http://www.plsweb.com/learningstyles_ca/
The resource I found to help with differentiation is more so for the teachers. It is called ‘The Kaleidoscope Profile A Learning Styles Inventory.’ The purpose of this inventory is to discover how your students work best in with what learning style. The three points that the website chose to put under the title are ‘easy to give, fun to take, quick to score.’ These are supposed to be like the selling points for the inventory. From what I have read though these three points seem to be true. One reason teachers really like to use this is it is more fun for the kids compared to other learning style tests, and it is really easy for teachers to score. The Kaleidoscope profile is available in a couple of different versions so it covers a wide range of ages. For students they have a version for grades 3-6 and then another one for grades 7-12. They also have a version for educators to take and yet another for the workplace.
This inventory helps teachers better tailor their lesson plans to the specific learning needs of each student. When the instruction time in a classroom will be more beneficial if the teacher is more aware of the way each student learns best. The way the kids take the test is quite interesting and fun. They respond to prompts by peeling off stickers that have phrases on them. These phrases address specific learning and working styles. The children love to peel the stickers off, and they are all color-coded. Unlike some other test similar to the Kaleidoscope Profile, this test does not have lengthy questions are difficult words.
There are 12 individual learning styles and personality temperaments in four different categories. Under sensory preferences (which are how you learn best) are visual, auditory, tactual, and kinesthetic. Next there are organizational preferences (which are how you like to work) that are global and sequential. Next are perceptual preferences (which are how you view the word) and they are abstract and concrete. Lastly are the personality temperaments (who you are), and they are intuitive feeling, intuitive thinking, sensing judging, and sensing perceiving. As a teacher, by having your children take this inventory you will know your students as learners and as people. Having this information makes you a better teacher, but it also helps you know what to differentiate.
