Everyone knows, learning a second language is difficult. Whether learning a language more difficult than your mother tongue or even a language that is rated less difficult. Learning a second language is difficult. But, learning the tricks of learning a second language can help immensely in your progress and ultimately your success.
There are three main types of styles in which individuals are often categorized under when it comes to learning. Once you have determined which type of learner that you are, you are able to employ the skills and therefore increase the information that can be learned, as well as increase the ease in which the information is learned.
The three main types of learning are;
- Auditory
- Visual, and
- Kinesthetic
Most people learn best through a combination of the three types of learning styles and most people usually have a clear preference for one. But everybody is different.
Knowing and understanding the types of learning styles is important for students of any age. It is advantageous for students to understand their type of learning style early on so that homework and learning may become easier and less stressful in the future.
Although it may be tempting to stick with what works, it’s important to practice and train the other types of learning styles early on so that, as the child grows, they can utilize the other types just as effectively.
The main learning styles are;
- Aural (auditory-musical) Hear:
You prefer using sound and music.
Auditory learners would rather listen to things being explained than read about them. Reciting information out loud and having music in the background may be a common study method. Other noises may become a distraction resulting in a need for a relatively quiet place.
Auditory listeners learn best through the use of verbal communication and lectures. Auditory learners can have information revealed to them through written works, but in most cases, the information is not going to make sense or “click” until the information has been heard.
There are many things that auditory learners listen for while they are learning a new skill. They listen for the tone of voice, the pitch within the voice and even the speed of the person that is teaching the new skill or information. All of this information that has been interpreted is then used when learning.
Auditory learners will benefit from creating recordings of the information that is being taught, as well as benefit from information that has been played back from these recordings.
Most auditory learners tend to repeat things aloud, so they are able to easily learn the information that is being repeated.
- Visual (spatial) See:
You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
Visual learners learn new skills by seeing and learn new information best by looking at graphics, watching a demonstration, or reading. For them, it’s easy to look at charts and graphs, but they may have difficulty focusing while listening to an explanation.
How can you identify if you are a visual learner? If you learn best and take notes when visual information is being presented, and create your own charts and graphics while learning then you may be a visual learner.
Through the use of hand-outs, charts and visual information, the visual learner should be easily able to readily absorb the information.
- Physical (kinesthetic) Touch:
You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
Kinesthetic learners process information best through a “hands-on” experience. Actually doing an activity can be the easiest way for them to learn.
Tactile learners can use a hands on approach to take part in experiments, as well as other approaches where the individual can use their hands.
Tactile learners may suffer from a short attention span which can make it difficult to learn new skills unless the hands-on approach is taken. Sitting still while studying may be difficult, but writing things down makes it easier to understand.
There are many approaches that tactile learners can take while trying to master new skills.
Four sub-styles of Learning
In addition to these three main learning styles, there are four sub-styles that can be added to this list. They are;
- Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
- Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
- Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
- Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.
How to Determine Your Learning Style
You can determine the learning style through observation of your skills that are used while learning. You can determine the learning style through observing which ways that you learn best and which method are used to ensure that you are absorbing the highest amount of information.
Benefits of Determining Your Learning Type
Some of these benefits of learning which category that you fall under when it comes to learning type include:
- Being able to learn and absorb information the first time that you hear it and reducing the amount of time and repetition that is required when learning.
- Reducing the amount of reviewing and study time using methods of learning that are not compatible with your learning ability.
- Defining your learning type can help you to choose the best study method for you.
The majority of people are unsure about which methods that they should use to study and therefore learning which method enables you to learn best can enable you to learn effectively with the least amount of knowledge.
There are no right or wrong, bad or good learning ways. It’s just about preferences with which people are born. Of course, visual learners can also learn by talking and listening to other people. But they are very good at visualizing pictures and images. Thus using their sights or visualization to learn, they will learn easily and effectively.
By recognizing and understanding your own learning styles, you can use techniques better suited to you. This improves the speed and quality of your learning.