Are You Learning The Right Way Or The Wrong Way?

The "VAK Learning Styles Model" suggests that most people can be divided into one of three preferred styles of learning. These three styles are as follows, Visual, Auditory, and Kinaesthetic. Please note that there is no right or wrong learning style for everyone. However, you may have one that is right for you and others that are not.

When you know your preferred learning style(s) you understand the type of learning that best suits you. This enables you to choose the types of learning that work best for you.

It will also be very helpful information to know the learning style of your spouse, each of your children, your co-workers, or others. Since they may be different in the way they learn from the way you do, then what interests and appeals to them, or what makes sense to them may be different from your preferences.

Visual

Someone with a Visual learning style has a preference for seen or observed things, including pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, flip-chart, etc. These people will use phrases such as 'show me', 'let's have a look at that' and will be best able to perform a new task after reading the instructions or watching someone else do it first. These are the people who will work from lists and written directions and instructions.

Auditory

Someone with an Auditory learning style has a preference for the transfer of information through listening: to the spoken word, of self or others, of sounds and noises. These people will use phrases such as 'tell me', 'let's talk it over' and will be best able to perform a new task after listening to instructions from an expert. These are the people who are happy being given spoken instructions over the telephone, and can remember all the words to songs that they hear!

Kinaesthetic

Someone with a Kinaesthetic learning style has a preference for physical experience - touching, feeling, holding, doing, and practical hands-on experiences. These people will use phrases such as 'let me try', 'how do you feel?' and will be best able to perform a new task by going ahead and trying it out, learning as they go. These are the people who like to experiment, hands-on, and never look at the instructions first!

Most people commonly have a main preferred learning style, but this will usually be part of a blend of all three. Some people have a very strong preference; other people have a more even mixture of two or, less commonly, three styles.

There is no right or wrong learning style. The point is that there are different types of learning that are right for your own preferred learning style. Each individual has a characteristic learning style and they learn best that way. Forcing learning upon them in one of the other styles may be a challenge for them or even unsuccessful. For example, classroom learning works well for some, but not all.

When you know your preferred learning style(s), then you understand the type of learning that best suits you. This enables you to choose the types of learning that work best for you.

Click here for a free 30 question quiz to determine your VAK Learning Style. Please note that this is not a scientifically validated testing instrument - it is a free assessment tool designed to give a broad indication of your preferred learning style(s).

With acknowledgements to Victoria Chislett for developing this assessment.

Victoria Chislett specializes in performance psychology and its application within organizations, and can be contacted via email: performance_psychologist at yahoo.com.

____________________________________________ 

God bless your family and your marriage.

Jim Stephens