There are varieties of learning styles, but we are going to be considering just a few in this article. These different styles explain how individuals process, internalize and retain knowledge. So when you find yourself in a learning environment, you could apply them to improve your teaching ability, and if you are the one at the receptive end, you will be able to know your preferred style so as to personalize and enjoy your learning process.
We need to deliberately make learning more fun and enjoyable. We should make learning as easy as possible since it is such an indispensable aspect of our lives. We learn and will still be required to keep learning every day even if it’s not within the four walls of a classroom.
After several years of keen observation and research, there have been so many debates that resulted in the theoretical explanations of the difference in learning styles and patterns as expressed by individuals over time. Though some experts still insist that these theories are not one hundred percent valid. We will be considering a few and I believe you will find one or more that you can identify with in some ways.
Visual learners: These sets of people have very strong imaginative abilities, they interpret information better when presented to them in form of graphs, charts, and tables. it is better to provide them with graphical representations of information rather than just talking or writing. They process information better when they see it with their eyes rather than having it any other way.
Audio learners - These people engage their ears more in their learning process. they comprehend and process information more when they hear rather than through reading. These are the set of learners that will prefer to have lectures recorded on a tape so they could just listen and activate their imaginative abilities to decipher the lessons the teacher is trying to pass across.
verbal learners - These sets of people learn more effectively by spoken words. They are also similar to audio learners but they can also engage the art of reading, writing, and listening in their learning process. compared to visual learners. they do better with word arrangements than graphical illustrations
kinesthetic learners - These are more practical learners. They require more physical and sensual involvements in their learning process. They love physical contact with the objects of deliberation. They do better as science students because they thrive in practical lessons. They might not do so well in the normal conventional classroom kind of setting.
Reading learners - These sets of people derive pleasure in reading, assimilating, and understanding. Such people should be encouraged to take notes during verbal lessons so they can go back to the notes and have a better understanding. They love to read and write, so verbal communication might not suffice. They still need something to go back with so they can read and comprehend. These types of people will prefer to get course handouts instead of attending physical lectures.
personal learners - These sets of people are self-taught. They love to invest personal time into learning whatever they want to learn. They have a good intrapersonal relationship with themselves and they are confident in their ability to learn all by themselves.
Learning is peculiar to individuals. It should not be approached in a one size fit all manner. Individual preferences and abilities go along well in affecting a good learning process.
While we are considering and trying to draw conclusions on which learning process works best for us, I would like to propose a very easy way to do that. As humans, we connect to our external environment with our senses. Whatever category of the learning style you think you prefer, there are components of the basic human sense organs that are usually involved. So while analyzing what works, take note of what part of your senses you mostly engage. Do you learn better by hearing, seeing, feeling, or a combination of one or two of them? I think this will make your choice easier and well-directed.
I also want to mention that, there are no dull or less intelligent individuals, We only have preferred styles of learning that best works for us and fit our personalities. So we should be more conscious of this and apply it in our learning processes. It is also important to note that no particular style is superior to the other and no individual can be termed more superior to the other based on his or her preferred learning process.
Find out what style works for you and make learning more interesting and fun for yourself. We are all unique in our forms and designs and this is so valid. Actions as simple as paying attention to important details of our lives such as knowing our learning styles goes a long way in reflecting the values we place on ourselves.