Learning Styles and Teaching Styles as Factors Affecting Students’ Engagement of Learners with Learning Disabilities

Student engagement remains a crucial factor in the academic success of learners with disabilities, particularly as educators strive to address diverse learning needs in inclusive classrooms. This study examined the relationship between students’ learning styles and teachers’ instructional styles, and how their alignment influences student engagement. Utilizing a non-experimental descriptive-correlational design, the study involved respondents from inclusive education settings and employed purposive sampling. Standardized instruments were used to identify students’ preferred learning styles—visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic—as well as teachers’ dominant instructional methods. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. Results indicated that alignment between teaching methods and learning styles was positively correlated with student engagement. The highest engagement levels were observed in classrooms where instructional strategies matched students’ preferred modalities, particularly through interactive, visually rich, and hands-on activities. These findings highlight the importance of differentiated instruction in promoting motivation, active participation, and meaningful learning experiences among students with learning disabilities.