Four Learning Styles

by Susan Ingraham, Group Fitness Instructor

There are 4 predominant learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinaesthetic. While most of us may have some general idea about how we learn best, often it comes as a surprise when we discover what our predominant learning style is. And we can also have a little of each, depending on what it is we are trying to learn.

Visual Learners

Visual learners learn through seeing, so tools like diagrams, flowcharts, pictures and symbols can be key to understanding new concepts.

As University style lectures tend to neglect visual components, it may be difficult for visual learners to stay focused during a long lecture. When taking notes in class, something to try is developing a system of symbols to replace the written word. For example, instead of writing out “female” each time in your notes, simply use the standard symbol. Or instead of writing that the results of a particular test were positive, insert a smiley face!

For visual learners, it is often far easier for recall to work with images as opposed to working with words, as you will picture the image in your head while recalling it—far more difficult when trying to recall the word itself!

Other tricks to try for visual learners include spatially rearranging your page—instead of writing across a page horizontally, write in a way that is more descriptive of the relationship being described—for example, write the words out in a circular pattern if that more truly represents the relationship you are describing. Also, it can be useful to colour code your notes, to create more visual stimulation.

Visual learners should focus on the following:

• Use graphs, charts, illustrations, or other visual aids.
• Include outlines and handouts for the subject matter.
• Eliminate potential distractions while reading.
• Use diagrams to help you understand.
• Leave white space in handouts for note taking.
• Use illustrations and presentations that use color.

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners learn through listening. As such, attending lectures, tutorials, and group discussions are absolutely essential for these learners (it’s also essential for the rest of us, being a read/write learner is no reason to skip lecture!).

If you’re an auditory learner, focus on text book readings by reading them out loud, so you can hear how the words sound. It can also be really helpful to engage in group discussions about course concepts and topics—create a weekly study group to get together weekly just to talk about the things being discussed in lectures.

Leave lots of extra room on your page when taking notes in lectures, and then return to these notes after you’ve had a chance to discuss the material in further detail—supplement with the new information you have.

Auditory learners should try the following:

• Begin new material with an understanding of what is coming.
• Conclude with a summary of what was learned.
• Try to verbalize the question.
• Read aloud.

Read/Write Learners

Read/write learners learn through—what else?—reading and writing. As such, university style courses suit these types of learners fairly well—plenty of text books and study notes to read.

If you’re a read/write learner, pay special attention to text book glossaries—better yet, make your own as you progress through a course. After lecture, return to your notes for review, read them over, and then create a new, condensed set of study notes. Lists can also be a very useful tool.

And a good tip for all students is to rewrite explanation and notes out into your own words. If you can’t rewrite a definition or describe a concept in your own words, concisely, there is a good chance that there is an aspect of that concept that you don’t fully understand. Return to this concept for further review.

Kinaesthetic Learners

Kinaesthetic Learners learn through doing. This is perhaps the most challenging learning style for university students, as there are not always many opportunities to engage in hands on learning in lectures. For this reason, labs and tutorials become even more essential for these learners.

While studying, try to incorporate all of your senses into the experience—the more of this you can do, the higher your recall will be, as you’ll have multiple cues.

One way to create more useful study notes if you’re a kinaesthetic learner is to fill your notes with several examples for each concept. Try taking an example from the text, or lecture, or lab, and then try creating your own example. As a general rule, the more personal your created example is, the better your recall will be for that example—and hopefully for the concept it is describing! Also try to make as much use of practise questions and exams as possible.

Kinesthetic Learners should consider these techniques:

• Use activities that will allow you to move.
• Play music during activities.
• Use highlighters and colored pencils.
• Take frequent stretch breaks.
• Hold on to something to keep your hands busy.
• Find tasks that involve manipulating materials.