Identify Your Learning Style

Kinesthetic, Visual and Auditory are Different Ways to Learn

© Julie Refnov Mortensen

Optimize the ability to learn and retain information by realizing what kind of learning style you belong to.

Some students sit through hours of lectures and retain all the information presented while others benefit more from hands-on lab classes. Reason? Students have different learning styles, which present both teachers and students with a problem when classes are taught in one set way that might only benefit one kind of learner. Students can however, help themselves by finding out what kind of learner style they belong to and customize their study habits to that particular style.

The three major groups of learners are Kinesthetic, Visual and Auditory -- are three very different kinds of students who are all presented with difficulties during their education.

Visual Learner

The visual learner will often lose focus during long oral lectures, especially if these are not accompanied by drawings and illustrations. The visual learner takes mental pictures of information given, so in order for this kind of learner to retain information, oral or written, presentations of new information must contain diagrams and drawings, preferably in color. The visual learner can't concentrate with a lot of activity around him and will focus better and learn faster in a quiet study environment.

Visual learners are often:

The visual learner will benefit from:

Kinesthetic Learner

Kinesthetic learners are described as the students in the classroom who have problems sitting still and who often bounce their legs while tapping their fingers on the desks. They are often referred to as hyperactive students with concentration issues.

Kinesthetic learners are often:

To get the most of an education the kinesthetic learner can:

Auditory Learner

For the auditory learner, oral presentations are crucial for understanding a subject, as this kind of learner has the ability to remember speeches and lectures in detail but has a hard time with written text. Having to read long texts is pointless and will not be retained by the auditory learner unless it is read aloud.

The auditory learner often has:

For the auditory learner to get the most out of classes it can be helpful to:

For more on how to study read

Ways to Improve Study Habits

Sources:

Penn State Learning Center: http://www2.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/students/learnstyles.shtml

Study Guides and Strategies: http://www.studygs.net

Cuyamaca College Student Resources: http://www.cuyamaca.edu/eops/DSPS/dspsresources.asp


The copyright of the article Identify Your Learning Style in Study Skills is owned by Julie Refnov Mortensen. Permission to republish Identify Your Learning Style must be granted by the author in writing.




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