Learning Styles

The three learning styles covered in this guide will be auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Each learning style has unique qualities making the way a student learns and studies important.  While each person has a dominant learning style, it does not hurt to learn more about different studying techniques that are effective for other learning styles.  

Auditory

Auditory learners learn best by hearing the information. Instructors who lecture are a good way for auditory learners to remember the information. In addition, when auditory learners face a problem, talking through the issue aloud is one way to solve it.  Auditory learners may struggle from learning by looking at complex diagrams without any verbal explanation.  

Study Tips:

• Talk about the information with others
  • in a study group
  • with friends and family 
• Record your study notes and listen to them
  • listen while driving to work
  • listen while working out a the gym
  • listen while taking a walk
• Repeat information aloud
  • study notes
  • sample questions

 Visual

Visual learners like to see what they are studying and prefer to have written directions. Taking notes to understand is a very important component to visual learners.  During a lecture, students need to take notes to understand and remember what was said. Visual learners are good at remembering what they have read.  

Study tips:

• Create a mind map to draw relationships between parts
• Highlight important aspects or areas that need more attention while studying notes
• Use charts and flash cards to visually diagram and see the information  

Kinesthetic

Kinesthetic learners like having hands on experiences. They are typically good at building objects and putting puzzles together. These types of learners also remember how to do things after the first time. However, sometimes kinesthetic learners may easily forget  what’s been seen or heard.  

Study tips:

• draw or create diagrams in regards to the subject matter
• simulate the testing environment 
• post information onto walls with post-its
• create and use flashcards