We all handle things in our own way. How we view the world and experience certain situations differ from one person to another. Each one of us is a unique individual that approaches things distinctively. Our individuality and uniqueness reflect on our learning styles as well.

Each individual feels more attracted to certain learning styles and methods. You may be attending a class with a friend who is paying attention to every word the instructor is saying and may seem like they’re enjoying it. On the other hand, you’re just sitting there counting down the seconds for the class to end. You can’t seem to concentrate or listen no matter how hard you try, and it sounds like the instructor is speaking a foreign language.

Suddenly, your instructor showcases a diagram or presents a slide demonstrating their points, and now everything makes sense. It’s like someone decrypted what you perceived as an understandable message.

The reason this happens is not that your friend is smarter. The thing is, you both have different ways of receiving information. While your friend found it easy to follow up with spoken illustrations, you found it more convenient to follow up with visuals.

It all relates to your learning styles. So, how do you know what your learning style is? Understanding the different types of learners and figuring out which one you are will help you determine your learning style.

Auditory Learners

Sound is the keyword here. If you’re an auditory learner, you’ll notice that you prefer to learn by interpreting spoken words and sounds. You understand information by listening to lectures rather than taking notes or reading written material.

You form a better understanding of concepts when reciting them out loud. Silent reading is not your thing; you will often find yourself reading a passage over and over again without having a clue of its meaning.

Try reading it in a hearable voice as if you are reading it to an audience. Does this make a difference to you? Is the passage clearer now? If yes, you’re an auditory learner.

A tip for a more efficient studying process is to take voice notes. Record your lessons and lectures to revise them when needed.

Visual Learners

If pictures, diagrams, videos, and other visuals attract your attention, you’re a visual learner. To comprehend information, it must be presented in visual forms. You love it when your instructors write things on the board, distribute handouts, and make presentations.

To ace your courses, take notes, convert information to graphs or diagrams if you can, draw images to illustrate concepts, and if possible, ask your teachers to demonstrate tasks visually rather than giving spoken instructions.

Kinesthetic Learners

Jumping to test a chemical interaction or to do an exercise before listening or reading instructions is what individuals with a kinesthetic learning style would do. You like to physically touch things and feel them rather than studying their theoretical parts.

For instance, if you are learning about new software, you will start using it and take notes of how it works along the way.

While you are most likely to excel in sports, there are strategies to nail courses with less physical activities. When studying, don’t sit still, but instead stand, pace the room, or use a rocking chair while reading notes out loud. You could also include a physical activity like pressing a stress ball while you’re studying.

If you are required to read, use your finger or a pencil to track your reading progress. Ask your friends to quizz you about what you’ve learned while you engage in physical exercises, e.g., doing jumping jacks.

Simply put, add physical activities to your learning process to help you absorb and understand information. 

Can My Style Be an Obstacle in Online Learning?

A lingering question in mind when browsing online courses on Oktopi is whether the instructors will target your learning style and deliver information in a way you can easily understand.

Oktopi is a platform for experienced educators who are well-informed about the needs of different types of learners, which allows them to shape their learning courses in a way that tends to all learning styles.

Yet, you shouldn’t always count on your instructor to learn. Customize your learning and studying process to fit your requirements. Once you figure out your learning style, things will become smooth.