With or without noticing it, most people tend to lean toward a preferred method of learning. This is referred to as a learning style, and learning styles are groups of common techniques and methods that help someone learn more effectively.
There are seven distinct learning styles, which you can read about below.
Which learning style are you?
- Visual/spatial: These are learners that prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
- Auditory-musical: These learners prefer using sound and music.
- Linguistic: Using words, both in speech and writing, helps to make sense of things for these learners.
- Physical/kinesthetic: Using the body, hands, and sense of touch (like building things) is what helps these types of learners.
- Logical/mathematical: Using logic and reasoning helps these learners to solve problems.
- Social (interpersonal): Having others to learn with helps this group process material.
- Solitary (intrapersonal): Taking time to study alone helps these learners make sense of learning material.
Your learning style guides the way that you learn and the speed at which you learn, the way you internalize experiences, and even the way that you recall information.
Unfortunately, in typical classroom settings, the two learning styles most commonly employed are Linguistic and Logical. This means that individuals that don’t relate as well to these learning styles can easily get left behind.
The idea of using multiple intelligences in the classroom is relatively new and teachers have only recently started to acknowledge the fact that not every student in a classroom will learn well with traditional learning approaches.
This is where self study and online tutoring can help. Are you more of a visual learner who is looking for a tutor to help make sense of math problems with visual cues? Or, more generally, are you looking to have some one-on-one time with a tutor that can help you work on using logical and linguistic learning styles? One-on-one tutoring is a great place to explore other learning styles to really grasp complicated classroom concepts.
Taking some time to understand which learning style suits you best and using that learning style to help you study is great, but you can also target and improve a specific learning style through training and patience.
Research shows that each learning style uses a different part of the brain, and if we can involve several parts of the brain in the learning process, we will have a greater chance of learning the material thoroughly, and remembering it. Ask your tutors to help you study through two methods: one that you’re comfortable with (maybe visual) and another one you struggle with (perhaps linguistics).
Use your Skooli tutoring time to train your brain! To find a tutor that supports your learning style, search our database of stellar educators.