Different learning styles.
One popular theory, the VARK model, identifies four primary types of learners: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinaesthetic. Each learning type responds best to a different method of teaching.
You may fall into a selection of these, but you will have a dominant learning style.
Visual
Visual learners learn best when they can see the material being taught. They follow instructions better when they can see a demonstration first, rather than just be told how to do something. Visual learners typically prefer images, maps, graphs and other visual representations to other forms of instruction.
Visual learners have specific characteristics that make their learning method unique. In school, visual learners typically:
- Remember what they read rather than what they hear
- Prefer reading a story rather than listening to it
- Learn from seeing things written out on a chalkboard
- Use diagrams and charts to understand ideas and concepts
- Take notes during class or while listening to presentations
- Study by looking over things
- Are good at spelling
- Use colour to organize information
- Need quiet study time
- Often prefer to work alone rather than in groups
- May not understand verbal instructions
- Ask a lot of questions to seek clarification
- Need to be able to see the teacher
Auditory
As the name suggests, Auditory learners learn best while they are actively listening. Auditory learners find conventional study practices, such as making notes directly from a textbook, not terribly effective. They much prefer to ingest information through audio or video clips, or by discussing a topic.
They tend to remember names but forget faces and are easily distracted by sounds. They enjoy reading dialogue and plays and dislike lengthy narratives and descriptions. Auditory learners benefit from oral instruction, either from the teacher or themselves. They prefer to hear or recite the information and benefit from auditory repetition.
- Like to talk
- Talk to self
- Lose concentration easily
- Prefer spoken directions over written directions
- Enjoy music
- Read with whispering lip movements
- Remember names
- Sing Cannot concentrate when noisy
- Extroverted
- Like listening
- Prefer lecture and discussion
- Prefer verbal praise from teachers
Read/Write
Sometimes known as the second visual modality for learning, reading and writing is a learning style where individuals are able to absorb and retain the most information through reading and writing text, versus imagery and symbolism.
Read/Write learners:
- Enjoy reading (funnily enough!).
- Would rather read by themselves or to others than be read to.
- Often take exhaustive or verbatim notes in class.
- Work best in quiet areas.
- Prefer to study by themselves to avoid distraction.
- Like articulate teachers who put a lot of information into sentences and notes.
- Won’t hesitate to find a definition in a dictionary.
Kinesthetic
Kinesthetic learners learn best when they process information while being physically active or engaged. Kinesthetic learners aren't necessarily suited to the traditional classroom. They tend to learn best when they are physically active, or through learning activities that involve active participation.
- Move around a lot
- Prefer not to sit still
- Move a lot while studying
- Like to participate in learning
- Like to do things rather than read about them
- Do not prefer reading
- Do not spell well
Enjoy problem-solving by doing
- Like to try new things
- Talk with hands or gestures
- Select clothes according to comfort
- Like to touch objects
To find out what style of learner YOU are here is a great test: https://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/
study.com › academy › visual-learning-style-definition-characteristics
https://www.thestudygurus.com/auditory-study-tips/
www.thoughtco.com › understanding-visual-learners-7998
https://www.llcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Characteristics-of-Learning-Styles.f
https://www.llcc.edu/student-services/cas/helpful-handouts/characteristics-of-learning-styles-2/
