Why do Schools Struggle to Accommodate Diverse Learning Styles?

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." - Albert Einstein. Going back to the roots of education, Socrates believed that education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. According to the Foundation for Economic Education, the education system that we know in the U.S has been around for nearly 150 years, and has yet to make significant improvements to adapt to the individual students' needs and learning methods. Going back to the simplest form of education being telling stories in comparison to the teaching we have today, not a lot has changed. The classic teacher at the front of the classroom lecturing students on the topic of the day, has been the go to teaching style for schools across the United States. This begs the question, why haven’t things changed? Even though this method has proven to work in some cases, it doesn’t cater to everyone in the classroom. Studies have shown that students have various learning styles and it's not one size fits all. Not only do most schools refuse to acknowledge this fact, if they do, they struggle to accommodate for it.

When it comes to education there are normally two main approaches that come up for discussion – traditional vs. modern education. Traditional education, also known as conventional education, is the teaching methodology most commonly seen in schools throughout the country. It has a structured class room setting where teachers are the focal point. Students follow a set curriculum, memorize facts, and often take tests and quizzes. Despite the fact that there are advantages to this approach, the standardized method doesn’t have the students learning in mind. The approach does not suit everyone, as each student has a unique learning style and pace. The traditional education system tends to be inflexible in terms of adapting to the needs of individual students. At the core, traditional education derives from biblical learning, dating back to the Puritan era during the 1500s to the mid 1600s. After the American Revolution, religious instruction was still primary, but was seen in a more flexible form. The shift from biblical learning, to more scientific based education, particularly the debate between creation vs. evolution, happened around the 1800s when the release of Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species, which was considered a major turning point in the bases of education in that time period gradually replacing biblical creationism in academic and scientific communities. Rooting for that modern education arose which has been an attempt to improve traditional education. Modern education has recently arisen as a new teaching method, rooting from traditional education. It emphasizes the use of technology, collaboration, and more direct teacher to student interaction. While Modern education has given a seemingly better option for education, it has not been adapted to everything that is needed, as it focuses more directly on project based learning. It has also not been implemented enough in the United States. Alternative education systems have also been on the rise recently as people search for different forms of learning. Montessori for example is popular for people who look for hands on learning, self - directed learning, and mixed age learning. Micro schools have also gathered more support from people searching for independent schools that provide personalized learning experiences. Online learning gained a lot of momentum since the pandemic and has been a relatively good option for some people who want a more flexible schedule and a stronger self-guided education, even though there are a lot of social cons.

So, what is a learning style? A learning style is the strategy each student uses to retain information efficiently while studying and learning. According to Western Governors University, learning styles can be traced back to 334 BC, when Aristotle declared that “every child possessed specific” talents and skills. Currently there are four main learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing but experts count up to 70 under those four. Most individuals have a dominant learning style and help them grasp at different concepts while learning and retaining information. The visual learning style is seen in people who learn the best through seeing and observing what they are learning. They often have strong visual memory and use mental images to help them remember different topics. For example videos and images help these students process information in the classroom. Auditory learners process information by listening and hearing things. For these students the standard lecture teacher method can work well for them, as it is adequate for them. These people tend to have strong verbal memory and tend to recall information that they have heard. Auditory learners are prone to participate in debates because they can process information by exchanging ideas and listening to different perspectives. Contrary to visual learners, auditory learners struggle to remember information presented without a visual explanation. The Kinesthetic learning style is a method where students learn the best through hands-on activities or physical activity. Kinesthetic learners are also referred to as tactile learners. They rely on movement, touch, and manipulation of objects to remember information. They may find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time, which ends up leading to distraction from the learning material. The reading/writing learners are students who find it easier to learn through text based material such as books, articles, and written notes. They are able to highly process written information and retain details from text. Such students tend to take notes on class material to be able to process the information better. Schools need to become aware of the diverse learning methods that each student carries to be successful in teaching them in a practical and effective way. Since no two students learn in the same exact way, and they can have a combination of different learning styles, education should move beyond the one-size fits all approach to better support individual success.

Schools are being oblivious to the problem, and are not trying to find any solutions. The lack of teachers to actually be able to give the students personalized learning opportunities has been growing tremendously over the past couple of years. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the student to teacher ratio has recently been at an all time high, with over 20 students per class with only one teacher. This is not an ideal environment for students to learn, and truly process the information that they are given. Not only that but the standardized curriculum in most public schools does not take into account that a lot of students learn differently, and even at different paces. By ignoring the diverse ways students absorb and process information, schools send a harmful message—that their differences are inconvenient rather than strengths—ultimately discouraging creativity, lowering confidence, and diminishing a genuine love for learning. Another major problem is that a lot of teachers are not educated that there are different learning styles, and how to teach individual students or at least try to adapt a little. There is a major lack of teacher training, specifically in public schools where teachers are drastically under paid. Many teachers are left overwhelmed, under resourced, and unequipped to recognize when a student is struggling simply because the method of teaching doesn't align with how they learn best. Without proper support and training, even well meaning educators are forced to stick to rigid methods that only benefit a fraction of their classroom. Until schools begin to prioritize both teacher preparation and student individuality, the education system will continue to fail those it was meant to uplift, leaving countless learners unseen, unheard, and unsupported.

Education is meant to foster growth, curiosity, and the development of every student's potential. Yet when schools continue to overlook the vast spectrum of learning styles, they create an environment that prioritizes uniformity over understanding. This not only isolates students who don’t fit the mold but also limits their ability to thrive academically. If the purpose of school is to equip students with the tools they need to succeed, then the system must reflect the diversity of the learners it serves. Change requires more than just acknowledging the problem, it demands action through improved teacher training, smaller class sizes, and more flexible curriculum. The future of education depends on how willing we are to move away from outdated methods and toward an inclusive approach that truly values how each student learns best.

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ABOUT ANANDA

Ananda is 15 years old and is currently a 10th grader at Centner Academy. She strives for excellence in everything she does, and is a very detail-oriented person. She is an academically driven person, has a commitment to physical activities, and has a passion for uplifting her fellow students through various activities. Some of which include being a co-chair for the Field Trip Funding Club, in her efforts to help financially support students for their school trips. She is not only dedicated to fundraisers in school, but also outside of school, including her Fundraiser for the south of Brazil to help save and rebuild peoples lives after devastating floods. She values journalism and writing in her everyday life, and will continue to foster that through the Pollinator Post.