With exams either just gone or just around the corner, it’s important that we develop our own repertoire of study techniques that work for you. But each learner is unique, there is even a a range of different learning types that different people fall into. This will change what type of revision they should be doing and how they learn best. 

The first of the seven learning types is the spacial or visual type of learning. This is where the learner has an easier time remembering and understanding information when it is displayed or explained using diagrams. One technique that is generally useful for visual learners is to draw mindmaps and visual representations of the concepts or information that they are trying to learn. These types of learners utilise their visual memory in order to help them learn.

Number two of the seven learning types are aural or auditory-musical learners. These are people who learn best when things are explained outloud to them, or even in group discussions. These types of learners have an aptitude for anything that they can hear. Repetition of information out loud is very beneficial for auditory learners as it allows them to process the information in the way that they best understand. It is also very important to include group activities that incorporate discussion for a very similar reason.

The third learning type is the verbal or linguistic type. These types of learners learn best from spoken or written resources and like to play on the meaning of words, using memory tricks and enjoying tongue twisters. They prefer language reasoning activities over more abstract information or even visual. Presentations and written projects are beneficial for these types of learners. If you are this type of learner, you may find it difficult to interpret graphs, diagrams or understand mind maps.

The fourth learning type would be physical or kinesthetic learners. These learners learn best through physical activities and the use of their hands. Kinesthetic learners are only a small percentage of the population, at only 5%. Flash cards can be made into fun games for the ever-active kinesthetic learner, while using examples is also a very good and effective strategy for these types of learners. It is also better for kinesthetic learners to study with others as this means that discussion is possible.

The fifth type of learning style is the logical or mathematic type of learning style, where in the learner retains the most information or does the best when there are patteerns present that they can identify. This makes them great and logical and mathematical problems that they are presented with. They find information like statistical analysis easier to access than analyzing literature or a journal. They often prefer structure and goal orientated activities over free-flowing creative ones and are good with graphs and maths in general.

Social or interpersonal learners love to share information with their peers, and are more than willing to listen and take in information from others too. Many interpersonal learners are considered to be ‘people smart’ as they have little difficulty reading and interpreting the emotions of those around them. While social is a learning type, it is only a secondary learning type, secondary to the first five on this list. Their primary learning type will affect what activities they are best at, but these learners will always do better when they work in groups. 

The other secondary learning type is solitary or intrapersonal. Intrapersonal learners are more likely to be private, introspective and independant. They are aware of their own train of thought and feelings on whatever topic is currently their focus. These thinkers often will find somewhere quiet and private if they need to think something over and may over complicate something that could have been easily been solved by simply talking to someone else. They find it easier to learn about things that they have developed a personal interest in and may find it easier to process things if they have had the opportunity to write them down. 

Each mind is as different and unique as the person with which it lives inside. We all have and individual and subjective opinion on not only the information that we take in but also the world around us. All of our experiences, future, present and past, are coloured and interpreted by the wonder that is the human brain. 

Sources

• https://www.inspireeducation.net.au/blog/the-seven-learning-styles/#
• https://www.oakabooks.co.uk/blogs/news/163702599-seeing-is-believing-or-visual-learning-and-revision-techniques-for-the-visual-spatial-learner
• https://www.wgu.edu/blog/auditory-learning-style2008.html#openSubscriberModal
• https://www.verywellfamily.com/verbal-linguistic-learning-style-2162785#:~:text=Verbal-linguistic%20learning%20style%20refers,to%20do%20well%20in%20school.
• https://www.thestudygurus.com/kinesthetic-study-tips/
• https://www.verywellfamily.com/mathematical-logical-learners-2162782#:~:text=Logical-mathematical%20learning%20style%20refers,in%20logical%20or%20linear%20order.
• https://www.time4learning.com/learning-styles/social-interpersonal.html#:~:text=Interpersonal%20Learning%20Style,-View%20Our%20Lesson&text=Social%20learners%20love%20sharing%20their,understand%20what%20goes%20around%20them.
• https://www.learning-styles-online.com/style/solitary-intrapersonal/