Learning Styles & Types of Learners

A learning style is the way each learner begins to concentrate on, process, and retain new and difficult information. Rita Dunn

People learn in different ways, so present material in various ways to accommodate all learners. Most learners fall into more than one category. If something is not working, try a different approach.

Gardners Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's theory was first espoused in his 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Gardner believes that the brain has evolved over millions of years to be responsive to different kinds of content in the world. Language content, musical content, spatial content, numerical content, etc. And all of us have computers that respond to those kinds of contents. But the strength or weakness of one computer doesn't particularly correlate with the other computer.

Basic Learning Styles

Social: Learning in groups and by working collaboratively Solitary: Learning independently and introspectively Visual/Spatial: Learning through seeing Verbal/Linguistic: Learning through hearing Logical/Mathematical: Learning through numbers Physical/Kinesthetic: Learning through moving, doing, and touching Aural/Musical: Learning through music

Social Learners
Get along well with others, are empathetic, listen and communicate well Learn from bouncing ideas off others Like working in groups or on teams Like individual attention from a teacher or tutor

Solitary Learners
Like to work independently Tend to be reflective and introspective, especially about their own thought processes Have good concentration and prefer a quiet learning environment

Learners with Visual/Spatial Style

Need to create vivid mental images to retain information Enjoy looking at maps, charts, pictures, videos, and movies Skills: puzzle building, reading, writing, understanding charts and graphs, a good sense of direction, sketching, painting, creating visual metaphors and analogies (perhaps through the visual arts), manipulating images, constructing, fixing, designing practical objects, and interpreting visual images

Learners with Verbal/Linguistic Style

Have highly developed auditory skills and are generally elegant speakers Think in words rather than pictures Skills: listening, speaking, writing, story telling, explaining, teaching, using humor, understanding the syntax and meaning of words, remembering information, arguing their point of view, and analyzing language usage

Learners with Logical/Mathematical Style

Think conceptually in logical and numerical patterns Ask lots of questions and like to do experiments
Skills: problem solving, classifying and categorizing information, working with abstract concepts to figure out the relationship of each to the other, handling long chains of reason to make logical progressions, doing controlled experiments, questioning and wondering about natural events, performing complex mathematical calculations, and working with geometric shapes

Learners with Physical/Kinesthetic Style

Express themselves through movement Have good sense of balance and eye-hand coordination Remember and process information through interacting with the space around them

Skills: physical coordination, athletic ability, hands on experimentation, using body language, crafts, acting, miming, using their hands to create or build, dancing, and expressing emotions through the body

Learners with Auditory/Musical Style

Think in sounds, rhythms, and patterns Immediately respond to music, either appreciating or criticizing what they hear Are extremely sensitive to environmental sounds Skills: singing, whistling, playing musical instruments, recognizing tonal patterns, composing music, remembering melodies, and understanding the structure and rhythm of music

A learning type may be defined in large part by the answers to four questions:
1. How does the person perceive information: through the senses or intuitively? 2. Through which sensory channel is external information most effectively perceived: visual or auditory? 3. How does the person prefer to process information: actively or reflectively? 4. How does the person progress toward understanding: sequentially or globally?

Sensing Learners
Sensing Learners like learning facts. They usually solve problems by well-established methods and dislike complications and surprises. They are patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on work. They are practical and careful.

Intuitive Learners
Intuitive Learners prefer discovering possibilities and relationships. They like innovation and dislike repetition. They may be better at grasping new concepts and are often comfortable with abstractions and mathematical formulations.

Visual Learners
Visual learners remember best what they see. They learn more when information is presented both visually and verbally.

Auditory Learners
Auditory Learners get more out of hearing than reading words. They do well with lectures and may enjoy giving oral presentations. They are attuned to changes in pitch and tone.

Active Learners
Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with itdiscussing it, applying it, or explaining it to others. "Let's try it out and see how it works" is an active learner's phrase.

Reflective Learners
Reflective learners prefer to think about information quietly first. "Let's think it through first" is the reflective learner's response.

Sequential Learners
Sequential learners tend to gain understanding in linear steps, following logical paths to find solutions.

Global Learners
Global learners tend to learn in large chunks, absorbing material almost randomly without seeing connections, then suddenly getting it. They may be able to solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture, but also may have difficulty explaining how they did it.

Encourage Visual/ Spatial Learners to:

use graphics to reinforce learning color code to organize notes use color to highlight important points in text use flow charts and diagrams for note taking illustrate ideas as a picture before writing them down ask for written directions visualize spelling of words or facts to be memorized study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances

Encourage Verbal/Linguistic Learners to:

dictate to someone else and read aloud have that person write down recite information they need the thoughts to learn use verbal analogies and use tunes or rhymes as storytelling to demonstrate mnemonic devices their point read aloud and record test questions or directions

Encourage Mathematical/ Logical Learners to:

classify and group material make lists or outlines before writing make a TO-DO list and calendar to chart progress before beginning a project use Venn diagrams or formal logic to figure out a position

Encourage Physical/Kinesthetic Learners to:

trace letters and words with a pen or the index finger when reading and studying skim through reading material before reading it in detail annotate text and write questions while reading translate information into diagrams or other visual study tools recite a list of items by counting on fingers memorize or drill while walking or dancing listen to music while studying

Encourage Auditory/Musical Learners to:

read aloud repeat back to you what you said play music or sounds associated with what they are learning while they study to help them visualize the material use jingles to create aids to memory play music they associate with positive or confidence boosting emotions while studying or writing

Sources
http://www.ncsu.edu/felderpublic/Learning_Styles.html http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm http://www.learning-styles-online.com

These sources link you to lectures and tests you can take to test your own learning style or type.