Checklist Adjustments

 

 

All teaching methods meet the needs of one or more MBTI types.  Here are some possibilities:

• Collaborative & cooperative learning:  E, F, and possibly S/N.
• Problem-based methods: S/N, T.
• Computer assisted learning: I, S/N, T, J/P.  [The content may favor F, but the method itself does not.]
• Class participation & discussion groups: E, S/N, F.
• Lab work: E/I, S, T, J.
• Audiovisual: E, S, T, J.  Depending on content, N & F may also come into play.
• Reading assignments: E/I, N, T/F, J.
• Multiple-choice tests:  S (on facts), N (on implications and meanings), J.
• Essay tests and papers: E (tests)/I (papers), N, T/F, P.

 

No doubt any particular method can have a twist that will accommodate any particular type, although the research is fairly robust that various methods favor specific types.  For example, N’s do better on SATs and debates tend to favor E’s.

 

So the burning issue is, can ANY unit of material be made type-friendly?  The answer is, of course.   However, the population distribution of the MBTI types should be taken into account for prioritizing the curriculum.  (link 12)

 

There is a reasonably straightforward way to retrofit any lesson plan.  Most teachers do it unconsciously.

 

This may seem simplistic, but it works.  Take any current unit or lesson plan, and then view it through the filter of the appropriate index.  Will it meet the student’s type preference?  Is there something for everyone?

 

Probably the most crucial of the MBTI indices is the S/N index.  Students encountering new material have to first perceive it, either through Sensing or through Intuition.  This means that new material must have some kind of orientation bridge from the old, known material to the new.   N’s will want a  “big picture” into which the new material can fit. And S’s need a concrete series of examples and facts.

 

The activities of the unit need to be checked for both Extraversion and Introverson.  Is there time for the I’s need for quiet reflection and learning?   Are there options for group (E) work?

 

The presentation must also be logical (T) and relevant (F) to the student.  “The principles of the laws of thermodynamics are…. and that is one of the reasons your coffee gets cold.”  Further, feedback of warm support & praise to the Feeler is essential.  The Thinker likes praise, but couched in words of objective achievement.  You may not know the student type, so practice a T/F sentence stem, “I am glad/happy/pleased that you scored __ on the last test.”  This meets the needs of both types.

 

And, most definitely, attention to the J/P dimension is essential.  Schedules and dates and reading assignments must be presented with clarity (J) --and yet with accommodation for the P’s need for variety & flexibility.  [“For those who are J’s, here is the schedule of assignments for the term.  For those of you who are P’s, note that you can pick any of the 4 projects to turn in.”]