Different learning styles coincides with your personality style. Each of us has different learning style or combination of styles. We all learn differently but we can all learn effectively. How? Well, the first step towards this is reassess one’s approach of learning. It is vital to understand ones own learning style and use it to your best advantage.
We have as many as 12 learning styles and it is definitely a challenge to accommodate different multiple intelligence with diverse learning needs. Multisensory learning approach is one of the most effective approach that uses different senses in teaching. I am sure most of you must have heard about Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence , where he had categorized 8 Intelligence.
- Visual-spatial: In this people learn better when they use their sense of sight to decode any information, be it flow chart, images or videos.
- Linguistic-verbal: In this people enjoy reading and writing and have a very strong language skills. They can remember anything written or spoken and that’s why they are very good when it comes to debating or persuasion skills.
- Logical-mathematical: In this people are good at reasoning, recognizing patterns, and logically analyzing problems and that’s why they are very good thinkers and researchers.
- Body-kinesthetic: In this people have excellent physical coordination and that’s why they are extremally good at sports, dance or anything to do with bodily movements.
- Musical: These are the people who love music and compositions. They always follow patterns and rhythm in everything they do.
- Interpersonal: They love to be surrounded by people so basically they are people’s person. They are very easy with interactions and can strike a conversation with deep understanding of people’s emotions.
- Intrapersonal: These people are aware about their own emotions and feelings. They love spending time with themselves and are great thinkers.
- Naturalistic: They love to be surrounded with nature and are often interested in nurturing, exploring the environment, and learning about other species. These individuals are said to be highly aware of even subtle changes to their environments.
Each of these intelligence or learning styles can be tapped by using different teaching methods.
- Visual teaching
- Auditory teaching
- Tacticle teaching
- Kinesthetic teaching
- Sequential teaching (Step by step)
- Simultaneous teaching (bigger picture)
- Logical teaching
- Verbal teaching
- Interactive teaching
- Indirect experience (through other experience)
- Personal experience
- Rhythmic teaching
How to manage when there is a mismatch between teaching style and learning style.
- Try to put your heart and soul in whatever course you take up.
- Make your own notes and translate the materials into a form that is best understood by you
- Questioning is a best way of understanding. Make sure you take interest in the questions as well as answers given by your friends or people around you.
- Understand your needs and accordingly ask for it be it additional reading materials, more freedom, more structured way of learning etc.
- Have a clear, direct and respectful communication while learning.
- Build a pattern of study with breaks for recreation .
- Make study groups, as collaborative learning helps you not just to understand your learning style better but making learning more effective.
- Identify the best studying place for yourself with good ventilation, lighting, uncluttered and with zero distractions.
There are different methods that can help you understand your learning style, most of them are available online. Knowing your learning style help you grow into an effective learner. It will not only maximize your true potential or gives you an edge over your competitors but will also make you a very confident person.
So what are you waiting for, check out Learning Styles Test and be an effective Learner
Imagemakeover 