What are Learning Styles? Information enters your brain three main ways: (1) sight (2) hearing (3) touch The way a person prefers to learn is called his/her “Learning Style. ” There is no right or wrong, good or bad learning style.

Teaching and Learning Styles • A person’s learning style has nothing to do with intelligence or skills. • It has everything to do with the way a person’s brain works to learn and store information efficiently. • Since everyone learns differently, understanding learning styles can help you become a better student.

Learning Styles • By examining learning styles, you will become aware of how your brain learns best. • This awareness gives you the chance to study effectively and be more successful in and out of school.

Three Types of Learning Styles Visual Learners – learn by sight. Auditory Learners – learn by hearing. Tactile Learners (kinesthetic) – learn by touch.

Characteristics of Visual Learners • Prefer to see information such as pictures, diagrams, cartoons, and demonstrations. • They picture words and concepts they hear as images. • They are easily distracted in lecture with no visual aids. • Overwhelmed with intense visuals accompanied by lecture. • Benefit from using charts, maps, notes, and flash cards when studying. Let me see it!

Visual Learners Suggestions for Studying • Take lecture notes. • Underline, highlight, or circle printed material. • Borrow others’ notes, compare to own. • Draw pictures in notes to illustrate concepts. • Use a variety of colors – in pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, paper, etc. for different categories or concepts. • Write it out! • Draw out ideas. • Work with many colors. • Use outlines, pictures, graphs, charts, and diagrams.

Characteristics of Auditory Learners • Prefer to hear information spoken. • Can absorb a lecture with little effort. • May not need careful notes to learn. • Often avoid eye contact in order to concentrate. • May read aloud to themselves. • Like background music when they study. Let me hear it!

Auditory Learners Suggestions for Studying • Study in groups and talk things out. • Work out problems aloud. • Record lectures, teaching and study group sessions, etc. • Read texts out loud (into recorder). • Listen to lecture/text tapes while driving, walking, etc. • Dictate papers, to be typed later. • Read questions aloud. • Use word association.

Tactile or Kinesthetic Learners • Prefer touch as their primary mode for taking in information. • In traditional lecture situations, they should write out important facts. • Create study sheets connected to vivid examples. • Role-playing can help them learn and remember important ideas. Let me experience it!

Tactile Learner Suggestions for Studying • Trace letters of words with finger (to memorize spelling, for example) • Use finger as a guide while reading material. • Take, and type out or rewrite class notes. • Get hands-on in science or computer labs, for example – don’t just watch someone else do it. • Write out everything. • Use models – of the human brain, DNA, etc. • Draw charts or diagrams of relationships.