What is a

Learning Style

A learning style includes the various methods that students use to understand and remember information. The four key learning styles include visual, auditory, kinesthetic and reading and writing. The visual learning style involves uncovering the relationship between two topics visually through mind maps, graphs and charts. The auditory learning style includes discussing ideas in class and using debates or peer interaction as a way to digest material. The kinesthetic learning style supports a hands-on approach to education. Here, students rely on tactile experiences such as dissections or experiments to understand new concepts. Finally, the reading and writing learning style involves putting pen to paper and asking students to complete essays or written case studies.

A learning style refers to an individual’s method of making sense of new material, commonly done through sight, touch and sound. The following are examples of the four main learning styles. Visual learners may be asked to rewrite words with symbols or icons when taking notes. Auditory learners may be encouraged to record their summarized notes and listen to this file when studying. Kinesthetic learners may want to connect class concepts to real-world scenarios in their field of study. Learners who benefit from reading and writing may benefit from making lists and designing multiple choice quizzes from their notes. 

Learning styles have received a good deal of criticism over the years from educational theorists. Research shows that one’s preferred learning style has no correlation with improved academic performance. Ultimately, educators believe that strategies backed by learning science will help students be successful in their studies versus one learning style over another. Psychologists also believe that there are more than four core learning styles. These include the logical learning style, where students use analytical skills to solve problems, and solitary learning, where students complete individual tasks such as journaling to derive meaning from their coursework.