There are three main types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Most people learn best through a combination of the three types of learning styles, but everybody is different.
Auditory Learners: Hear
Auditory learners would rather listen to things being explained than read about them. Reciting information out loud and having music in the background may be a common study method. Other noises may become a distraction resulting in a need for a relatively quiet place.
Visual Learners: See
Visual learners learn best by looking at graphics, watching a demonstration, or reading. For them, it’s easy to look at charts and graphs, but they may have difficulty focusing while listening to an explanation.
Kinesthetic Learners: Touch or learn by doing.
Kinesthetic learners process information best through a “hands-on” experience. Actually doing an activity can be the easiest way for them to learn. Sitting still while studying may be difficult, but writing things down makes it easier to understand.
What Everybody Should Know
Although most people use a combination of the three learning styles, they usually have a clear preference for one. Knowing and understanding the types of learning styles is important for students of any age. It is advantageous for students to understand their type of learning style early on so that homework and learning may become easier and less stressful in the future. Although it may be tempting to stick with what works, it’s important to practice and train the other types of learning styles early on so that, as he grows, the child can utilize the other types just as effectively.
Types of Learning Styles: A Renaissance Child
A well-balanced, intelligent child is able to develop all three types of learning styles. Just because a child has a dominant learning style doesn’t mean that the other types can’t be improved. Having just one dominant learning style, and relying on that style only, can debilitate a child’s true potential.
There are many different ways to train the different types of learning styles, but it ultimately comes down to training the cognitive skills. Cognitive skills are the foundational building blocks of each learning style. Without properly trained cognitive skills, a child isn’t able to use or take advantage of the other learning styles effectively.
Here are some points about each Learning Style. Perhaps they will assist you as you try to determine your own Learning Style.
Visual Learners
• Use visual materials such as pictures, charts, maps, graphs, etc.
• Have a clear view of your teachers when they are speaking so you can see their body language and facial expression
• Use colour to highlight important points in text
• Take notes or ask your teacher to provide handouts
• Illustrate your ideas as a picture or brainstorming bubble before writing them down
• Write a story and illustrate it
• Use multi-media (e.g. computers, videos, and filmstrips)
• Study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances
• Read illustrated books
• Visualize information as a picture to aid memorization
Auditory Learners
• Participate in class discussions/debates
• Make speeches and presentations
• Use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes
• Read text out aloud
• Create musical jingles to aid memorization
• Create mnemonics to aid memorization
• Discuss your ideas verbally
• Dictate to someone while they write down your thoughts
• Use verbal analogies, and storytelling to demonstrate your point
Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners
• Take frequent study breaks
• Move around to learn new things (e.g. read while on an exercise bike, mold a piece of clay to learn a new concept)
• Work at a standing position
• Chew gum while studying
• Use bright colours to highlight reading material.
• Dress up your work space with posters
• If you wish, listen to music while you study.
• Skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about before settling down to read it in detail.
Have you worked out what you think is your Learning Style. I’m kinaesthetic with bits of audio, read and visual. My teaching style reflects this too.
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