The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of teaching using preferred learning styles on students’ performance, in Biology and Geography in secondary schools in Nairobi County. Students in both private and public schools in Nairobi County have not been performing satisfactorily in sciences. A study, therefore, was done to establish the effect of matching teaching styles with preferred learning styles on students' performance in Biology and Geography. Multivariate analysis of variance in Geography F (1, 1315) = 2870.1, p = .000) and in Biology F (1, 1315) = 2994.1, p = .000), and linear regression in Geography, F (1, 1315) = 2870.056, p = .000, and in Biology, F (1, 1315) = 2994.137, p = .000 analysis showed statistically significant effect on performance of students taught using preferred learning styles. The findings lead to a conclusion that there is a need to inform teachers to identify and teach their learners according to the learners' preferred learning styles to enhance their performance in sciences.

The purpose of this study was to determine the different preferred learning styles of secondary school students in Nairobi County. The study was based on Felder Learning Style Theory and Keirsey personality learning styles theory. A purposive sample of 1,317 Form Two Students in private and public schools, 659 students were randomly selected for the study. The reliability of the treatment questionnaire in the pilot study was estimated using Pearson's Correlation method and yielded a reliability coefficient of .723 which was high enough to judge the instrument as reliable. The collected data was analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Data were described and summarized using percentages, and means. Univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of students' preferred learning styles showed significant differences in preference to visual and verbal learning styles in receiving of information F (1,653) = 6.42, p = .012; in intuition and sensing learning styles in perception of information F (1,653) = 9.77, p = .011; in preference to visual and verbal categories of learning styles in receiving of information F (1,653) = 6.42, p = .012; and in preference to sequential and global learning styles in order of progressing the processing of information F (1,653) = 6.10, p = .014. The study recommends that the ministry of education science and technology ensure facilitation is done to enable teachers to detect the learning styles to use in a different setting.