The Seven Perceptual Learning Styles

1. Visual learners like to observe people and situations. A visual learner

often has to see something, not just hear it, to learn. Slides, pictures,
demonstrations, graphs, tables, and overhead transparencies are
useful ways of helping these people learn best. Research indicates
that most people in their twenties and over the age of ffty use this
perceptual style as their primary way of learning material.
. Interactive Learners learn best when verbali!ing their thoughts and
feelings. Small"group discussions, lively #uestion"and"answer sessions,
and debates are techni#ues that engage this type of learner. $eople
over the age of ffty ranked this style of learning as second in terms of
preference, and younger learners ranked it as third. $rograms which
place an emphasis on small"group learning are very successful.
%. Haptic Learners learn best through their sense of touch. &hey need to
feel objects or to touch as many things as possible to learn something
about them. 'y touching an object, these people often are able to
form a visual image of it. ()ands on( e*perience is essential for
them to learn. $eople who combine haptic and visual elements of
perception learn best through demonstrations that are followed by
hands"on practice.
+. Aural Learners learn best by listening. ,n fact, unless they combine
this way of taking in information with an interactive mode, these
learners often are annoyed by interruptions to a lecture. ,n general,
aural learners like to listen carefully, rarely speak out during a lecture,
and easily remember what they hear. $eople who listen to audiotapes
of popular speakers or books are probably aural learners.
-. Kinesthetic Learners need to move in order to learn. .ou might fnd
such people fdgeting, knitting, doodling, or wood carving during a
lecture. ,nstead of distracting them, movement actually helps this
type of person to concentrate. /hen they speak, kinesthetically
oriented people often use hand motions to describe what they are
saying. &his kind of learner would probably volunteer to take part in a
role"playing activity because it involves movement.
0. Print-oriented Learners often learn best by reading and writing.
Reading books, maga!ines, or journal articles helps these learners to
easily retain information. /hen print types attend a lecture, you often
fnd them jotting down notes. 'eing able to see and record what they
hear helps them focus and learn better.
1. Olfactory Learners use their sense of smell or taste to learn. &hese are
the people who associate what they learn with particular smells or
tastes. &hey might walk into a room and smell an odor that
immediately reminds them of a past learning e*perience. Recent
research on the brain indicates that smell originates in the most
primitive part of the brain and is, therefore, a powerful reminder of
people or past events.
James, Wayne !", and #al$raith, %ichael W" &Perceptual Learnin' (tyles)
Implications and *echni+ues for the Practioner"& Lifelon' Learnin', ,-./" 01-
02"

Kolb's Learning Style Descriptors


Accommodator
(Dynamic Learner)
gets involved
good at taking risks
trial and error
uses others for ideas
leadership
self-discovery
variety, flexibility
intuitive
asks (What can this become?
(

Diverger
(nnovative Learner)
imaginative
open-minded
sees things from many angles
good at generating ideas
likes identifying problems
creative
emotional, social
cultural interests
asks, (Why? Why not?



Converger
(!ommon "ense Learner)
experiments
application
uses facts to build ideas
good at making decisions
likes a single, correct ans#er
problem solver
likes #orking #ith things
practical
asks, ($o# does it #ork?(

Assimilator
(%nalytic Learner)
theories
collects information
looks for explanations
industrious and thorough
likes to kno# #hat experts think
observer
likes #orking #ith data
likes traditional classrooms
asks, (What is it?(
Kolb, David A. Learning Style Inventory. McBer and Company: Boston, MA, 1!.