Remember Anything

A learning style is the way a person approaches learning new information. As students learn in many different ways, it is important for them to recognize what their learning styles are so they can boost their learning potential. A student struggling in class might realize that the way he or she is trying to learn the material might not be the best way to succeed. For example, Melissa has a class where the professor lectures the entire time. Melissa has a hard time concentrating and paying attention. She often finds her mind wandering. In another class, her professor uses a PowerPoint presentation with colorful slides and descriptions along with the lecture. Melissa does much better in this class and retains the information. It is likely that Melissa’s primary learning style is visual rather than auditory.

There are three basic types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic. A questionnaire by Marcia Conner can help students determine what their learning styles are. The questionnaire involves choosing the best responses that characterize them and then, based on their answers, they can find out their primary processing styles of learning.

A visual learner is one who learns by seeing and looking. Visual learners take copious, detailed notes. They tend to sit up front and prefer to see what they are learning. They benefit from illustrations and presentations that use color, like Melissa in the example above. They also often close their eyes to visualize or play a movie in their thoughts on the topic.

An auditory learner is one who learns by hearing and listening. Auditory learners sit where they can hear the lecture but don’t care as much about what is happening visually before them. They don’t feel the need to sit up front as long as they can hear what is happening. They are able to learn by reading material out loud, as listening to the material helps them understand it better.

A tactile or kinesthetic learner is one who learns by touching or doing. Students who primarily learn in this style are very active and take frequent breaks when studying. They tend to speak with their hands and use gestures to get their point across. They will remember what has been done but not always what was said or seen to get it done. They prefer to learn through direct experience or performing and benefit from hands-on experience. Tactile learners are not always comfortable in the classroom, as they like to be out in the field getting firsthand experience. They also tend to sit near the door so they can get up and move around easily.

It is advantageous for students to recognize the type of learning styles they possess so they can adjust the techniques they use in class to be successful. If one is a visual learner, then he or she needs to play to his or her strengths in that area by drawing pictures in margins, looking at graphics, or studying a PowerPoint handout for a test. There are many valuable resources that can help students find out how they learn best and provide strategies in those areas.

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