Assess Your Learning Style
If someone asked you what your learning style is, would you know? If not, you’re certainly not alone. Many people are unaware that there is such a thing as a ‘learning style’, but the concept has been used in public school classrooms for many years now. Simply put, your learning style is the way you prefer to learn. Some people learn better in a lecture environment, some by reviewing pictures and diagrams, others by working with their hands. You might be surprised when you find out what your learning style really is, because it isn’t always obvious.
In 1992, New Zealand educator Neil D. Fleming created a set of learning style categories that is in common use today. He, among many others, discovered that people learn best when they’re taught in their preferred way. Fleming’s VARK test separates learners into four main categories; Visual, Aural (hearing), Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic. Some people learn in a variety of ways, and these learning styles are called Multimodal. After filling out a VARK ‘How Do I Learn Best’ questionnaire, you’ll discover your personal ‘learning style’. Learning style discoveries have been helpful for students who’ve had difficulty in traditional environments, and can help other kinds of students get better grades and even improve communication skills.
Fleming’s Four Learning Styles
Visual
If you prefer to learn by visual methods, you will gather methods in ordinary ways, but you will also learn a lot from observing the instructor’s facial expression and gestures. You tend to think in images, and prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid distracting sights. You read textbooks with a highlighter in hand, and every few seconds, you hit the page with a neon yellow or pink line. This not only leaves an impression on your mind, but it also provides a visual cue within the material for later reference and exams. You might also prefer to learn by film and video demonstrations, flow charts and PowerPoint presentations. As you process the information visually, you gain deeper learning because of the visual cues you’ve created.
Aural
Listening to information is the way you learn best if you’re an aural learner. You do well when you attend lectures, take notes as you go along (although you’d prefer not to), join discussion groups to review the material, or explain the topic to others and yourself aloud as you learn. Hearing yourself read the material aloud, or tape recording a lecture works very well for you, as you are likely to recall the information best this way.
Read/Write
This method is a twofold process: reading, then writing down what was read, either in the form of brief summary or word for word. The Read/Write learner makes lists to categorize and simplify the material, makes use of handouts, textbook material, writing down the salient material as he/she goes along.
Kinesthetic
If you find that you remember material best when you’ve applied a physical demonstration, you’re probably a kinesthetic learner.
Multimodal
A multimodal learner prefers a combination of styles, sometimes leaning more towards visual and kinesthetic, or in other cases aural and read/write.
Other commonly used learning style categories and questionnaires are the Barsch Learning Styles Inventory, David Kolb’s ELT (Experiential Learning Theory), the Index of Learning Styles, the Multiple Intelligences Inventory, and the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory. Most of these offer a brief test that you can take online free of charge.
Critics say that while it’s good practice to acknowledge different learning styles, teachers should be careful. Younger students are frequently not the best judges of what will lead to the best outcome: actually knowing the material. Teachers should guard against being too accommodating, and students should know that even under the best conditions, learning can be difficult.
If you find that the VARK test or other types of learning-style quizzes aren’t helpful, simply ask yourself where you prefer to study, and which processes work best for you in the classroom and when you’re preparing for an exam. You’ve chosen these methods because they work well for you, so if you’re succeeding with them, stick with it.