Learning Styles
According to Neil Fleming, there are 4 categories of learning styles: visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic. These categories describe how an individual prefers to learn. People can find out what categories they fall under by taking a simple questionnaire. Students can learn better by adapting to their individual learning styles. Here are some strategies on how students can take advantage of this to help them become more successful in the classroom.
Visual
Students who are visual learners prefer learning by visualizing and seeing things graphically or symbolically. Visual learners should:
– Use pictures, graphs and diagrams
– Create flowcharts when studying
– Writing notes with different colours, highlighting, underlining etc.
Aural
Aural learners learn and take in information through speaking and listening. Aural learners should:
– Record lectures and listen to them
– Explain things to someone
– Read notes out loud
Read/Write
Read/Write students prefer to learn through reading and writing. They favour the use of text over visuals. Read/write learners should:
– Read over notes and rewrite them
– Create lists
Kinesthetic
Kinesthetic learners prefer doing things “hands-on” and manipulating things physically.
– Try to use models when learning
– Make flash cards to help study
You can take advantage of what kind of learner you are by adapting to your preferences. This will help you become a much better learner and help you when you study. If you don’t know what your dominant learning styles are, you can take the VARK questionnaire at: www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire.
This article was written for you by Samantha, one of the tutors with SchoolTutoring Academy.