Learn How You Learn

Everybody learns in their own way. As a teacher it is my job to understand how each person processes information so I can teach them as effectively as possible. While most people have a general idea as to how they learn best, they usually aren't actively conscious about it. Below are a list of the four basic ways that people learn and process information.

1. Auditory Learning

People who are auditory learners usually recall information based on the sounds of the information. Small details in words such as accents and inflection are usually a major factor in the way they recall information. An example of an auditory learner would be someone who uses a song or jingle to memorize something like an address or an acronym. They also have a tendency to participate a lot in class discussions and will sometimes record anything they feel is important.

2. Visual Learners

Visual Learners are people who learn by looking at graphics and images. Charts and spreadsheets are common to see for graphic learners. People who are visual learners usually require a reinforcement with some form of auditory learning but when they are combined have a much greater degree of retention. Visual learners are also much better at understanding patterns and are great at mentally visualizing things.

3. Learners by Experience

People who learn by experience are the kinds of people who learn by getting hands on experience. Experiential learners tend to learn by means of discovery and are much more willing to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes rather than learning the information first. Even when experiential learners are given information first, it is usually a requirement to have some sort of hands on experience in order to reinforce the information they were given.

4. Readers and Writers

I'm guessing a lot of the people reading this article will fall into this category in some way. Readers and writers use books and note taking to reinforce information they learn. Readers and writers can learn without much additional assistance from teachers and can piece together information from textbooks. They usually reinforce things they learned in classes by writing them down in notebooks and journals so they can recall the information later. Writing notes usually reinforces any information learned.

Conclusion

Understanding how you learn may not be as obvious as you think. Everybody has the ability to learn using all of these ways. However, when push comes to shove you have a way that your brain likes to process the information and it can be important to know this because then you will know where and how to look for the information to most effectively absorb it. If you are having a tough time figuring out exactly how you learn best try getting an outside perspective. Possibly a friend or a teacher you have worked with. Now go and learn the best way you can!

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