Make Your Learning Style Work For You

Make the most of your Learning Style to maximize your success and prosperity. Make your Learning Style work for you.

It is important to identify your Learning Style.

Once you have figured out the way you learn, you can develop specific strategies to fit into your way of learning. For example, if you are a visual learner, you could use a highlighter when reading a text book. The bright colour would appeal to your artistic sense and help you concentrate on the reading.

Here are some more practical suggestions pertaining to each of the three main Learning Styles - Visual, Auditory and Tactile/Kinesthetic:

Visual Learners:

• use visual materials such as pictures, charts, maps, graphs, etc.
• have a clear view of your teachers when they are speaking so you can see their body language and facial expression
• use colour to highlight important points in text
• take notes or ask your teacher to provide handouts
• illustrate your ideas as a picture or brainstorming bubble before writing them down
• write a story and illustrate it
• use multi-media (e.g. computers, videos, and filmstrips)
• study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances
• read illustrated books
• visualize information as a picture to aid memorization

Auditory Learners:

• participate in class discussions/debates
• make speeches and presentations
• use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes
• read text out aloud
• create musical jingles to aid memorization
• create mnemonics to aid memorization
• discuss your ideas verbally
• dictate to someone while they write down your thoughts
• use verbal analogies, and story telling to demonstrate your point

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners

• take frequent study breaks
• move around to learn new things (e.g. read while on an exercise bike, mold a piece of clay to learn a new concept)
• work at a standing position
• chew gum while studying
• use bright colors to highlight reading material
• dress up your work space with posters
• if you wish, listen to music while you study
• skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about before settling down to read it in detail.

You can then further refine your particular Learning Style by understanding Multiple Intelligences.