Learning Styles: VARK MODEL

Learning style has to do with how people bring new information into their knowledge base.

Knowing your learning style enables you to use your strengths as you study for courses. One of many instruments for determining learning style is the VARK model, developed by Neil

Fleming.

The VARK system categorizes learners into four styles: Visual, Aural or auditory,Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic.

However, Many learners show strength in more than one learning style.

VISUAL LEARNERS

Visual learners learn best from visual images that do not include writing. Graphs and diagrams are easy for them to understand. They remember faces and places and tend to recall information by picturing it in their minds. If you want to invite a visual learner to come to your house, draw

a map. In college, a visual learner is going to find it relatively easy to “read” a pie chart in a business class or perceive differences between artists’ painting styles.

AURAL OR AUDITORY LEARNERS

Aural or auditory learners do well with hearing information. They remember words to songs and can recall conversations in detail by hearing them in their minds. If you want an aural

learner to come to your house, just tell him or her how to get there. In college, an aural learner will remember lecture material in a variety of classes and may be skilled at memorizing things

like music or lines for a theatrical production.

READING AND WRITING LEARNER

Reading/Writing learners are at home with written material. They comprehend and remember

what they read, and they often enjoy writing. If you want a reading/writing learner to come to your house, provide written directions. College classes have traditionally been geared to the

reading/writing learning style; these learners can take notes in most classes and will benefit from reading them as a method for study.

KINESTHETIC LEARNERS

Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. Hands-on activities and real-life experiences help them remember. If you want a kinesthetic learner to come to your house, the simplest way is to take him or her there yourself or get someone else to do so.

Another way to give directions to a

kinesthetic learner would be to provide details about what to look for on the way there, making your directions as experiential as possible. College classes like science labs, acting, or sports teach to the strengths of kinesthetic learners.

Read up:

Learning tips and Strategies for the different learning styles