The Private Studio ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Carl D. Swanson

Learning Styles and the Voice Student

Carl D. Swanson

When I began teaching elementary school many years ago, I was given a whole class of students to teach. My lesson plans suited my teaching style and were designed for the "average" learner, the learner who could endure the talk and chalk variety of teach-ing. The reality is that this kind of teaching meant that only one type of learning style was addressed. This made teaching much easier for the teacher, but it made learning much harder for some of the students.

Good educators now understand that the learning process must be indi-vidualized to meet the learning styles of their students. Educators have learned that it is their job to meet the learning styles of the individual stu-dents and that it is not incumbent upon the student to adapt to the teach-ing style of the teacher. In the elemen-

journal of Singing, November/December 2005 Volume 62, No. 2, PP. 203-208 Copyright 2005 National Association of Teachers of Singing

tary classroom this often means indi-vidualizing daily lesson plans to meet the individual student's needs.

But what does this mean to the voice teacher?

Let's consider three students from my private studio. All of these stu-dents are quite different from each other in the way they learn. Their names, changed to stimulate the reader's imagination, are Tsee En Luk, Audra Torey, and Kenny Stetick.

Tsee En Luk is a seventeen-year-old male. He has studied with me for about one year. He is personable and motivated. He never seems to be intimidated by the presence of any other person: even at seventeen he is comfortable meeting important peo-ple face to face.

Tsee is the type of student, how-ever, who has had great difficulty learn-ing my series of warm up exercises. At first he seemed to forget the pat-tern of each exercise from week to week. Only after I wrote out the exer-cises for him did he successfully learn them. He has always done a good job of learning his assigned songs at home using his ever present sheet music.

During a recent recital he became easily distracted when the accompa-nist with whom he was working be-came very involved in the accompan-iment and moved about in response to the music. He told me that he could-n't help but look at her when she did this. It distracted him from the process of performing because it was not part of his planned sequence of events.

Tsee does respond well to any teaching that I do with the use of

drawings or posters. When I tried to explain diaphragmatic breathing, he didn't seem to understand it until I showed him a medical poster of the diaphragm. Indeed, upon examina-tion of his scores, I often find drawings that, he explains, are used to help him remember the translation of the text.

He also never comes to a lesson without his notebook, into which he writes just about every word I say. When questioned about this note tak-ing, he informed me that he seldom needed to review the notes, but that the process of writing it down helped him to remember.

When Tsee and I work on a new foreign language text, he will work on writing out the words from mem-ory. He says that it is important for him to be able to see the words in his head. Indeed, after once making a memory slip in a recital, he explained that he had accidentally turned an extra page in his head.

Tsee's teachers tell me that he does well in school and is the sort of stu-dent who likes to sit near the front of the class. Several have remarked that Tsee is prone to monopolize the con-versation. Recently, he was appointed scenery designer of his high school production of a play. He tells me he enjoys this position because he finds it so easy to imagine what the scenery should look like just by reading the script.

Tsee loves to listen to Barbra Strei-sand singing "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever."

Audra Torey is also a fine student. She is a woman of a certain age who

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Carl D. Swanson

has studied with me for five years. She is a telephone receptionist for a local bank. One of her favorite pas-times is to listen to audio books. Al-though she can play the piano "by ear," she cannot easily use the piano

to learn her songs. This has made the lessons move a bit more slowly as I

must play her part for her to learn new songs.

Since she learns her songs by rote and with the use of her ever present tape recorder, it is important for me to play every note correctly, for if I make one mistake, that will be the way she remembers that note forever. Recently, she purchased a piece of computer software that prints and plays music Now she inputs the notes of her song and the software helps her to create a CD. She uses this CD to listen to and learn her new songs.

Audra's compassionate nature makes her very good at understand-ing the subtext of any opera scenes that we prepare. She says that she can hear the characters talk in her head when she performs and that she uses other performers' expressions, inflec-tions, and nuances to understand songs, especially those in foreign lang-uages. I am also pleased with how well Audra listens to my explanations: I have to tell her only once how to do something and she seems to remem-ber it forever. She cannot understand why Tsee En Luk has to write every-thing down.

Although she is a good performer, Audra does not like to enter compe-titions or to be distracted by people talking or making other extraneous noises while she is performing. It always seems to break her concentra-tion and, while she seldom forgets her words, she will drop her charac-ter for a moment.

Often, Audra seems to become tired of her assigned pieces and is anxious

to explore new ones before actually completing work on those assigned pieces. When choosing new songs, she is prone to choose pieces that she loves, rather than pieces that are appro-priate for her stage of development.

Audra's favorite aria is "Una voce

poco fa" from Ii barbiere di Siviglia. Kenny Stetick is a solid student.

He is twenty-five and works as a car-penter. He is always on time for his lessons and often arrives with a bit of his work still on his rough hands. He loves to sing in the local amateur productions, where he also is well liked for his carpentry skills. He enjoys being the quarterback on a local ama-teur football team and is a great tap dancer. He is also fairly accomplished on the piano. He often can play the accompaniments to his songs.

On stage Kenny is a great actor, although he does tend to overdo the hand gestures a bit. Directors with whom he has worked have learned that it is unwise to assign him a part that requires him to Sit still for any length of time. His face is wonder-fully expressive and reviews in the local paper usually make mention of this fact. The local civic chorale has tried to get him to join but Kenny prefers to work alone rather than in a group.

Kenny tends to prefer fast paced songs. Forget the ballads. He can sing a patter song with the best of them. There's something about all those fast turning words that excites him. He enjoys working step by step to learn the words of these songs and pays great attention to the pronunciation and nuance of each word.

While Kenny prefers to sing fast paced songs, he prefers to listen to Sarah Vaughan's "The Touch of Your Hand."

By now the astute reader has dis-cerned that these students are quite

fictitious. At best they are compos-ites of a variety of students; but each of these fictitious students exhibits the characteristics of different learn-ing styles. Doubtless, the astute reader recognizes in my three students char-acteristics of students from his or her own studio.

While there are many ways of clas-sifying the way a student learns, the three students above exemplify the theories of Brian Tracy and Cohn Rose as outlined in their book, Accelerated

Learning Techniques. The authors speak of three distinct types of learn-ers: visual learners, auditory learn-ers, and tactile/kinesthetic learners.

Visual learners such as Tsee En Luk prefer to use their vision to learn new things. They would prefer to see the written piece of music rather than learn the piece by rote. They are likely to take notes or draw pictures when learning new material.

These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn best from visual dis-plays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lec-ture or classroom discussion, visual learn-ers often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.'

Auditory learners such as Audra Torey prefer to learn new music by listening to it played. They often can learn a new song quickly this way. They are verbal and prefer to have information conveyed to them by ver-bal instruction.

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underly-ing meanings of speech through listen-

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ing to tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder.'

Tactile or kinesthetic learners such as Kenny Stetick prefer to touch. They are often the ones who learn a new song best by also learning the piano

Table I. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

• Linguistic intelligence: sensitivity to the meaning and order of words.

• Logical-mathematical intelligence: ability in mathematics and other complex

logical systems.

• Musical intelligence: the ability to understand and create music. Musicians, composers, and dancers show a heightened musical intelligence.

• Spatial intelligence: the ability to "think in pictures," to perceive the visual

world accurately, and recreate (or alter) it in the mind or on paper. Spatial intel-

accompaniment. They seem to have ligence is highly developed in artists, architects, designers, and sculptors.

to "feel" the song with their fingers. • Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence: the ability to use one's body in a skilled way,

for self-expression or toward a goal. Mimes, dancers, basketball players, and actors are among those who display bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

• Interpersonal intelligence: an ability to perceive and understand other indi-viduals - their moods, desires, and motivations. Political and religious lead-

ers, skilled parents and teachers, and therapists use this intelligence.

• Intrapersonal intelligence: an understanding of one's own emotions. Some novelists and/or counselors use their own experience to guide others.

Tactile/Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.

The labels used by Tracy and Rose represent only one method of classi-fying learning styles. The field of edu-cation is rife with theories about the way students learn.

Howard Gardner's theory of mul-tiple intelligences, for example, sug-gests that learners show strengths and weaknesses through a set of seven intelligences. "These intelligences are: linguistic, logical-mathematical, bod-ily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and spatial" (see Table 1). It is to be hoped that most of our students have strengths in at least Gardner's musical and linguistic intel-ligence modes. Audra, for example, demonstrates linguistic intelligence in her choice to listen to audio books. Certainly, Tsee En Luk has strengths in spatial intelligence when he imag-ines what the scenery should be like just by reading the script. And Kenny has a strong bodily-kinesthetic intel-ligence as shown by his preference to use his body in many daily activities.

"Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc's Mind-Styles' model is based on how we perceive information and how we use the perceived information. "' This model deals with four basic adult per-sonality types:

concrete-sequential personalities are sys-tematic in their approach to information and tend to be organized, stable, produc-tive, and perfectionists; abstract-sequen-tial personalities will research information and tend to be precise, conceptual, vision-ary, and opinionated; concrete-random personalities operate on instinct and tend to be curious, hands-on, impulsive, and impatient; and abstract-random personal-ities depend on absorption of informa-tion and tend to be spontaneous, adapt-able, social, and perceptive.

Using Dr. Anthony E Gregorc's Mind_StyleSTM model, we would find that Tsee En Luk seems to function most often in the abstract-sequential mode. When he needs to have his vocal exercises written out, he shows that he is systematic and structured in his approach to learning. His need to see the medical drawings of the dia-phragm shows his analytic nature. His ability to visualize scenery in his head merely by reading the script and his memorization routine of visual-izing the words and music in his head suggest that he is a person who func-tions in the abstract. His sequential nature is underscored by his reaction

to the unplanned movements of his accompanist.

Abstract-random Audra Torey shows her compassionate nature when she finds it easy to understand the subtext of opera scenes that she prepares. Her imagination allows her to hear the characters talk in her head when she performs. Her abilities to be spontaneous and perceptive con-tribute to her ability to play the piano by ear. Being easily distracted by extra-neous noises from the audience and always asking to learn new pieces before having completed the old are signs of her randomness. It is impor-tant to give students such as Audra a chance to choose some of their new songs, as it is important for them to be emotionally connected to their songs. Finally, because Audra is an abstract-random dominant personality, she will avoid competitions because she dislikes criticism: even positive crit-icism has to be delivered carefully.

Kenny Stetick falls into the con-crete-sequential mode. He is hard-working, factual, and conventional. He can be depended upon to get the

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Carl D. Swanson

Table 2. Gregorc's Mind Styles' Model Interpreted for the Voice Teacher.

CONCRETE SEQUENTIAL CONCRETE RANDOM

Strengths Upon Which to Build Strengths Upon Which to Build • Explore the details of a new song first, and then • Sight read the whole song first, and then explore

sing it through. the details. • Share your planned agenda with the student at the • Set goals for future performance.

beginning of the lesson. • Explore a variety of options to obtain a goal. • Establish routines. • Relate songs to the student's own experience. • Give clear and exact directions.

Weaknesses Upon Which to Improve Weaknesses Upon Which to Improve • Encourage the student to explore the imagery of the song. • Encourage the student to take notes. • Help the student to find songs in which he or • Set your planned agenda with the student at the

she can become emotionall y invested, beginning of the lesson.

ABSTRACT SEQUENTIAL ABSTRACT RANDOM

Strengths Upon Which to Build Strengths Upon Which to Build • Explore the details of a new song first, and then • Sight read the whole song first, and then explore

sing it through. the details. • Encourage the student to take notes. • Encourage the student to explore the feelings and • Use posters, drawings, diagrams, and other visual emotions behind the song.

aids to demonstrate your point. • Pick repertoire that is appealing to the student. • Make eye contact when making a point. • Work one-on-one, not in a group. • Use physical demonstrations before asking the

student to try a task. • Vary exercises to avoid boredom.

Weaknesses Upon Which to Improve Weaknesses Upon Which to Improve • Encourage the student to sometimes sight read a • Work to remove the anxiety from competitions.

song without delving into the details first. • Concentrate on one song at a time. • Encourage the student to explore the feelings and • Help the student to accept positive criticism.

emotions behind the song. • Plan the lesson's agenda at the beginning of the • Work with the student to maintain concentration lesson.

during repetitive tasks such as warm-ups.

job done. He is a hands-on sort of stu-dent, preferring to dive in, get his hands dirty, and get the job done as systematically as possible. Learning the accompaniments of his songs is one way Kenny sequences his learn-ing.

A student who functions in the concrete-random mode

prefers to receive information in an un-structured manner; enjoys group discus-sion, cooperative learning, and multi-sen-sory experiences; often connects feelings with concepts and ideas; and prefers to learn through simulations, discussion-

based activities, confluent/holistic edu-cation, and cooperative/collaborative learning.'

Good teachers always have re-sponded to these different styles of learning in their students. Many do this instinctively. But how does one incorporate these ideas into his or her teaching style to ensure the best possible learning experience for the student?

First, it is necessary to establish each student's learning style. This can be done formally with the use of any number of learning styles inven-

tories easily found on the Internet. Many teachers, however, make this assessment by the observation of stu-dents' behaviors. Once the learning style is known, it is incumbent upon the teacher to make adjustments to his or her teaching style.

Random learners, as described by Gregorc, are top-down learners. They "learn best by developing a concep-tual framework into which they fit details and specific information." This is the student who needs to start with the general and work down toward the specific.. Start this student

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with the whole song and then go back to explore the details.

"Serialists, or sequential learners, are bottom-up learners who like to learn individual details and then use a series of steps to gain an overall understanding."' This is the student who takes the time to deal with all the minutiae. Start this student with details such as the translation of the piece, the form of the piece, or the dif-ficult passages, and then start putting the song together section by section. Table 2 offers further suggestions of the best ways to deal with students labeled using Gregorc's Mind-Styles'' model.

Encourage kinesthetic/tactile learn-ers such as Kenny Stetick to learn to play the accompaniments of their songs. This will help them to put the pieces of a song together to make a whole. Allow visual learners such as Tsee En Luk time to take notes and to draw pictures. This will help them to analyze the pieces being performed. Allow auditory learners such as Audra Torey to record the melodies that they need to learn new pieces. This will

allow them to internalize new songs more quickly. Table 3 offers further suggestions of the best ways to deal with students labeled using Tracy and Rose's model.

After twenty-seven years as a class-room teacher and several more than that as a voice teacher, I have seen many educational theories come and go. The concept of altering one's teaching style to match the learning styles of students, however, is an idea that must persist. There is no doubt that as technology increases our abil-ities to interact with students, we will further refine our understanding of teaching and learning styles. But rest assured that we will always need to embrace our students' learning styles to create a rich and effective educa-tional experience for all of the stu-dents in our studios.

NOTES 1. http://www.ldpride.net/learning

stylcs.Ml.htm#Learning % 20Styles % 2 OExplained

2. Ibid., I.

3. Ibid.

4. http://www.educationworld.com/ a_cu rr/currO54.shtin]

5. http://www.gregorc.com/

6. Ibid., 5.

7. http://employees.csbsju.edu/esass learningstyle.htm

8. Ibid., 7.

9. Ibid.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Tracy. Brian, and Cohn Rose. Accelerated Learning Techniques. Niles, IL: Night-ingale-Conant Corporation, 1997.

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theoixj of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books, 1983.

INTERNET RESOURCES

http://www.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/ac skills/visual.html

http://www.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/ac skills/auditory.html

http://www.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/ac skills/kinesthetic. html

http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/lsu lsiframe.html

http://staff.gc.maricopa.edu/ ' jgibson/ mil/LSlnventories.htm

http://www.cloudnet.com/ edrbsass/ learningstylesjigsaw.html

http:/ / www.ldprlile.net

Carl I). Swauson liokis a Bachelor of MUSiC

degree from the University of Rhode Island and a Masters in Education degree from Suffolk University in Boston. He is currently the New England Region Governor of NATh and has served as the Rhode Island Dis-trict Governor of NATS. He is a member of Boston NATS and afounding member of the Rhode Island Chapter of NATS and served as Secretary, Vice President, and President. Swanson serves as the webmas-ter of the New England NATS website [www

Table 3. Tracy and Rose's Accelerated Learning Techniques,

Visual Learners • Present as much information as possible in pictures, diagrams, posters, or charts. • Allow these students to close their eyes to visualize the aural information they

receive. • Match your body language to the needs of the music and concepts you wish to

teach.

Auditory Learners • Give these students plenty of oral explanations, choosing words carefull y to

convey the nuance of your explanations. • Encourage these students to repeat back to you the information they have

learned. • Teach new songs by carefully and accurately playing or singing it for the stu-

dent.

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners Teach blocking, movement, and gestures in conjunction with learning a new song. Encourage students who can play an instrument to learn to play their songs. Choose active songs for these students whenever possible.

NOVEMBER / I)i•:ci:i Iii:i 2005 207

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Carl D. Swanson

nats.org/newenglandJ . in addition to teach-ing grade three in I)uxbuq, Massachusetts by day. Swanson currently teaches voice at his home studio in Wareham, Massachu-setts and at Northeastern University in Boston. A tenor, Swanson has made numer-oiis opera and oratorio appearances through - out New England, includinq performances with Opera Rhode Island, Rhode island's Bel Canto Opera Company, the New Bed-ford Choral Society. the Somerset Choral Society, the Sippican Choral Society, the Falmouth Interfaith Choir, and the Cape Cod Chorale. His past engagements as a conductor include Chorus Master of Opera Rhode Island, Music i)irector of several churches and temples, several engagements as Choral 1)irector for All-State choruses, and Director of the Providence Gay Men's Chorus. His recordings include Handel's Messiah and Mendelssohn s Elijah.

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208 JOURNAL OF SINGING