WHAT’S YOUR LEARNING STYLE?

here are billions of people in this world. When it comes to education, people learn in various ways. Understanding how your students learn will help make learning easier and make his or her educational process more fun. There are three different styles of learning. Visual learners, auditory learners,and kinesthetic learners. What are the benefits of knowing which style of learner your student might be? First, your student will be able to have a better memory of information given by the teacher the first time the information is shared. This allows your student to maximize his or her time and focus on other tasks. Second, your student will be able to study more efficiently. Last, it will help your student understand which types of tests he or she may excel on and which may be more challenging.
What is a visual learner? A visual learner learns by seeing things like charts, diagrams, and pictures. Not only do they learn by seeing things, but these learners also commonly think in pictures. Visual learners often talk fast and may interrupt conversations. They also take very detailed notes and tend to sit in the front of the classroom. Ways to help these students learn would be to have quiet study time, draw or outline information for memorization, copy what’s on the blackboard, diagram sentences, take notes and make lists, color code or highlight important words in notes, and use flashcards. The best types of tests for visual learners are diagramming, reading maps, essays, or anything showing a process. Tests that may be challenging for visual learners are listen and respond.
Auditory learners learn differently from visual learners. These type of learners learn by listening. When informatıon is given, auditory learners usually listen and repeat information aloud. It is common for auditory learners to think linearly, speak and read slowly, and explain ideas thoroughly. How can you maximize the strength of an auditory learner? Use word association for memorization. Record lectures and watch videos. Repeat information with eyes closed. Be active in group conversations. Record notes after writing them. The best types of tests for auditory learners are oral exams and writing responses to lectures they have heard previously. Reading passages and writing answers in a time allowance is very difficult for auditory learners.
The last style of learning is the kinesthetic learner. These students learn by doing hands on activities, physically solving real life problems. Unlike the other learners, kinesthetic learners are very slow speakers. They often have short attention spans and need to be active while learning. Taking short breaks in between studying helps to keep kinesthetic learners focused. Going on field trips, studying in groups, using flashcards and memory games all help maximize learning for kinesthetic learners. The best types of tests for kinesthetic learners are short definitions, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple choice. Long essay tests are more challenging. Finally, knowing your student’s style of learning can be very helpful. It is very important to know if your student is a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner to help increase his or her performance in the classroom. These three different styles of learning can affect a student’s study habits, ability to process information, and test taking skills. No style is wrong. Knowing which style fits your student’s needs will help your student achieve ultimate success in the classroom.

Jazmine Tatum
English Teacher