You remember what it was like in school. What we refer to as “strengths” and “weaknesses” isn’t all about what topics we’re most interested in. The teacher, the materials, the environment, and much more all factor into whether or not you enjoy that class. Most importantly, it impacts whether or not you retain any of that information.
That’s because the circumstances may or may not suit your learning style. There are at least several different styles, but among these four, you’ll definitely find one that resonates with you.
Visual
The visual learner is one we hear about a lot. Assigning a visual learner tons of text to read pretty much ensures that they’ll come out of that class having gained very little. Many visual learners adapt and can manage other methods, but it’s a lot of hard work for them.
Visual learners love charts, diagrams, infographics, and schematics. They like to see photos and videos of what they’re studying up on. For example, a visual learner would prefer to watch a video of someone baking a cake, as opposed to just reading the recipe.
Physical
Physical learners are much like visual learners in that they glean a lot from visually demonstrative materials like diagrams and charts. However, they take it further by putting what they’re learning into action. These are the people you see who love taking apart and rebuilding things.
Formative assessment tools are one way to reveal the physical learner, who can usually be found leaning over in their seat, trying to get a closer look. That said, physical learners aren’t always all about diving into the middle of the action. For example, some physical learners may find that writing, as in copying text or notes, is a key way to retain info.
Verbal
Who loves a lecture? The verbal learner does. In addition to that, they love working out their knowledge on paper and are at attention when reading – or being read to – aloud. Where some people may prefer a math problem that simply asks you to figure out an answer, verbal learners love the kind that tells a story.
Verbal learners are versatile, and most have no problem working solo. While they’re excellent test takers, their strong aptitude for language can mask deficits in other areas. This is especially true in cases where the verbal learner is confronted with picture books and video instruction without narration.
Logical
If your favorite subject is math, you very well could be a logical learner. Learners driven by logic are excellent at connecting the dots and finding the natural order of things. In fact, drawing those connections and finding solutions are what satisfy the logical in general.
For this reason, logical learners like to examine information in bite-size pieces and really digest it. This way, they can flex their skills in putting all of those pieces together – often to brilliant results.
Why does all of this matter? Whether you’re a teacher or someone who manages a business, you’re looking for success. In the end, having your training materials include something for every learner teaches all kinds to adapt to a variety of styles. This fosters a learner who is more independent, well-rounded, and confident.
