We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Alternative Learning Methods?

By Tara Barnett
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 18,853
Share

Alternative learning methods are ways of highlighting the ways in which a student learns best. This may be an issue of how the information is absorbed, or it may be a structure through which the information is interrelated. Schools that use alternative learning methods often attempt to match students to the learning method that suits them best. A person need not attend an alternative education institution in order to take advantage of different learning strategies, but an alternative institution will likely be the most accommodating.

Some alternative learning methods deal with how information reaches the student. Students can learn in a variety of ways, including through auditory, visual, and tactile methods. Learners may have a slight preference for one method over another, and one method may be easier to use than others. Allowing students to learn in the way that suits them best often results in a more thorough understanding of the material.

Often, the way in which the material is put together can have an effect on how well it is absorbed by the student. Some schools choose not to separate materials into departments, while others choose to have materials relate to one another throughout the day. By putting information together in interesting ways, students are often compelled to seek out even more information. This method can also help with retention overall.

It is also possible to think about the environment in which learning occurs as a method of learning. Home schooling or online learning, for example, could be considered alternative learning methods. Some students with difficulties focusing might benefit from alternative learning methods that isolate them and give them one-on-one attention. On the other hand, independent learners might find a curriculum or school environment too oppressive and might do better in a Montessori school or other independent system.

Many schools allow for different learning techniques within the classroom, but not all schools have the resources to allow each student to learn in a way that is tailored to his or her learning style. While this might suggest that it is best for students to be home schooled, it is may be more reasonable to say that a compromise must be reached between schools and homes. At home, a student might supplement his or her school day with additional learning in a style that is a particularly good fit. It is also important to consider the fact that students can learn to succeed using a variety of methods. Working to succeed within the parameters of an institution can be a valuable skill in itself. Initiative, in some cases, can make up for any learning lost due to poor technique.

Share
Practical Adult Insights is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By lluviaporos — On Nov 15, 2014

@Mor - Often homeschoolers will have meetings with others in their neighborhoods, or go to summer camps and things like that to offset their lack of opportunities to learn with other students their ages.

And there are other alternative education options as well. There are unusual high schools all over the world that attempt to follow a different method in order to reach their students. It's just a matter of finding the right one.

By Mor — On Nov 14, 2014

@pleonasm - I think homeschooling can be good, but it often isn't done well. Very few parents will really have the ability to teach and when a student is home schooled they don't get the same chance of a different, better teacher every year that normal students do.

Every home schooled person I've ever met has also had quite a few problems with social interaction. I don't think the social aspect of school learning can really be discounted when talking about school.

Even if online learning revolutionizes homeschooling and other alternative school environments, I don't think it could ever take the place of kids being able to interact with each other and even just observe each other for a large part of their day. Without that kind of crucial development, a home schooled child will be at a disadvantage.

By pleonasm — On Nov 13, 2014

I think, with the current school systems that seem to be in place throughout most of the world, that homeschooling is definitely the way to go if you have the time and resources to do it. That way you can ensure that your kids get the alternative learning environment that they need to thrive, rather than being trapped in a system where the ultimate goal is to turn out students as if with a production line.

Students are individuals and they need individual attention to achieve. They also need to be able to express their learning through their preferred methods rather than through standardized tests. But without homeschooling, at least for a few years, most students will never have that chance.

Share
https://www.practicaladultinsights.com/what-are-alternative-learning-methods.htm
Copy this link
Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.