AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SENSORY MODALITY PREFERENCE AND MODE OF PRESENTATION IN THE INSTRUCTION OF ARITHMETIC CONCEPTS TO THIRD GRADE UNDERACHIEVERS

The hypotheses presented in this experiment were based on three tenets taken from learning style theory: (a) when modality preference was not considered no one best method of arithmetic instruction would exist for all students; (b) individuals with multi-sensory deficits would be at a greater disadvantage when learning arithmetic material when contrasted with learners with a unitary sensory deficit and a corresponding strength, and (c) there would be a significant positive interaction between mode of presentation and modality preference.;The achievement of nonpreferenced learners was predicted by Hypothesis 2. The results of an Analysis of Variance yielded a non significant F ratio indicating no difference in post experimental achievement among modality preferenced groups, Hypothesis 2 thus was not supported.;The data indicated that visual preferenced learners demonstrated statistically higher improvement when instructed through the visual, rather than auditory, condition. The data also revealed higher change scores for the visual preferenced condition when contrast with those of the tactile/kinesthetically enriched condition. No statistical support was assessed for the greater effectiveness of an auditory preferenced/auditory enriched modality match. Mixed support was revealed for the pairing of the nonpreferenced learners with the tactile/kinesthetic condition. Those students demonstrated significantly higher mean change scores through a tactile/kinesthetically enriched approach rather than through a visual one. They also performed better through the tactile/kinesthetic, rather than auditory, approach although those differences were not statistically significant. No difference in the effectiveness of the tactile/kinesthetically enriched condition was revealed statistically.;The findings were viewed as having implications for the discontinuation of the commonality system. Additionally, the possibly deterimental effects of continuing instruction in a lecture discussion method for youngsters with auditory deficits was described.;Results. Hypothesis I maintained that there would be no one best teaching method for all students. The results of an Analysis of Variance testing the differences in change scores among groups taught by auditory, visual or nonpreferenced teaching methods revealed an insignificant F ratio, providing support for Hypothesis I.