personality dimension which influences your
attitudes, values, and social interactions.
There are several perspectives about learning/thinking styles. In this module, we shall focus on sensory
preferences and the global-analytic continuum.
1. SENSORY PREFERENCES:
2. BRAIN HEMISPHERES (GLOBAL-ANALYTICAL CONTINUUM)
LEFT BRAIN (Analytic) RIGHT BRAIN (Global)
1. Verbal 1. Visual
2. Responds to word meaning 2. Responds to tone of voice
3. Sequential 3. Random
4. Processes information linearly 4. Processes information in
varied order
5. Responds to logic 5. Responds to emotion
6. Plans ahead 6. Impulsive
7. Recalls people’s names 7. Recalls people’s faces
8. Speaks with few gestures 8. Gestures when speaking
9. Punctual 9. Less punctual
10. Prefers formal study design 10. Prefers sound/music
background while studying
11. Prefers bright lights while 11. Prefers frequent mobility
studying while studying
F. Multiple Intelligences
The theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) was first described by Howard Gardner in Frames of Mind
(1983). Gardner defines intelligence as “an ability or set of abilities that allows a person to solve a
problem or fashion a product that is valued in one or more cultures”. Gardner believes that different
intelligences may be independent abilities – a person can be low in one domain area but high in another.
All of us possess the intelligences but in varying degrees of strength. His most current research indicates
that there are nine distinct forms of intelligences. In order to facilitate learning effectively, teachers
should use strategies that match these kinds of intelligences.
Type of Intelligence Description
Visual-Spatial Children who are visual learners learn best visually and organizing things
(Picture Smart) spatially.
They enjoy instructional materials to better understand what the teacher is
talking about such as illustrations, puzzles, costumes, charts, models.
Verbal-Linguistic Children who are auditory learners demonstrate strength in language arts.
(Word Smart) They enjoy speaking, writing poems or stories, reading alone or together,
listening and playing word games.
These students are excelling in traditional classrooms.
Mathematical-Logical Children who investigate patterns and relationship and excel in numbers,
(Number Smart) reasoning, logic and problem solving.
They also do well in traditional classrooms.
They enjoy solving problems and experiments
Bodily-Kinesthetic Children who are kinesthetic experience learning best through bodily
(Body Smart) movements such as games, hands-on tasks, making things and role playing.
These children are active in the classroom.
Musical-Rhythmic Children who learn well through songs, rhythms, instruments and musical
(Music Smart) expression.
They sometimes turn their lessons into lyrics.
They can focus in studying and reviewing their lessons with the music
playing on the background.
Intrapersonal Children who are in tune with their own inner feelings
(Self-Smart) They may tend to be more reserved, but they are confident, intuitive and have
wisdom.
They know what they want in life.
Interpersonal Children who loves to be surrounded by people and enjoy doing things with a
(People Smart) partner or a group.
They are usually being warned by a traditional teacher in a traditional
classroom for they talk a lot as they enjoy interaction and disrupt the class.
Naturalist Children who love the outdoors, animals, plants, environment.
(Nature Smart) They enjoy planting, parenting plants and taking care of animals and where
they live and the planet as a whole.
They are called environmentalists.
Existential Children who are seeking for their purpose in life and what they can do for
(Spirit Smart) the benefit of humankind.
This intelligence is inclined in the discipline of philosophy.
G. Teaching Strategies Guided by Learning/Thinking Styles and Multiple Intelligences
1. Use questions of all types to stimulate various levels of thinking from recalling factual information
to drawing implications and making value judgments.
2. Provide a general overview of material to be learned, i.e. structured overviews, advance organizers,
etc. so that students’ past experiences will be associated with the new ideas.
3. Allow sufficient time for information to be processed and then integrate using both the right-and-left
brain hemispheres.
4. Set clear purposes before any listening, viewing
or reading experience.
5. Warm up before the lesson development by using
brainstorming, set induction, etc.
6. Use multisensory means for both processing and
retrieving information (e.g. write direction on the
board and give them orally).
7. Use a variety of review and reflection strategies
to bring closure to learning (e.g. writing
summaries, create infographics or documentary
videos, design projects, compiling a portfolio,
etc.)
8. Use a descriptive feedback rather than simply
praising.
III. PERFORMANCE TASK
A. Assignments due on March 1 (Saturday):
Activities 5.1 and 5.2 to earn 20 points each activity.
References:
Bejosano-Laforteza, L. et al. (2019). Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching. Jimczyville Publications,
Malabon City.
Bulusan, F. et al. (2019). Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching. Rex Bookstore, Quezon City.
Lucas, M. R. and Corpuz, B. (2014). Facilitating Learning:A Metacognitive Process. Lorimar
Publishing Inc., Quezon City.
Prepared by: Checked by:
______________________________________________
SISTER MYRA A. CAYLAN, OP Program Head
ED 17 – Instructor
25 February 2025
