Student Resources
Student Resources
Learning Styles
What do we mean by learning styles?
We use the phrase "learning styles" to refer to a person's characteristic patterns of strengths, weaknesses and preferences in taking in, processing, and retrieving information.
An explanation of various styles...
Verbal/WrittenLearners who prefer this learning style are most comfortable learning by reading. Often, m order to remember new information they must see it written down before they can transfer it to long term memory. They might also be most comfortable expressing the information they know through writing about it.
Aural/Auditory/OralFor these learners, information is most easily processed through hearing it. A strongly auditory learner might read aloud when they reach a particularly difficult part of a written text, and will usually enjoy studying with another person or in a group. Sometimes auditory learners are also most confident and capable when they express their thoughts orally, rather than in writing.
Visual/GraphicThese learners learn best when using pictures, graphs, concept maps, grids, matrices and other visual representations of the information to be learned. Visual learning styles can be very important in subjects such as economics, physics, biology and other sciences (not to mention in art!) These students may need to convert notes from class or readings to concept maps, or they might find it easier to organize a paper if they use a map rather than a traditional linear outline.
Kinesthetic/Tactile ConcreteKinesthetic learners learn through their whole body: sight, smell, movement, touch, and color all help kinesthetic learners. They will learn best by 'doing:' manipulation of material, hands-on training, application of information to real world situations, creating and manipulating models, color-coding, simulations - the key is moving, touching, doing! Many students combine a preference for kinesthetic learning with another channel, but have never explored using kinesthetic study strategies.