What Are Your Preferred Learning Styles?

I love taking self-assessments. I’ve always found them fun and interesting. Many of my students over the years have seemed to enjoy them as well. Most people love to learn new things about themselves or confirm things they might already know. I think learning more about ourselves and getting some strategies to put into practice can help us to accomplish the tasks that God sets before us and help us to be successful in the things that God has called us to do and be. Since we discussed success a little last week, I thought it might be fun to share a learning styles self-assessment as a tool to add to our toolbox for success!

In the classes I teach, both a success skills class at a local college and a life skills class at a women’s restoration home, we spend some time learning about learning styles and preferences. Knowing how we learn can affect both our success in school and in our careers.  We can utilize these learning styles to our advantage to help throughout our lives.

Self-awareness and understanding that others sometimes learn, think and behave differently than we do can also help us manage relationships with others better (both personally AND professionally). Through self-assessments we can analyze and modify learning techniques and behavior patterns to get more out of learning, whether it’s at school, work or even learning and growing spiritually. 

VAK Learning Styles: Visual, Auditory, & Kinesthetic

The first learning styles assessment we discuss in my class is the VAK system, which is an acronym that stands for Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic. This set of learning styles focuses on learning through our senses:

Visual: Learning by seeing

Auditory: Learning by hearing

Kinesthetic: Learning by movement

We all use all three when we learn, but most of us have one or two dominant learning styles or preferences. We typically default to our dominant preference when we take in new information.

Visual learners tend to take in and understand information by actually looking at it, either in writing or some other visual format (pictures, videos, demonstrations, or visualization). These are the people that when you ask for directions they will either write them out for you or draw you a map. If they are assembling a new piece of furniture, they will probably look over the directions first or watch a tutorial video on how to do it.

Auditory learners tend to take in and understand information by hearing it or talking about it. When asked for directions they will give you verbal instructions. If they are assembling a new piece of furniture, they will probably read the directions aloud, have someone else read the directions to them, or just ask somebody who has already put a similar piece together about how to do it.

Kinesthetic learners tend to take in and understand information while moving around or by touching things. These are the people that when you ask them for directions they might say, “Follow me. I’m driving right by there.” Additionally, they might use their hands and point a lot when describing the directions to you. If assembling a new piece of furniture, they will probably disregard the instruction manual altogether and just start assembling.

VAK in the Bible: Jesus even modeled visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles

Jesus taught in all and to all learning styles. First, Jesus gave instruction and taught the 12 disciples and others. Then he showed them how to do it by giving hands-on examples and by living them out. Then he let them have a go at it giving them hands-on experience and sending them out to practice what he had shown and taught them.

• Visual-Jesus showed them by doing things himself and giving visual examples.

“Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father…” John 10:32 (NIV)

“After his death Jesus showed the apostles a lot of convincing evidence that he was alive. For 40 days he appeared to them and talked with them about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3 (GW)

“About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” Matthew 18:1-5 (NLT)

“He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables…” Mark 4:2 (NLT)

• Auditory-Jesus gave verbal instruction and teaching.

“After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.” Matthew 11:1 (NIV)

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples” Matthew 23:1 (NASB)

• Kinesthetic-Jesus gave hands-on demonstrations and sent his disciples to do things themselves and get hands-on experience.

“Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” Matthew 9:35 (NLT)

“…Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him…And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13: 5, 14-15 (NLT)

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)

“So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.” Mark 6:12-13 (NLT)

Self-assessments often confirm what we already know

Most people already know without taking a self-assessment what their VAK learning styles and preferences are. A self-assessment can often just confirm what we already know.

For example, before ever taking a VAK learning styles test, I already knew that I would score low in auditory and higher in visual and kinesthetic. In class, work, or church settings I typically don’t retain as much information when the information being taught is given solely through lecture or verbal methods. I tend to do better when visual aids or examples are used or when I can participate or involve some kind of movement somehow. If the kids need help with their homework, they can’t just read a problem to me from the other room. I actually need to walk over and look at their paper first.

I could also tell you in advance that my husband, Eric, would probably score high in auditory. It drives me nuts that he can remember things just by hearing them without having to take notes or write them down. I recall nearly freaking out one time because we were driving somewhere, and he called to get directions after he had already started driving. “Whoa! Don’t you need to stop and write that down? Shouldn’t we plug that into GPS or look at a map?” I said as I was frantically digging in my purse for a pen and paper. Nope. He only had to hear the directions and remembered every single turn.

Not me—I need to see a map or directions or have personally driven there myself already in order to get us there accurately. Even then I might still get us lost—I’m a bit directionally-challenged you know!

Learning new strategies to use

One of the benefits of taking a self-assessment is that they often give some feedback with tips and new strategies to try based on your assessment results. When I took a learning styles assessment the first time I learned some new strategies to try out in my daily activities and learning.

For example, I already knew that kinesthetic was one of my preferred styles. However, I did not know that implementing ways of staying active or moving while I was learning could enhance my understanding of the material. One suggestion in my results said to listen to teachings or recordings while exercising or doing housework. Now, one thing I do on a regular basis is listen to podcasts while walking around the block, gardening, doing the dishes or laundry, or while cooking dinner. I pick up so much more out of what I’m listening to when I do it this way!

Another thing I do to enhance my visual learning style is to look up pictures or videos to supplement my learning. For instance, when I was reading in my Bible about the Tabernacle and Temple of God, I remembered that I had a book from a Bible study that I had previously done with pictures and charts of the layouts of the Tabernacle and Temple. This made learning about it much more interesting and understandable when I could see what it looked like. Once, I read in Exodus 28 about the ephod and breastpiece that the Hebrew priests used to wear. Instead of just skimming over that word I decided to google “ephod” and look at images of what it looked like. Seeing pictures really helped my comprehension.

Free online VAK self-assessment

Below is a link to a free online VAK self-assessment from Donald Clark that I use in my classes. Per his site, “This survey is designed to help you gain an understanding of learning styles so that you can incorporate the various learning styles in your daily learning activities.”^[1]

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/vak.html

Take Some Practical Steps to Utilize the Different Learning Styles to Enhance Your Learning:

• First, take the free VAK Learning Styles survey to discover/confirm your preferred learning style(s).

Note: You may score high in more than one. Personally, I scored high in both Visual and Kinesthetic (my auditory score was almost non-existent!). I have also had students that scored nearly equally in all three categories. This is not a bad thing—it just means that they are well-rounded amongst these learning styles and can learn equally well utilizing all three.

• Utilize some of the VISUAL learning styles strategies.

• • Take notes or write things down
  • Make use of visual aids (handouts, slides, charts, graphs, etc.)
  • Find supplementary visuals (pictures, videos, maps, etc.)
  • Create mental pictures or visualize information
  • Use color and highlighters
  • Draw pictures or use symbols

• Utilize some of the AUDITORY learning styles strategies

• • Read material out loud
  • Ask yourself questions about what you are learning and answer them
  • Listening to recordings or podcasts, or record and playback information
  • Have a discussion with someone else about what you are learning
  • Make use of mnemonic devices
  • Create a verbal summary of what you have learned
  • Use audiobooks when available

• Utilize some of the KINESTHETIC learning styles strategies

• • Move around when learning new things–listen to recordings, podcasts, or audiobooks while exercising, doing household chores, doing yardwork, driving, etc.
  • Find a way to make the material hands-on, practice what you learn
  • Take breaks periodically
  • Take notes and utilize highlighters during lectures, trainings, speeches, or sermons
  • Chew gum or utilize stress balls, koosh balls, or putty/clay while learning
  • Doodle while taking notes
  • Try Bible journaling

Do you have any learning styles tips or strategies? Share them with us by leaving a comment below.

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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) 

1. Clark, D.R. (2013). VAK Learning Styles Survey. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/vak.html ↑