Learning Styles (Auditory, Tactile, Visual)
Understanding Different Styles of Learning
Everyone learns in a different way so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which includes hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or actually seeing the information applied. These three methods, also referred to as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but it is important to realize that an individual will not necessarily learn as effectively using one method as he or she might learn using another method. In other words, a particular individual may learn more effectively by hearing the information while another individual might learn more effectively by actually seeing the information. This certainly does not mean that an individual is incapable of learning information through the other two methods, but rather that one method is usually more suited for each particular individual than the other two methods.
It is also important to note that an individual that usually learns more effectively through one style of learning may learn certain subjects more effectively by using a different learning style. For example, an individual that is attempting to improve his or her spelling might find that sounding out the words and studying how different letter combinations make different sounds actually makes it much easier for the individual to spell correctly. On the other hand, that same individual might find that it is easier to just sit down and play around with the different functions of a calculator than actually having someone explain how the calculator works. Usually, an individual will have one style, referred to as a primary learning style, that the individual can almost always learn more effectively using that style. At the same time, however, that same individual will usually find that the other two styles may help equally, if not more, in certain situations. As a result, it can be extremely useful for an individual to determine which learning style best suits that individual and identify any situations where the other styles might be more effective for learning the material.
Learning Styles - Auditory Learners
Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which include hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. These three methods, also known as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but most people will usually learn more effectively using one method than they would using either of the other two methods. Individuals that learn more effectively by hearing the information are referred to as auditory learners. Auditory learners are individuals that learn effectively by hearing spoken descriptions or instructions such as an individual might hear in a class lecture or discussion, by hearing a demonstration of a particular sound such as a musical sound or a sound that is an indication of a problem with a piece of machinery, or by reading the information aloud. Auditory learners often have difficulty learning by simply reading about a particular subject or using a particular object without hearing how the written words sound or without verbal instructions explaining the use of the object. As a result, individuals that learn most effectively by hearing information may find that studying with a study group, reading passages aloud, listening to audio tapes, and other similar study activities that involve listening to information regarding a particular subject may all be extremely useful study tools.
The best way to determine whether or not you or another individual is an auditory learner is to ask yourself or the other individual some simple questions. First, when you are checking over an essay that you have written, do you go back and read the sentences aloud to see if they sound right? Secondly, when you have to learn to use something new, do you like someone to explain how to do it? Finally, do you have difficulty reading or spelling certain words if you cannot sound them out aloud? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes," or if you find that you use sound in similar ways, there is a very good chance that you are an auditory learner.
Learning Styles - Tactile Learners
Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which include hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. These three methods, also known as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but most people will usually learn more effectively using one method than they would using either of the other two methods. Individuals that learn more effectively by touching or using the subject they are trying to learn are referred to as tactile learners. Tactile learners are individuals that learn effectively by actually using things such as a new tool or a new technique, by actually holding an object related to what the individual is studying, or by physically applying the information that the individual is studying in a lab or other setting. Tactile learners often have difficulty learning by simply reading about a particular subject, sitting through a lecture about a particular subject, or receiving a verbal explanation on how to perform a particular task without actually performing that task or experiencing that subject. As a result, individuals that learn more effectively by touching or using a particular piece of information may find that using practice exams, practicing techniques in a lab or other setting, or simply playing around with the various functions of a particular tool or other object related to the subject can all be extremely useful if they need to study for an exam or interview.
The best way to determine whether or not you or another individual is a tactile learner is to ask yourself or the other individual some simple questions. First, when you are checking over an essay that you have written, do you take a pen or pencil and actually rewrite words several times to see if the words feel right? Secondly, when you have to learn to use something new, do you just want everyone to get out of the way and let you use it? Finally, do you find yourself using movements and hand gestures when you are attempting to explain something? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes," or if you find that you perform other activities in similar ways, there is a very good chance that you are a tactile learner.
Learning Styles - Visual Learners
Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which includes hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. These three methods, also known as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but most people will usually learn more effectively using one method than they would using either of the other two methods. Individuals that learn more effectively by actually seeing the information are referred to as visual learners. Visual learners are individuals that learn effectively by seeing the information, such as in a textbook or on a whiteboard, by seeing a representation of the information in a picture or diagram, or by taking detailed notes and then reading those notes in order to study the information. Visual learners often have difficulty learning simply by receiving verbal instructions, by sitting through lectures about a particular subject, or by simply attempting to perform a task or use an object without written instructions, handouts or other visual aids. As a result, individuals that learn more effectively by seeing a particular piece of information may find that flashcards, notes, reading techniques, and other similar study aids that allow the individual to actually see the information can be extremely useful if they need to study for an exam or interview.
The best way to determine whether or not you or another individual is a visual learner is to ask yourself or the other individual some simple questions. First, when you are checking over an essay that you have written, do you find it easy to just read over the essay again quietly to yourself? Secondly, when you have to learn something new, would you like to read the instructions before you do anything? Finally, when you are attempting to spell a word or understand a concept do you try to visualize that word or visualize an example of that concept? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes," or if you find that you use visual aids in similar ways, there is a very good chance that you are a visual learner.
Learning Styles - Visual vs. Auditory Learners
Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual can learn information, which includes hearing the information, learning about something by touching it or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. It is important to realize though that tactile learning, or in other words learning through touch, is usually not the primary focus in the classroom. As a result, most classes focus heavily on visual or auditory techniques to teach the students the material that they need to learn. Unfortunately, even though auditory and visual techniques are much more commonly used in the classroom than tactile techniques, visual and auditory learners may still have difficulty learning in certain classrooms. This is because visual learners will often have difficulty learning in an environment that is primarily auditory and auditory learners will have difficulty learning in an environment that is primarily visual. Since most classes lean heavily towards either a lecture component or towards written assignments and handouts, there will often be students that have difficulty learning the material using the particular style of learning that the class is structured around.
Auditory learners often have difficulty learning in classrooms that focus primarily on reading and writing. For example, an individual in a writing analysis class might be expected to spend a large portion of the class writing about material that the individual has to read quietly. This environment is very effective for helping a visual learner, but is very difficult for an auditory learner. On the other hand, a class that usually consists of a lecture with no written or visual components would be very effective for helping an auditory learner and very difficult for a visual learner. Regardless of the specific style of learning that an individual normally uses, an individual will often have to learn information in a format that he or she normally finds difficult. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing as studies have shown that individuals learn more effectively by using multiple learning styles instead of focusing their learning on using only one style. As a result, it is essential for an individual to use multiple styles of learning and each individual needs to find various ways to improve his or her auditory and visual skills.
Learning Styles - Listening Techniques
Regardless of whether an individual is an auditory learner or not, there are certain techniques that an individual can use to improve his or her listening skills and ultimately gain more from a verbal lecture or discussion. In other words, even if an individual does not learn well by simply listening to a lecture or discussion, he or she can still learn effectively by making sure to listen in certain ways. First, the most important thing an individual needs to do when attempting to find important information from a lecture or discussion is to pay attention. This may seem rather obvious, but this is often more difficult than it seems. There is a difference between hearing someone and listening to someone and the individual's goal should be to focus on what the teacher or other individual is actually trying get across and try to understand what his or her words mean rather than just hearing what the teacher or other individual is saying without actually comprehending the information. Some of the most effective ways to make sure that you can remain focused and can pay attention effectively is to keep your eyes on the speaker, take notes, and try to ignore distractions that may be present in the room.
Secondly, it is important to realize that paying attention by itself will usually not help an individual retain all of the information that the individual needs to understand. As a result, it is also important for the individual to be able to identify how important a particular piece of information is and take organized notes on that information. In most cases, an individual will not have enough time to write down the teacher's lecture or other individual's lecture word for word so it is important to be able to identify the most important points and take notes about only those points. The best way to do this is by paying attention to the speaker and by looking for verbal cues in the lecture that can indicate that a particular point might be important or what the teacher or other individual is about to say may be on the exam or is good information to know. This method of listening is sometimes referred to as active listening as you are actively attempting to find the most important information from the discussion.
Learning Styles - Tactile Techniques
Regardless of whether an individual is a tactile learner or not, there are certain techniques that an individual can use to improve his or her ability to use tactile information and ultimately gain more from actively applying the information that the individual is attempting to learn. In other words, even if an individual does not learn well by simply trying to do something, he or she can still learn effectively by making sure to approach problems, cases, or applications in certain ways. First, one of the most important things an individual needs to do when attempting to improve his or her ability to learn from real applications is by trying to understand how the information that the individual has previously learned in a lecture or handout can be applied to a real situation. For example, if an individual has been learning geometry in a math class, the individual should consider the various ways that the information he or she has learned can be applied in a real life situation, such as using information about different types of angles when drawing scale plans for a construction project. This allows the individual to understand the practical use of the information so that the individual can apply that information at a later time.
Secondly, if the individual cannot find a practical use for a particular subject, the individual should ask the instructor or someone else to explain how that information can be applied. Even though you or another individual may not understand the use of a particular subject, virtually every subject has some use in some situation, so it is important to be able to understand the situations in which that information can be used so the individual knows when to apply that information. Finally, the best way to improve your ability to learn by actively applying information is by practicing completing tasks using a hands-on approach. This may sound rather strange, but try completing a task without reading the instructions and only refer to the instructions if you get stuck. The best way to improve tactile skills is to actually use a tactile approach by trying to figure something out through trial and error rather than having it spelled out for you in written or verbal instructions.
Learning Styles - Visual Techniques
Regardless of whether an individual is a visual learner or not, there are certain techniques that an individual can use to improve his or her ability to use visual information and ultimately gain more from diagrams, graphs, pictures, and other similar visual aids. In other words, even if an individual does not learn well by simply seeing something drawn out on a whiteboard or in a handout, he or she can still learn effectively by making sure to use visual information in certain ways. First, the most important thing an individual needs to do when attempting to use information from visual aids such as graphs or diagrams is to practice creating and analyzing visual aids. Some people have difficulty identifying the point of a graph or diagram and acknowledging the information a graph or diagram offers to make that point, so it can sometimes be difficult to use the information provided by a visual aid simply by looking at that particular visual aid. Since one of the main purposes of using a visual aid is to quickly convey information to an individual, the individual needs to be able to look at a visual aid and almost immediately have an idea of what that particular aid is attempting to convey.
The best way to improve an individual's ability to use a variety of different visual aids is by having the individual practice making a graph, diagram, or other visual aid and then trying to break down that visual aid piece by piece. For example, if an individual in a history class is having difficulty understanding the order that key events during a certain time period took place, that individual could practice using visual aids by creating a timeline detailing the dates that each event occurred. This allows the individual to understand how the timeline or other visual aid works and how the information from that visual aid fits together. Secondly, if an individual is having difficulty understanding a particular visual aid, it may be beneficial for the individual to break down the visual aid piece by piece. In other words, if an individual is having difficulty understanding a particular diagram, he or she should try to focus on one particular part of that diagram and try to understand that one part. This will usually allow the individual to piece together what the diagram is trying to show and will also allow the individual the opportunity to practice using visual aids in general.