learing styles notes.docx
- 1. table of Contents: The VARK Model The Four Learning Styles The VARK Model Education continues to promote learning styles as a way for teachers to support students and differentiate lessons. While there are multiple models related to learning styles, the VARK model is among the most widely used since it sufficiently addresses learner diversity and needs. The VARK model stands for: Visual Auditory Reading/Writing Kinesthetic The Four Learning Styles The following information goes into detail about the VARK learning styles, how to recognize these styles in learners and how to integrate the style into classwork. It is good to remember that not all learners fit exactly into one category. There is often overlap in learner preference when it comes to style, especially across subject matter and activity. 1. Visual Learning Recognizing visual learners: The visual learners in your classroom like to see and observe the things that they are learning about. Visual learners like to use pictures, diagrams and written directions to access information. This learning style has also been known as “spatial.” The students who are visual or spatial learners might draw, make lists or take notes in order to interact with and process information. Supporting visual learners: Some of the more traditional styles of teaching support visual learners, such as whiteboards or projecting information onto a screen. Assignments could ask learners to make pictures or diagrams. In addition, providing class notes or handouts that students can follow along with are a great way to integrate visual learning into your curriculum. Visual learners may have a tough time with lectures and could need more time to process information that they hear auditorily. 2. Auditory Learning Recognizing auditory learners: The auditory learners in your class learn best by listening and relating information to sound. These are students who prefer listening to a lecture or a recording rather than taking written notes. They may also be students who think out loud and speak through a concept in order to dive into it. Your auditory learners are most likely your most vocal students in class. They may also be the ones who read out loud to themselves. Auditory learners often repeat what a teacher has said to process what the directions are.
- 2. Supporting auditory learners: Including a lot of time for discussion can support the auditory learners in your classroom. They want to hear what others have to say and share their own ideas in order to learn and process information. When you are giving a lecture, ask auditory learners to repeat what they have learned back to you. Call and response or question-and-answer processes can also benefit auditory learners. In addition, auditory learners appreciate watching videos about a topic and listening to audiobooks or recordings. 3. Reading/Writing Learning Recognizing reading/writing learners: This learning style is often confused with visual learning because reading/writing learners like to learn using the written word. This may seem like visual learning, but reading/writing preference learners can be discerned as those who express themselves through writing. They also enjoy reading articles and writing in diaries or journals. Your reading/writing learners may be experts with search engines and even old-school encyclopedias. They hunger for knowledge that they gather through reading. Supporting reading/writing learners: Most of the traditional educational system caters toward this type of learner. The reading/writing learner learns by researching, reading books and writing. They will usually be content to write an essay or create a written project. While these students may not be as vocal as auditory learners, they can express themselves well with the written word. Try to give the reading/writing learner time to write their answers and work through their thoughts on paper. 4. Kinesthetic Learning Recognizing kinesthetic learners: Kinesthetic or tactile learners learn by experiencing and doing. They like to use their hands and bodies as learning instruments, often acting out events and using their hands when they talk. A kinesthetic learner may seem wiggly in the classroom. Students who are particularly good athletes or dancers may be kinesthetic learners because they are adept at following the directions of a game or a dance using their body. Supporting kinesthetic learners: Since kinesthetic learners learn through movement, teachers may ask them to act out scenes from a book or use movement in other ways during the learning process. For example, a kinesthetic learner can benefit by walking in place or pacing in a small area while trying to memorize facts. Additionally, when learning can be associated with movement of some kind, such as teaching vocabulary using the total physical response method, kinesthetic learners may retain that information more readily. The kinesthetic learner who connects with something physically can use that information to understand more abstract and theoretical concepts. You probably recognize yourself in one of these descriptions. In your own education degree coursework, you may find it easier to read diagrams and charts rather than listening to a lecture. Or you might find that acting out a scene in the classroom makes more sense for you than researching what to do about a particular classroom management problem. As an educator, you should recognize your own learning preferences and be mindful to incorporate activities and opportunities for all types of learners to feel comfortable and engaged.
- 3. VAK learning styles: what are they and what do they mean? Engage Education | What is the VAK learning styles model? VAK learning styles form a model of learning designed by Walter Burke Barbe and later developed by Neil Fleming. The VAK learning model divides people into three categories of learner: Visual learners – absorb information by sight Auditory learners – absorb information by sound Kinaesthetic learners – absorb information by moving People predominantly learn using one style – whether visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. Though every learner often incorporates elements of the other two styles, they are likely to achieve maximum benefit from learning by focusing on their primary style. An expanded version of the VAK learning model, VARK, is based on Neil Fleming’s work and includes four learning styles. In VARK, the fourth learning style (R) is based on the impact of the representational systems, i.e. the impact of social factors such as solitary versus group work. Other learning styles based on the VAK/VARK learning models have also been postulated. A model commonly used in education features eight learning styles and distinguishes between two categories of sight-based learning (linguistic and spatial) as well as incorporating inter and intrapersonal learning styles reflective of Fleming’s focus on social learning. VAK learning styles: visual Visual learners absorb information primarily by seeing it, or by visualising it mentally. They: Are imaginative and can easily picture complex scenarios, images or ideas without reference Enjoy art, aesthetics and the written word Are excellent at spelling Take frequent notes Revise well using colour coordination, mind maps and flashcards Love graphs, maps, diagrams, flowcharts and written instructions May struggle with verbal instructions Find themselves easily distracted by visual stimuli such as sitting beside a window or being bombarded with pop-ups on a computer VAK learning styles: auditory
- 4. Auditory learners absorb information primarily by hearing it. They: Love verbal instructions and follow them easily Are sensitive to tone of voice, pitch and rhythm Understand and process information by talking it through Would rather record a lesson or lecture than take notes Are good at oral presentations Learn better with music on, provided that it is not distracting Thrive in group and panel discussions Are easily distracted by auditory stimuli such as background noise or being spoken to VAK learning styles: kinaesthetic Kinaesthetic learners absorb information primarily through movement in a physical way. They: Are good at hands-on problem solving Are physically coordinated and good at sport Enjoy expressing themselves physically and may engage in performing arts or dance Struggle with overly abstract or conceptual topics Have a good sense of direction May learn by drawing and doodling Excel at practical subjects such as construction, cooking and engineering May be restless or fidgety in the classroom VAK learning styles: their role in education Make use of these learning styles to streamline your pupils’ learning processes with neuroscience. The VAK learning model was received with special interest in schools, where it has been employed as a means of helping pupils to learn more effectively and with greater enjoyment. According to the VAK model, the best way of lesson planning for a successful class should ideally incorporate activities that facilitate all three learning styles to cater to the needs of all pupils. For instance, reading textbooks and writing notes to satisfy visual learners, explaining a topic aloud to the class for auditory learners and practical activities for the kinaesthetic learners. If possible, combine all three styles into activities. As every pupil learns by using all three styles, not just their dominant one, providing for all three in your lessons will create a rich educational environment for your pupils.
- 5. What are VAK Learning Styles? The VAK Learning Styles Model was developed by psychologists in the 1920s. It indicates the most common ways in which people learn and consists of three classifications, namely the Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learning styles. Everything we perceive with our eyes is visual, that which we can hear is auditory, and all our physical interactions belong to the kinesthetic. These three main sensory recipients can bring about a dominant learning style. The method is also known as VAKT, in which Tactile is added to the acronym VAK. in most cases, Tactile (that which people can tangibly feel) is merged with the Kinesthetic learning style. By knowing how people learn, it becomes easier to understand the differences between team members. Moreover, it allows you to integrate all three learning styles into an effective training course. Human Interpretation The VAK Learning Styles consists of a combination of perception and memory. Human interpretation takes place through different channels, with the modalities of vision, hearing, and feeling occupying an important position. By presenting subject matter or other information using all three learning styles, this allows listeners, students, or pupils to become more engaged with the information provided. They will then absorb the right information based on their preferred style. In addition, in practice it appears that human interpretation is optimally achieved through a mix of these three styles. Dominant Preference People have a dominant learning preference, which is already present from an early stage. For example, one person may be able to concentrate by talking about a certain topic or listening well (auditory), whereas others may excel more when taking direct action (kinesthetic) or by looking at pictures and creating sketches and drawings (visual). According to the VAK Learning Styles, one or two of these learning styles are dominant and help people properly absorb new information. However, this preferred style doesn’t have to be the same in every situation. Nonetheless, people use all three modalities to receive, process, and learn new information and experiences. This style of learning has been incorporated in classical education and is linked to age. For example, in kindergarten and the early years of elementary school, a lot of attention is paid to the kinesthetic transfer of learning material.
- 6. Children learn maths tables by dancing and clapping their hands, making them remember them better. In later years of primary education, there is also a lot of emphasis on the visual presentation. Moreover, from secondary school right up to college/university and one’s working life, there is a lot of focus on auditory transfer through lectures. VAK Learning Styles characteristics By recognising someone’s preferred style, it can be implemented in an individual student’s teaching programme, increasing their learning ability. For this reason, it is important to know the characteristics of the various modalities, or types of learners: Visual Visual learners learn better if the information is presented through images, mind maps, graphs, or diagrams. In addition, there are also two sub-classes of the visual: the linguistic and spatial. In the visual-linguistic learning style, people have a strong preference to learn through written language. They like to read and take notes and write extracts. In this way, they often remember the lesson material immediately. In the visual-spatial learning style, people prefer to receive information through demonstrations, videos, graphs, or other visual material. Compared to people with a visual-linguistic learning style, they have difficulty absorbing information through written language. They think in images and often visualise certain situations. The following tips may be useful for integrating this learning style into a learning environment: Use graphs, illustrations, or other visual aids. In PowerPoint, include clear keywords that support the story. In PowerPoint, use images that support the story. Create handouts and share them beforehand, so that participants can take notes. Use a flip chart that people can write on. Invite participants to write down questions. Auditory
- 7. People with an auditory learning style within the VAK Learning Styles tend to talk to themselves or move their lips when reading, according to the VAK Learning Styles. Auditory learners often find reading and writing tasks difficult and will have trouble concentrating on those. They prefer talking to others and discussing the material. During presentations, people with an auditory learning style will mainly focus on what’s being said. The following tips may be useful for integrating this learning style into a learning environment: When introducing new information, provide a short explanation and conclude with a summary. Ask the audience questions and apply interactive methods. Make frequent use of brainstorming sessions and record discussions with a voice recorder. Create dialogue between listeners and students and have them enter into discussions and listen to each other’s points of view. Kinesthetic Someone with a kinesthetic learning style will prefer to interact with learning material through direct contact or motion. For kinestetic learners, the physical experience is most important. They prefer a more practical approach. Like the visual learning style, the kinesthetic style also has two sub-classes: one has more affinity for learning through motion, the other prefers learning through direct contact. People with a kinesthetic learning style lose their concentration when there is little or no external stimulation or movement. They often use high-light pens to keep busy and emphasise specific passages in texts. They also like to doodle or sketch while listening. By remaining active, they are better able to understand the learning material. The following tips may be useful for integrating this learning style into a learning environment: Use game activities to keep people active. Use background music. In PowerPoint presentations or on flip charts, use coloured markers to emphasise important points.
- 8. Regularly take breaks and have students ‘stretch their legs’. Offer listeners or students kneaded balls to squeeze while listening. Ensure interaction with listeners/students, allowing them to actively participate. VAK Learning Styles and imagery The way in which people talk also characterises the learning style and preferred style within the VAK Learning Styles. For example, visual students will focus on everything they perceive with their eyes. They’ll have the tendency to look up a lot and may reply with sentences such as ‘I see what you mean’, ‘I see a clear picture’, and ‘what’s your view on this?’. Auditory students are focused on everything they perceive through hearing. When talking to others, they’ll often look left or right in the direction of the other person’s ears. Frequent statements of auditory students include: ‘that certainly rings a bell’, ‘I hear what you’re saying’, and ‘sounds good’. Kinesthetic students are sensitive to everything perceptible through touch. When talking to others, they frequently use their hands and will find it difficult to stand or sit still. They’ll often use sentences such as ‘that feels good’, ‘I can try it’ or ‘how should we do this?’. s
- 9. The general approaches learners used to learn a new subject or tackle a new problem.