assignments on learning styles

Create Your Course

The 7 main types of learning styles (and how to teach to them), share this article.

Understanding the 7 main types of learning styles and how to teach them will help both your students and your courses be more successful.

When it comes to learning something new, we all absorb information at different rates and understand it differently too. Some students get new concepts right away; others need to sit and ponder for some time before they can arrive at similar conclusions.

Why? The answer lies in the type of learning styles different students feel more comfortable with. In other words, we respond to information in different ways depending on how it is presented to us.

Clearly, different types of learning styles exist, and there are lots of debates in pedagogy about what they are and how to adapt to them.

For practical purposes, it’s recommended to ensure that your course or presentation covers the 7 main types of learning.

In this article, we’ll break down the 7 types of learning styles, and give practical tips for how you can improve your own teaching styles , whether it’s in higher education or an online course you plan to create on the side.

Skip ahead:

What are the 7 types of learning styles?

How to accommodate different types of learning styles online.

• How to help students understand their different types of learning styles

How to create an online course for all

In the academic literature, the most common model for the types of learning you can find is referred to as VARK.

VARK is an acronym that stands for Visual, Auditory, Reading & Writing, and Kinesthetic. While these learning methods are the most recognized, there are people that do not fit into these boxes and prefer to learn differently. So we’re adding three more learning types to our list, including Logical, Social, and Solitary.

Visual learners

Visual learners are individuals that learn more through images, diagrams, charts, graphs, presentations, and anything that illustrates ideas. These people often doodle and make all kinds of visual notes of their own as it helps them retain information better. 

When teaching visual learners, the goal isn’t just to incorporate images and infographics into your lesson. It’s about helping them visualize the relationships between different pieces of data or information as they learn. 

Gamified lessons are a great way to teach visual learners as they’re interactive and aesthetically appealing. You should also give handouts, create presentations, and search for useful infographics to support your lessons.

Since visual information can be pretty dense, give your students enough time to absorb all the new knowledge and make their own connections between visual clues.

Auditory/aural learners

The auditory style of learning is quite the opposite of the visual one. Auditory learners are people that absorb information better when it is presented in audio format (i.e. the lessons are spoken). This type of learner prefers to learn by listening and might not take any notes at all. They also ask questions often or repeat what they have just heard aloud to remember it better.

Aural learners are often not afraid of speaking up and are great at explaining themselves. When teaching auditory learners, keep in mind that they shouldn’t stay quiet for long periods of time. So plan a few activities where you can exchange ideas or ask questions. Watching videos or listening to audio during class will also help with retaining new information.

Reading and writing (or verbal) learners

Reading & Writing learners absorb information best when they use words, whether they’re reading or writing them. To verbal learners, written words are more powerful and granular than images or spoken words, so they’re excellent at writing essays, articles, books, etc. 

To support the way reading-writing students learn best, ensure they have time to take ample notes and allocate extra time for reading. This type of learner also does really well at remote learning, on their own schedule. Including reading materials and writing assignments in their homework should also yield good results.

Kinesthetic/tactile learners

Kinesthetic learners use different senses to absorb information. They prefer to learn by doing or experiencing what they’re being taught. These types of learners are tactile and need to live through experiences to truly understand something new. This makes it a bit challenging to prepare for them in a regular class setting. 

As you try to teach tactile learners, note that they can’t sit still for long and need more frequent breaks than others. You need to get them moving and come up with activities that reinforce the information that was just covered in class. Acting out different roles is great; games are excellent; even collaborative writing on a whiteboard should work fine. If applicable, you can also organize hands-on laboratory sessions, immersions, and workshops.

In general, try to bring every abstract idea into the real world to help kinesthetic learners succeed.

Logical/analytical learners 

As the name implies, logical learners rely on logic to process information and understand a particular subject. They search for causes and patterns to create a connection between different kinds of information. Many times, these connections are not obvious to people to learn differently, but they make perfect sense to logical learners. 

Logical learners generally do well with facts, statistics, sequential lists, and problem-solving tasks to mention a few. 

As a teacher, you can engage logical learners by asking open-ended or obscure questions that require them to apply their own interpretation. You should also use teaching material that helps them hone their problem-solving skills and encourages them to form conclusions based on facts and critical thinking. 

Social/interpersonal learners 

Social or interpersonal learners love socializing with others and working in groups so they learn best during lessons that require them to interact with their peers . Think study groups, peer discussions, and class quizzes. 

To effectively teach interpersonal learners, you’ll need to make teamwork a core part of your lessons. Encourage student interaction by asking questions and sharing stories. You can also incorporate group activities and role-playing into your lessons, and divide the students into study groups.  

Solitary/intrapersonal learners 

Solitary learning is the opposite of social learning. Solitary, or solo, learners prefer to study alone without interacting with other people. These learners are quite good at motivating themselves and doing individual work. In contrast, they generally don’t do well with teamwork or group discussions.

To help students like this, you should encourage activities that require individual work, such as journaling, which allows them to reflect on themselves and improve their skills. You should also acknowledge your students’ individual accomplishments and help them refine their problem-solving skills. 

Are there any unique intelligence types commonly shared by your students? Adapting to these different types of intelligence can help you can design a course best suited to help your students succeed.

Launch your online learning product for free

Use Thinkific to create, market, and sell online courses, communities, and memberships — all from a single platform.

How to help students understand their different types of learning styles 

Unless you’re teaching preschoolers, most students probably already realize the type of learning style that fits them best. But some students do get it wrong.

The key here is to observe every student carefully and plan your content for different learning styles right from the start.

Another idea is to implement as much individual learning as you can and then customize that learning for each student. So you can have visual auditory activities, riddles for logical learners, games for kinesthetic learners, reading activities, writing tasks, drawing challenges, and more.

When you’re creating your first course online, it’s important to dedicate enough time to planning out its structure. Don’t just think that a successful course consists of five uploaded videos.

Think about how you present the new knowledge. Where it makes sense to pause and give students the time to reflect. Where to include activities to review the new material. Adapting to the different learning types that people exhibit can help you design an online course best suited to help your students succeed.

That being said, here are some tips to help you tailor your course to each learning style, or at least create enough balance. 

Visual learners 

Since visual learners like to see or observe images, diagrams, demonstrations, etc., to understand a topic, here’s how you can create a course for them: 

• Include graphics, cartoons, or illustrations of concepts 
• Use flashcards to review course material 
• Use flow charts or maps to organize materials 
• Highlight and color code notes to organize materials 
• Use color-coded tables to compare and contrast elements 
• Use a whiteboard to explain important information
• Have students play around with different font styles and sizes to improve readability 

Auditory learners prefer to absorb information by listening to spoken words, so they do well when teachers give spoken instructions and lessons. Here’s how to cater to this learning type through your online course: 

• Converse with your students about the subject or topic 
• Ask your students questions after each lesson and have them answer you (through the spoken word)
• Have them record lectures and review them with you 
• Have articles, essays, and comprehension passages out to them
• As you teach, explain your methods, questions, and answers 
• Ask for oral summaries of the course material 
• If you teach math or any other math-related course, use a talking calculator 
• Create an audio file that your students can listen to
• Create a video of you teaching your lesson to your student
• Include a YouTube video or podcast episode for your students to listen to
• Organize a live Q & A session where students can talk to you and other learners to help them better understand the subject

Reading and writing (or verbal) learners 

This one is pretty straightforward. Verbal learners learn best when they read or write (or both), so here are some practical ways to include that in your online course:

• Have your students write summaries about the lesson 
• If you teach language or literature, assign them stories and essays that they’d have to read out loud to understand
• If your course is video-based, add transcripts to aid your students’ learning process
• Make lists of important parts of your lesson to help your students memorize them
• Provide downloadable notes and checklists that your students can review after they’ve finished each chapter of your course
• Encourage extra reading by including links to a post on your blog or another website in the course
• Use some type of body movement or rhythm, such as snapping your fingers, mouthing, or pacing, while reciting the material your students should learn

Since kinesthetic learners like to experience hands-on what they learn with their senses — holding, touching, hearing, and doing. So instead of churning out instructions and expecting to follow, do these instead: 

• Encourage them to experiment with textured paper, and different sizes of pencils, pens, and crayons to jot down information
• If you teach diction or language, give them words that they should incorporate into their daily conversations with other people
• Encourage students to dramatize or act out lesson concepts to understand them better 

Logical learners are great at recognizing patterns, analyzing information, and solving problems. So in your online course, you need to structure your lessons to help them hone these abilities. Here are some things you can do:

• Come up with tasks that require them to solve problems. This is easy if you teach math or a math-related course
• Create charts and graphs that your students need to interpret to fully grasp the lesson
• Ask open-ended questions that require critical thinking 
• Create a mystery for your students to solve with clues that require logical thinking or math
• Pose an issue/topic to your students and ask them to address it from multiple perspectives

Since social learners prefer to discuss or interact with others, you should set up your course to include group activities. Here’s how you can do that:

• Encourage them to discuss the course concept with their classmates
• Get your students involved in forum discussions
• Create a platform (via Slack, Discord, etc.) for group discussions
• Pair two or more social students to teach each other the course material
• If you’re offering a cohort-based course , you can encourage students to make their own presentations and explain them to the rest of the class

Solitary learners prefer to learn alone. So when designing your course, you need to take that into consideration and provide these learners a means to work by themselves. Here are some things you can try: 

• Encourage them to do assignments by themselves
• Break down big projects into smaller ones to help them manage time efficiently
• Give them activities that require them to do research on their own
• When they’re faced with problems regarding the topic, let them try to work around it on their own. But let them know that they are welcome to ask you for help if they need to
• Encourage them to speak up when you ask them questions as it builds their communication skills 
• Explore blended learning , if possible, by combining teacher-led classes with self-guided assignments and extra ideas that students can explore on their own.

Now that you’re ready to teach something to everyone, you might be wondering what you actually need to do to create your online courses. Well, start with a platform.

Thinkific is an intuitive and easy-to-use platform any instructor can use to create online courses that would resonate with all types of learning styles. Include videos, audio, presentations, quizzes, and assignments in your curriculum. Guide courses in real-time or pre-record information in advance. It’s your choice.

In addition, creating a course on Thinkific doesn’t require you to know any programming. You can use a professionally designed template and customize it with a drag-and-drop editor to get exactly the course you want in just a few hours. Try it yourself to see how easy it can be.

This blog was originally published in August 2017, it has since been updated in March 2023. 

Althea Storm is a B2B SaaS writer who specializes in creating data-driven content that drives traffic and increases conversions for businesses. She has worked with top companies like AdEspresso, HubSpot, Aura, and Thinkific. When she's not writing web content, she's curled up in a chair reading a crime thriller or solving a Rubik's cube.

• The 5 Most Effective Teaching Styles (Pros & Cons of Each)
• 7 Top Challenges with Online Learning For Students (and Solutions)
• 6 Reasons Why Creators Fail To Sell Their Online Courses
• The Advantages and Disadvantages of Learning in Online Classes in 2023
• 10 Steps To Creating A Wildly Successful Online Course

Related Articles

How to use learning sequencing to plan your lessons.

Learn how the steps in a learning sequence build on each other, and what that means for planning your lessons and online school.

How to Plan an Online Course (Templates & Tips)

Learn the top things to do when planning your course, and download the free templates in each section to put these concepts into action.

13 Membership Site Examples That Will Inspire You

Here are 13 membership site examples from online course creators to inspire you in creating your own membership site and community.

Try Thinkific for yourself!

Accomplish your course creation and student success goals faster with thinkific..

Download this guide and start building your online program!

It is on its way to your inbox

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 14 min read

Learning Styles

The models, myths and misconceptions – and what they mean for your learning.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

It's tempting to try to pin down one "perfect" way of learning. But it can also be dangerous.

Everyone's approach to learning is based on a complex mix of strengths and preferences. And we absorb and apply new concepts, skills and information in different ways at different times.

So, however helpful it would be to find out how each of us does it "best," there are many reasons why even asking the question is far from straightforward.

After all, how we learn depends a great deal on what we're learning. And our preferred learning techniques might not, in fact, be the most useful. Despite this, many scientists, psychologists and education experts have tried to identify distinct, innate "learning styles."

But serious doubts have arisen about some of the most popular models – especially the ways in which they have been applied. There are even concerns that the "labels" they produce might actually limit people's learning.

In this article, we look at how the key learning styles theories were developed, and explore their intentions and limitations. We also show why it's still valuable to understand your personal approach to learning – even if there's no single, "magic bullet" solution for any of us.

What Are Learning Styles?

The notion that everyone has their own learning style became popular in the 1970s. It's an attractive thought: if each of us could identify one, "ideal" approach to learning, we'd be able to focus on it – and be consistently successful.

What's more, by understanding other people's needs, we'd know how best to support them to learn. It could revolutionize education, training and L&D, and help all of us to reach our full potential as learners.

Before we explain why many experts now have little faith in learning styles, let's explore how some of the original ideas came about.

Learn more about the theories behind learning styles – and their drawbacks and limitations.

Different Learning Styles: 6 Influential Models and Theories

1. david kolb and experiential learning.

David Kolb's model of "experiential learning" stated that we learn continually, and, in the process, build particular strengths. Those strengths were said to give rise to personal preferences, which Kolb described in terms of four learning styles: Accommodating , Converging , Diverging , and Assimilating .

As Kolb saw it, Accommodators were "hands-on" types, keen to learn from real experience.

Convergers were supposed to deal better with abstract ideas, but still liked to end up with concrete results. They understood theories, but wanted to test them out in practice.

Divergers tended to use personal experiences and practical ideas to formulate theories that they could apply more widely.

And Assimilators , according to Kolb, were most comfortable working with abstract concepts. They extended their understanding by developing new theories of their own.

Kolb said that it was beneficial to know which type of learner you were, in order to "play to your strengths." He also believed that educators and trainers could tailor their teaching methods to different people's learning styles.

2. Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford developed Kolb's model by focusing on how learning is used in practice, particularly at work. They identified four new learning styles: Activist , Pragmatist , Reflector , and Theorist – using terms that we might naturally pick to describe ourselves and our colleagues.

To find out more about Kolb's model, and about Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles, see our article on the 4MAT approach to learning.

3. Anthony Gregorc's Mind Styles

Anthony Gregorc and Kathleen Butler went into more detail about how we think, and how this might affect the way we learn.

This theory put us all on a spectrum between concrete and abstract thinking, and between sequential and random ordering of our thoughts.

• Concrete perceptions happen through the senses, while abstract perceptions deal with ideas.
• Sequential thinking arranges information in a logical, linear way, while a random approach is multidirectional and unpredictable.

In Gregorc's model, our strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas determined our individual learning style.

4. 4 Learning Styles (VARK)

Educational psychologist Walter Burke Barbe and his colleagues proposed three "modalities" of learning: Visual , Auditory , and Kinesthetic (movement and touch). These were often referred to simply as VAK.

A variation on the acronym, developed by New Zealand-based teacher Neil D. Fleming, is VARK® , or visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. You can find out more about both VAK and VARK in our article, VAK Learning Styles .

Visual Learning Style

A visually-dominant learner absorbs and retains information better when it is presented in, for example, pictures, diagrams and charts.

Auditory Learning Style

An auditory-dominant learner prefers listening to what is being presented. They respond best to voices, for example, in a lecture or group discussion. Hearing their own voice repeating something back to a tutor or trainer is also helpful.

Reading/Writing Learning Style

People with a dominant reading-and-writing learning style take in new information best when they read it as words and text. They're often good at summarizing information in written notes.

Kinesthetic Learning Style

A kinesthetic-dominant learner prefers a physical experience. They like a "hands-on" approach and respond well to being able to touch or feel an object or learning prop.

Barbe was clear that everyone had strengths, weaknesses and preferences in each of the VAK modalities. The most effective learning, he said, utilized all three in combination. He said that the mix we achieved depended on many factors, and would likely change over time.

The VAK model was popular and widely applied. But, like some of the earlier models, it became associated with a fixed outlook on learning. Many people took it to mean that learners could be classified by a single modality – as a "visual learner," for example – with little room for maneuver. And there was confusion over whether the VAK definition referred to someone's innate abilities, their personal preferences, or both.

5. The Learning Styles Task Force

In the 1980s, American educationalists were still trying to find out as much as they could about learning styles, to help classroom teachers to achieve the best possible results.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) formed a research "task force," and proposed additional factors that might affect someone's ability to learn. These included the way study was organized, levels of motivation, and even the time of day when learning took place.

They divided learning styles into three categories: Cognitive , Affective and Physiological .

• Cognitive: how we think, how we organize and retain information, and how we learn from our experiences.
• Affective: our attitudes and motivations, and how they impact our approach to learning.
• Physiological: a variety of factors based on our health, well-being, and the environment in which we learn.

6. The Index of Learning Styles™

Various related questionnaires and tests quickly came into use, aimed at helping people to identify their personal learning style. One of the most popular was based on The Index of Learning Styles™ , developed by Dr Richard Felder and Barbara Soloman in the late 1980s.

The questionnaire considered four dimensions: Sensory/Intuitive , Visual/Verbal , Active/Reflective , and Sequential/Global . The theory was that we're all somewhere on a "continuum" for each of them. Neither extreme was said to be "good" or "bad." Instead, we'd do best by drawing on both ends of the spectrum.

Questionnaires like this promised to define anyone's learning style, so that they could address any "imbalances," and learn in the ways that would benefit them most.

Criticisms of Learning Styles

These and other theories about learning styles have become extremely popular and widespread. However, a growing body of research has challenged many of their claims.

Let's look at the four key criticisms that have been leveled against them:

1. The Science Isn't Strong Enough

We may express our preferences about how we learn, but they're not necessarily an accurate reflection of how our brains work. According to neuroscientist Susan Greenfield , the idea that we can be defined as purely visual, auditory or kinesthetic learners is "nonsense." That's because, she says, "humans have evolved to build a picture of the world through our senses working in unison, exploiting the immense interconnectivity that exists in the brain."

A study by Massa and Mayer also found little difference in learning outcomes when they matched their test subjects' preferences (visual or verbal) to the learning materials they were given.

2. Learning Styles Change

Attempts to "diagnose" someone's learning style once and for all will likely fail. As Eileen Carnell and Caroline Lodge explain in their book " Effective Learning ," an individual's learning method will be different in different situations, and likely change over time.

3. Strengths and Preferences Are Not the Same

An influential piece of research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology revealed big differences between people's assessed strengths, and how they actually tackled learning tasks in practice. For example, someone who scores better in tests after hearing the information might still choose to learn by reading – simply because they enjoy that style of learning more.

4. Teaching to Particular Learning Styles Doesn't Work

For psychologist Scott Lilienfeld, the idea that "students learn best when teaching styles are matched to their learning styles" is one of the " 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology ." This, he says, "encourages teachers to teach to students' intellectual strengths rather than their weaknesses," limiting their learning as a result.

Using Learning Styles to Improve Learning

Despite the criticisms we've outlined, some of the ideas that underpin learning styles theories still have value – especially the emphasis on metacognition: "thinking about thinking."

One influential collection of research cast doubt on specific learning styles models, but was still positive about metacognition. And metacognition has been shown to improve educational outcomes – leading the Education Endowment Foundation to recommend it as a key teaching and learning tool.

Analyzing our thinking can help us to plan learning strategies that work for us. It can support us to become more organized in our studies, to use prior knowledge as the foundation for new learning, and to choose effective methods for different learning tasks.

Plus, by examining our strengths and weaknesses, we can make the most of any aspects of learning that "come naturally" and that we enjoy, while also working on the areas that might be holding us back.

If you're eager to improve your personal approach to learning, here are three key steps to take:

1. See the Big Picture

Do everything you can to gain a rounded picture of your learning. Look at all the different reasons why you tend to tackle learning the way you do.

And, when you're in the process of learning, ask yourself why you're doing it a particular way. Is it because it's the most effective for you, or simply because it's what you've always done?

Be wary of definitive judgments. Instead, consider different scenarios, and try to differentiate between how you like to learn, and how you learn best – in a variety of learning situations.

2. Identify Your Strengths

Highlight the types of learning that work best for you, and the conditions for learning that support them. For instance, you might be more of an active learner, who operates best in groups.

Keep doing the things that give the best results, to keep your learning fast and effective – and look for ways to improve them even more.

But also leave room to practice and strengthen any learning behaviors that you find more difficult.

3. Work on Your Weaknesses

You can often improve areas of your learning that are letting you down simply by using them more.

If you feel that you're not confident learning visually, for example, get into the habit of reading the charts and diagrams in an article before grappling with the ideas in the text.

Or, if you're an independent learner by nature, make a point of involving others in your problem-solving from time to time.

Also, actively look for opportunities to try out new ways to learn. You might be surprised about what works – and about the new elements of learning that you enjoy.

How to Help Other People to Learn

Becoming more aware of your own strengths and preferences helps you to appreciate and cater for the diverse ways in which others learn, too.

For example, when you're giving a presentation, chairing a meeting, or leading a training session, avoid leaning too heavily on the approach that you would enjoy yourself.

Remember that some learners will benefit from visual aids, while others will rely on listening to what you say, or on watching your body language. Back up abstract theories with real-life examples. Spend time discussing small details as well as outlining large-scale ideas.

You can't always cater for everyone, but you can better engage your audience by allowing for different approaches to learning. If nothing else, your varied approach will keep people energized and alert!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the kinesthetic learning style.

A learner with a preference for the kinesthetic learning style prefers a physical experience. They like a "hands-on" approach and respond well to being able to touch or feel an object or learning prop.

Can you have two learning styles?

Yes. Or more than two. Very few people, if any, are completely reliant on one learning style. They may favor, say, visual learning, but still be able to learn by reading and writing.

• "Learning Styles" theories attempted to define people by how they learn – based on individual strengths, personal preferences, and other factors such as motivation and favored learning environment.
• Many different Learning Styles models were developed, but even the most popular ones have now been called into question. The main criticisms are that they are unscientific, inflexible, and ineffective in practice.
• However, it's still worth using metacognition – "thinking about thinking" – to work out what does help you to learn. That way, you can play to your strengths, develop any weaker areas, and create the best conditions for learning.
• This level of awareness can also help you to communicate with greater impact, and to support other people to learn.

Butler, K. A. (1988). ' It's All In Your Mind ,' Columbia, CT: Learner's Dimension.

Carnell, E. and Lodge, C. (2002). ' Supporting Effective Learning ,' London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., & Ecclestone, K. (2004). Learning Styles and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning: a Systematic and Critical Review. LSRC Reference, Learning & Skills Research Center, London. Available here .

Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Metacognition and Self-Regulation [online]. Available here . [Accessed November 13, 2019.]

Felder & Soloman. Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire [online]. Available here . [Accessed November 1, 2019.]

Henry, J. (2007). Professor Pans "Learning Style" Teaching Method [online]. Available here . [Accessed November 1, 2019.]

Honey, P., & Mumford, A. (1982). ' The Manual of Learning Styles .' Maidenhead: Peter Honey.

Keefe, J. W. (1985). 'Assessment of Learning Style Variables: the NASSP Task Force Model,' Theory into Practice , 24(2), 138-144. Available here .

Kolb, David A. (2015). ‘ Experiential Learning ' (2nd ed.), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Krätzig, G. P. and Arbuthnott, K. D. (2006). 'Perceptual learning style and learning proficiency: a test of the hypothesis,' Journal of Educational Psychology , 98(1), 238-246. Available here .

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Ruscio, J., & Beyerstein, B. L. (2010). ' 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology ,' Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Massa, L. J., & Mayer, R. E. (2006). 'Testing the ATI hypothesis: Should multimedia instruction accommodate verbalizer-visualizer cognitive style?' Learning and Individual Differences , 16(4), 321-335. Available here .

Pashler, H. et al. (2008). ‘Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence,’ Psychological Science in the Public Interest , 9(3), 105-19. Available here .

VARK is a registered trademark of Vark Learn Ltd., see www.vark-learn.com .

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

What are vak learning styles.

Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic Learning Styles.

Appropriate Influencing Styles

A Self-Awareness Exercise

Add comment

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!

Get 30% off your first year of Mind Tools

Great teams begin with empowered leaders. Our tools and resources offer the support to let you flourish into leadership. Join today!

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Latest Updates

Tips for Creating an Inclusive Culture

NEW! Meaningful Conversations

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

Pain points - managing new hires.

Getting onboarding right

Managing the 4Ps of Delegates

Turning Passengers, Protesters and Prisoners into Participants

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

The inspiration code: how the best leaders energize people every day.

Kristi Hedges

Book Insights

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Team Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

Discover Your Learning Style – Comprehensive Guide on Different Learning Styles

People differ in the way they absorb, process, and store new information and master new skills. Natural and habitual, this way does not change with teaching methods or learning content. This is known as the Learning Style.

By discovering and better understanding learning styles, one can employ techniques to improve the rate and quality of learning. Even if one has never heard the term “learning style” before, they are likely to have some idea of what their learning style is.

For instance, one may learn better through DIY videos instead of reading manuals or pick up things faster by listening to audiobooks instead of sitting down to read. These preferences point to one’s learning style.

How can learning style help in the classroom?

Students can have a single dominant learning style or a combination of styles, which could also vary based on circumstances. While no learning style (or a mix of them) is right or wrong, knowing one’s style can significantly enhance learning.

Research has shown that a mismatch between learning style and teaching can affect students’ learning and behavior quality in class. Studies have found that good learning depends on the teaching materials used, which must align with students’ learning styles.

In recent years, there has been a big push in education on how teachers can better meet students’ needs. Learning style has proven very effective in achieving this. It helps teachers understand how students absorb information and teach effectively.

One study found that over 90% of teachers believed in the learning style idea.

Often, teachers have a lot on their plates, and adjusting instruction to suit different learning styles can sound overwhelming. However, once they master how to appeal to all learners, life in the classroom becomes much easier.

This guide will help you understand various learning styles and how teachers can use them to alter instructions and help students learn more effectively.

This improves classroom management and makes for happier students. The chatty student who constantly interrupts will finally find a positive place in the classroom. The quiet girl who knows all the answers but never raises her hand will feel confident sharing her knowledge.

How can learning style help parents?

As a parent, knowing your child’s learning style helps you find activities and resources tailored to their specific learning styles. This allows you to better connect with them and provide the support they need, which also improves relationships.

Knowing learning styles is also helpful beyond educational settings. It helps you understand how those around you learn—at work, in families, in relationships, or in other settings.

Theory Of Learning Styles

The study of learning styles began in 1910 , and formal learning style assessment instruments were developed for academics in the 1970s. By the 1980s, the VAK model, which stands for Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic, had gained popularity in the mainstream media.

Thanks to the Internet, VAK became freely available to teachers for assessment by 2000. Later, another dominant style, reading/writing (R), was added to the VAK model, which expanded it to the VARK model.

The VARK model

The VARK learning style model has been adjusted to include four learning modes:

• Visual (spacial) learners learn best by seeing
• Auditory (aural) learners learn best by hearing
• Reading/writing learners learn best by reading and writing
• Kinesthetic (physical) learners learn best by moving and doing

A short questionnaire is used to identify what a learner prefers to use when taking in, processing, and outputting information.

VARK helps explain why it can sometimes be frustrating to sit in a classroom and not get what’s being taught. It also explains why some students learn well from one teacher but struggle to learn from another.

As a student, if you have experienced feelings like this, they are more likely to originate from an incompatibility with your learning style.

According to Neil Fleming and David Baume , who developed VARK, teachers should understand how students learn, but it’s even more important that students themselves know how they learn.

By identifying their own learning process, students can identify and test strategies that significantly improve learning efficiency. According to Fleming and Baume,

“VARK above all is designed to be a starting place for a conversation among teachers and learners about learning. It can also be a catalyst for staff development – thinking about strategies for teaching different groups can lead to more, and appropriate, variety of learning and teaching.”

This kind of thinking is known as metacognition , which refers to an awareness and understanding of one’s thought processes and how to regulate them. Discovering your own learning style without engaging in metacognition would be impossible.

Learning styles can also be multimodal —some have one dominant style, while others combine several learning styles.

Various learning theories, in addition to VAK and VARK, have been developed over time . While the labels used in each theory differ, the learning styles they define often overlap.

Memletics is another theory that was created in 2003 by Sean Whiteley . It expands upon the VAK model by introducing seven learning styles:

As shown, Memletics adds four more learning styles (Verbal, Logical, Social, and Solitary) to the three learning styles defined in the VAK model. However, it leaves out “Reading/Writing,” added when VAK expanded to VARK.

Due to the nature of these categories, there can be an overlap in learning styles defined in Memletics. Take two solitary learners, for instance. While both learn best in solitary situations, one may learn using logic, while the other may learn by seeing (Visual).

In a study on learning styles, Aranya Srijongjai noted that according to the Memletics model, everyone has a mix of learning styles, and learning styles are not fixed, so instructors should also accommodate other types of learning styles by providing diverse learning environments.

They should vary activities so that students learn in their preferred style and have a chance to develop other styles. Matching and mismatching learning styles and instructional methods will complement the student’s learning performance and create more flexible learners in the long run.

As Srijongjai suggests, students and teachers should not consider learning styles as boxes into which students can be placed. They are just one small piece of the overall puzzle in a student’s learning process.

No matter what learning style theory appeals to you the most, knowing your style helps make learning easier and more successful. Most learners will have at least one dominant style in the VARK theory.

This guide will offer information and advice to teachers, students, and parents to help them understand why and how people learn the way they do.

For each learning style, we have included suggestions for career choices, which in no way are meant to be limiting, but they can be helpful. If you are a visual learner but feel pulled toward one of the fields listed in the auditory learner section, by all means, pursue your passion.

These suggestions merely show what careers a person with a particular style might gravitate toward and where they are likely to excel with minimal effort.

Understanding your learning style is helpful, but again, you should also be careful not to put yourself in a box and define yourself by your learning style. The key is understanding how you learn and avoiding getting caught up in labels and classifications.

Take what insight you can, but don’t let it overcome your thoughts about yourself, as you may very well lie at the intersection of the “standard” learning styles:

Visual Learners

Do you ever remember taking a test in school and thinking, “I don’t remember the answer, but I remember I had it highlighted pink in my notes”? If the answer is yes, then you might be a visual learner.

Visual learners remember and learn best from what they see. This doesn’t necessarily have to be restricted to pictures and videos. They do well with spatial reasoning, charts, graphs, etc. Visual learners often “see” words as pictures or objects in their heads.

Visual learners use their right brain to process information. The human brain processes visual information much faster than plain text. Some reports claim that images are processed 60,000 times faster than text .

As a visual learner, you can quickly take in and retain a lot of information because you prefer this processing method that humans are already very good at.

Visual learners prefer using maps, outlines, diagrams, charts, graphs, designs, and patterns when studying and learning. They are more likely to organize their notes into visual patterns or separate their pages of notes into different sections. Many visual learners also do well by color-coding their notes.

Careers For Visual Learners

Visual learners are often drawn to and do well in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Career options include Data Analytics & Visualization, Graphics Design, Photography, Architecture, Construction, Copy Editing, Interior Design, Physics, Advertising, Engineering, and Surgery.

A Note On Visual Learners For Teachers

Sometimes, students who are visual learners might stare out the window or doodle in their notes. If this is the case, let them do it. Locking their eyes constantly on you can be too visually stimulating for these students.

Sometimes, it’s the flower that they draw next to their notes that helps them remember the point by bringing out a visual connection.

It’s also easy for visual learners to get overwhelmed by a lot of visual input. If the classroom setting is chaotic, with many students moving around, it might be too much for these students to take in.

The design of a classroom is very important to visual learners. Clutter or too many posters adorning the walls can easily overwhelm their minds and processing.

Some visual learners may find it helpful to pay careful attention to your movements. They might even remember the silly hand motion you made or how you pointed to a country on the map. Keeping this in mind when delivering your lessons can be very effective.

Lesson Ideas To Help Visual Learners

Draw text and words.

Make it a habit to write new words and add a few quick context clues (e.g., putting the part of speech in brackets or underling the stressed syllable). Pick out a portion of the text with especially vivid imagery and instruct students to draw a picture of what the writing describes. This will help visual learners read and understand the text better.

Visual learners tend to color code things naturally. It can be helpful if you, as a teacher, also color code your notes as you write or post them. You could, for example, designate roles for certain areas of the board and use colors to organize information during the lesson.

Or, for homework or in-class assignments, you could have students annotate/read actively and use different colors for different things you want them to look for. For example, they could highlight dates in blue and names in yellow.

Use charts and graphs

Create charts and graphs to help students visualize information. While math and science subjects typically provide the ideal setting, they can be used in other disciplines as well.

For instance, in a social science class, students could track local election participation rates over ten years and create line graphs to visualize trends. This will give them a deeper understanding of civic involvement dynamics in their community.

Such assignments engage visual learners and allow them to recall information more easily, organize concepts, and articulate their thoughts more easily. Try:

• Venn Diagrams (that represent comparisons and contrasts)
• Timelines (to visually represent a series of events)
• Inverted Triangles (that go from broad topics to more specific ones).
• Story or Essay Planners (that guide students through the steps necessary to complete tasks)
• Charts to list word families – add columns for verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns and fill them as words come up. (e.g., engage, engaging, engagingly, engagement)

Use posters and flashcards

As a project or class assignment, ask students to make posters illustrating key concepts. Students can even present their posters to the class – which would benefit auditory learners. Display these posters on the wall to help drive home important topics.

Flashcards also provide visual cues to young learners and can be used to teach various concepts. To build vocabulary, for example, the word “yummy” may be drawn as swirls of an ice cream cone that helps visual learners remember.

A number of classic games can also be designed using flashcards that help visual learners interact visually and learn better.

Draw reasoning

In math, teach students to draw out their reasoning. For example, instead of verbally explaining how to add 3 and 5, you could create a sketch that depicts two baskets with 3 and 5 apples each. Counting all the apples in your drawing visually demonstrates that 3 plus 5 equals 8, making it easier to understand.

Use gestures

Be aware of your body language when you teach. Including gestures and hand motions when you speak will help visual learners pay attention and make connections.

Auditory Learners

Do you sometimes talk to yourself when thinking hard, studying, or trying to organize something? If that sounds like you, you’re likely an auditory learner.

Auditory learners learn best by carefully hearing and listening. This can include listening to external sources and hearing themselves talk. They will likely volunteer to answer questions and actively participate in classroom discussions.

Auditory learners have a great advantage in the classroom because they are not afraid to speak their minds and easily get answers to their questions. Consequently, they process information very easily, right there in the classroom.

In contrast, reading/writing learners might not even realize they have a question until they’ve had time to go back and process their notes.

For auditory learners, any form of listening or speaking is the most efficient learning method. This can include lectures, audiobooks, discussions, and verbal processing. They are also typically good at storytelling and public speaking.

Many auditory learners prefer studying and working in groups because they prefer to talk through the information, which makes them “social learners,” as per Memletics.

Careers For Auditory Learners

Any job that requires a lot of listening and/or speaking will likely be an excellent fit for an auditory learner. Some career fields to consider include law, psychiatry or therapy, guidance counseling, customer service, sales, speech pathology, journalism, and teaching.

A Note On Auditory Learners For Teachers

Just like visual learners, even auditory learners might stare into space, but for a different reason. Since they process information best by listening, they don’t need to look at notes or PowerPoint very often. While this may seem like they are zoning out or not paying attention, it’s generally not the case.

If you’ve ever caught a student staring off into space and asked them a question, thinking you’ve caught them off guard, only to get the perfect answer, you’ve likely found a very auditory learner.

These students also tend to get chatty during class. This can be great when trying to get a lively class discussion or debate going but not when you need the class to listen intently.

Before this frustrates and angers you, remember that this is how their brain works and learns. As much as you can and as much as is practical based on the subject, try to facilitate discussions and play into this rather than squashing it.

Remember that auditory learners may really struggle with written and visual information.

These are the students who can answer every single question you ask in class and then score just 60% on an exam that tests the same information. If you suspect that a student who bombed a test actually knows much more, give them a chance to answer those questions verbally.

Lesson Ideas To Help Auditory Learners

For obvious reasons, audiobooks are perfect for auditory learners. Give these students the option to listen from an audiobook—this can be effective with both novels and textbooks.

Socratic Seminar

A Socratic seminar is a student-led discussion based on a text in which the teacher asks open-ended questions to begin with. Students listen closely to each other’s comments, think critically for themselves, and articulate their thoughts and responses to others’ thoughts.

They learn to work cooperatively and to question intelligently and civilly. Discussions usually occur in a circle, and the atmosphere is laid-back, encouraging every student to join the conversation.

Auditory learners often lead such discussions. It gives them a chance to shine and be rewarded for talking, which usually gets them in trouble otherwise.

Teacher Kelly Gallagher offers a great handout called Trace the Conversation that can help auditory and visual learners with Socratic seminars. There are many ways to conduct Socratic Seminars; the National Council of Teachers of English has a great explanation .

Speeches, the often hated but necessary school assignment many students dread, are a favorite of auditory learners. When it comes to speeches, auditory learners feel in their element. Speeches can be short and impromptu or long and planned, and they can be on any subject.

Recorded notes

You can either record yourself speaking or permit your students to record lectures so they can listen later. You can also encourage students to record themselves reading their notes.

Text to speech

Students can do this independently, but they might need your prompting or feel better about doing it if you permit them. Document processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs have text-to-speech and speech-to-text embedded as standard.

Students can, for instance, use speech-to-text to capture their thoughts when writing essays. Text-to-speech can also be beneficial for proofreading and catching errors.

A structured debate is beneficial for auditory learners to get their ideas across. It can be done at all grade levels and in all disciplines. Here is a great resource for some debate ideas and different debate formats for different grade levels.

Reading/Writing Learners

Do you tend to zone out when people talk to you or when you hear a lecture? Would you instead read the transcript or get the information from a book? Then, you’re probably a reading/writing learner. You learn best by reading and writing.

Reading/writing learners often relate to the famous Flannery O’Connor’s quote: “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”

For these learners, verbal input can often go into one ear and out from the other without much effect. Seeing notes on the board or a PowerPoint presentation is very important to them, as is taking notes.

These students learn best from books, lists, notes, journals, dictionaries, etc. They can also intuitively help themselves learn by rewriting notes, using flashcards, adding notes to pictures or diagrams, choosing a physical book over an audiobook, and using closed video captions.

Careers For Reading/Writing Learners

Writing is a common and obvious career choice for reading/writing learners, but if this is your learning style, you’re definitely not limited to writing. Editing, journalism, public relations, law, teaching and education, marketing, advertising, researching, translating, and economic advising are all excellent career choices.

A Note On Reading/Writing Learners For Teachers

Reading/writing learners are often your typical “good students.” However, they can really struggle to learn from lectures or completely auditory methods. They may not respond well to class discussions and need more time to process what they hear.

Help them by giving them time to write down their thoughts before asking them to share out loud. This will reduce their stress and allow them to process their thoughts.

As a teacher, you will likely encounter students who need more time to understand a concept, even after you have finished explaining it. These students are most likely reading/writing learners.

Knowing their learning style makes it easier to be more patient and provide them with the necessary support. They sometimes struggle to take notes because they try to write down everything you say. Help them by working with them to pull out the most important parts of your lecture and paraphrase what they hear.

Lesson Ideas To Help Reading/Writing Learners

No matter what the lesson is about, providing handouts highlighting the most important information is one of the best things you can do to help reading/writing learners. It’s also important to give them enough time to write detailed notes.

Essays and reading assignments

These simple assignments work best for reading/writing learners. This is why they often thrive in the traditional classroom setting.

Vocabulary stories

Have students create stories or plays to make their vocabulary words more fun and exciting. This can be done in any subject area that has vocabulary words.

You can give students a topic or let them be creative, but all they have to do is write a story containing x number of vocabulary words. You can also extend this activity to help kinesthetic learners by having students act out their stories for the class.

Think, pair, share

Reading/writing learners often struggle with sharing their thoughts out loud. They ace their tests but freeze when you call on them in the class. Think-pair-share can help give them the confidence they need to verbalize their thoughts and is suitable for most age groups in almost any subject area.

First, ask students an open-ended question and give them time to think silently and write their answers. Then, have students pair up in small groups to share their answers. Then, open the discussion to the whole class.

When you ask a question and want students to respond right away, you’ll likely get answers only from the auditory learners—they are the quickest at verbal processing.

With think-pair-share, the reading/writing learners get the time they need to process. In that time, they develop the confidence to construct a verbal response and are very likely to respond.

Kinesthetic Learners

Are you the first to stand up and volunteer to demonstrate an experiment for everyone else? Do you need to change the oil rather than look at a diagram to learn how to do it? If the answer is yes, then you are most likely a kinesthetic learner.

The root word “kines” means motion and a kinesthetic learner learns best by “going through the motion” or doing the task. It’s much easier for them to internalize the information when they are actively moving their body and combining that with what they are learning.

These students tend to shine in demonstrations and experiments. They also learn best from seeing something firsthand, like watching live videos and going on field trips.

Combining a physical motion, such as fidgeting, with a piece of information can help them learn better. They are likelier to use active gesturing and “talk with their hands.”

Careers For Kinesthetic Learners

Any career that allows physical activity and requires movement is right up the alley of a kinesthetic learner. These are the ones who often use the phrase “I don’t sit well.”

Kinesthetic learners typically don’t thrive well at desk jobs. Good career options for such learners include physical or occupational therapy, nursing, dance, theatre, music, automotive technology, welding, on-site engineering jobs, carpentry, agriculture, environmental science, forestry, and marine biology.

A Note On Kinesthetic Learners For Teachers

Just because you see a student fidgeting or being antsy, it doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention or are bored. Their brain craves that movement to help them make connections.

There’s no need to force such students to sit entirely still as long as they aren’t distracting others in the classroom. Try to connect movement to the concepts you’re teaching as much as possible. Kinesthetic learners need to move, and they can benefit from active brain breaks.

Do your best to keep them active and allow movement in your classroom. If you notice a student with a glazed-over look, take a 30-second break from the lesson and have the entire class stand up, stretch, or do some jumping jacks.

Or you could ask your kinesthetic learner to run a quick errand to the office.

As students, kinesthetic learners often get punished for trying to move and follow their natural learning style. The more you can find ways to reward them for their learning style, the more engaged they will become.

Lesson Ideas To Help Kinesthetic Learners

Labs and experiments.

While labs and experiments are standard in science classes, they can also be successfully implemented in the curriculum of other subjects to benefit kinesthetic learners.

For example, an elementary math lesson could involve measuring each student’s height and creating problems based on the measurements. Geometry, for instance, could be taught using hands-on activities and tangible objects, like clay or building blocks, for better comprehension.

Field trips

With tightening school budgets, it can be hard to plan educational field trips, and that’s understandable. However, field trips need not have to be major events.

An art project, for example, could involve taking students outside and having them draw or photograph what they see. An English lesson could include a nature walk during which students journal or write a story about their little field trip.

Physical props

Use practical and/or memorable props; for example, when teaching a history lesson, dressing in the attire of the era you are teaching about will greatly impact kinesthetic learners. If you’re an anatomy teacher, consider using a model skeleton or demonstrating with your body as a helpful visual aid.

Take a stand

This activity is easy to set up and appeals to both kinesthetic and auditory learners. It requires you to prepare a series of questions that students can agree or disagree with.

For instance, if your students read “To Kill A Mockingbird,” your questions could revolve around racism. (Note: when tackling a sensitive subject such as racism, make sure you know your students and their maturity level)

Have signs on either side of your classroom indicating “agree” and “disagree.” Read through each question and have students move to the side of the room that fits their beliefs. Once there, they can discuss their thoughts with the group that follows their beliefs, and then you can open the discussion to the whole class.

This works well for literature and history lessons. Instead of reading silently, assign students parts and have them act out the story.

Tableaux Vivants

Tableaux Vivants is a time-tested process drama technique that can enhance students’ engagement and comprehension of abstract learning material across the curriculum. It works well in literature and history classrooms and is a great review activity. It is very similar to charades .

It involves breaking students into groups and assigning each group a “scene” – this could be from a work of literature or a scene from history. Each group then works together to create a silent re-enactment consisting of “snapshots” of the scene.

Students pose and pause for 5-10 seconds before moving on to their next pose. Once they have moved through all their poses, the rest of the class guesses what scene they were re-enacting.

Demonstration speeches

Einstein once said: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Demonstration speeches allow students to explain something they understand well to their peers.

Ask your students to pick a topic, such as how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Ask them to give a speech explaining the process while simultaneously demonstrating it.

The demonstration part appeals most to kinesthetic learners. Since students can choose their topic, it also appeals to all other learners, creating an engaging learning experience.

Logical Learners

If a child is good with numbers and asks many questions, they might be a logical learner. A logical learner has a core need to understand what is being learned. For them, simply memorizing facts is not enough. They thrive on orderly and sequential processes.

Individuals who excel at math and possess strong logical reasoning skills are usually logical learners. They notice patterns quickly and have a keen ability to link information that would seem unrelated to others. Logical learners retain details better by drawing connections after organizing an assortment of information.

As a logical learner, you can maximize your ability to learn by seeking to understand the meaning and reasoning behind the subject you’re studying. Avoid rote memorization.

Explore the links between related subject matter and ensure you understand the details. Use ‘systems thinking’ to better understand the relationship between various parts of a system. This will not only help you understand the bigger picture but also help you understand why each component is important.

Social Learners

Social learners have excellent written and verbal communication skills. They are at ease speaking to others and adept at comprehending other people’s perspectives. For this reason, people frequently seek counsel from them.

Social learners learn best when working with groups and take opportunities to meet individually with teachers.

If you like bouncing ideas off others, prefer working through issues as a group, and thoroughly enjoy working with others, you may be a social learner. Seek opportunities to study with others. If your class doesn’t have formal groups, form one.

Solitary Learners

Solitary learners prefer working by themselves in private settings. They avoid relying on others for help when solving problems or studying and frequently analyze their learning preferences and methods.

Solitary learners tend to waste a lot of time on a complex problem before seeking assistance. If you are a solitary learner, you must consciously recognize this limitation and try to seek help more often/sooner when stuck.

Generally, solitary learning can be a very effective learning style for students.

Tips to Simultaneously Help Learners of All Types

Lessons tailored to suit multiple learning styles are often the most effective, as they reach and appeal to most students. Another reason they are best suited is because most people have a combination of learning styles.

The activities discussed in this article provide ample opportunities for all types of learners to benefit. As a teacher, if you try to be creative, you can make little tweaks in almost every lesson to reach different learning styles.

Following are some ideas and ways by which to reach all four VARK learning styles:

Split your space into multiple stations (or centers) spread throughout the classroom. Break your students into groups so there is a group at every station.

Then, assign activities for each station that focus on a learning style. Have the students rotate with their groups from one station to another.

While the obvious benefit of rotation is that it ensures the activities cover each type of learner’s needs, there is more to it.

Even if you don’t have a center that caters to kinesthetic learners, the simple act of getting up and moving around different stations in the classroom helps them. The same goes for auditory learners; being in small groups and rotating throughout the room encourages discussion.

Give options

Irrespective of what subjects you teach your students, give them options as far as possible. For instance, instead of assigning an essay at the end of a unit, assign a project that can be completed with multiple activities.

Don’t mention which choices align with which learning style—let the students decide. Here is an example of 4 different options for a homework project:

• Write an essay (appeals to reading/writing learners)
• Record a podcast or TED talk (appeals to auditory learners)
• Film a video (appeals to kinesthetic learners)
• Create a poster or multimedia project (appeals to visual learners)

Quite often, students will naturally gravitate toward the option that best suits their learning style.

Allow students to use headphones when working independently in class. This helps cut out distractions for most learning types. Particularly for auditory learners, it can help make connections between what they hear and what they’re learning, which can be very helpful for them when they need to work silently.

Technology has made great strides and deep inroads into education. Several apps and websites can help students in various ways. Here is a list of apps for elementary math that could appeal to all four learning styles.

Games that include pictures and sound can help visual and auditory learners. Reading explanations and lessons on apps helps reading/writing learners. Physically manipulating and touching a device helps kinesthetic learners.

A quick online search will reveal several beneficial websites and apps for almost any discipline.

Final Words

There is no right or wrong when it comes to learning styles; they are simply names and categories assigned to how people’s brains process information.

It is generally easier for those with a dominant reading/writing style to succeed in a traditional academic setting, thus securing the “good student” label. However, education has come a long way, and schools and teachers can cater to various styles.

As a teacher, it’s important to remember that every student is unique. Even two visual learners might differ significantly in terms of what works for them. The best approach is to learn about and understand each student’s unique educational requirements.

After all, students are human beings with unique needs and feelings; teachers who remember this can approach them empathetically.

If you are a student interested in knowing about your learning style, you can begin by taking the VARK questionnaire . Having your students take the questionnaire is a good idea if you’re a teacher. Not only will you discover your student’s learning styles, but they will also be able to identify which techniques work best for them.

Remember, learning style is only a partial explanation of a student’s preferred way of learning. It is never the complete picture. These styles change over time, and every student can have differing degrees of inclination toward a given style.

However, regardless of your position in education, recognizing both your own learning styles and those of others around you can be highly beneficial.

Similar Posts:

• 35 of the BEST Educational Apps for Teachers (Updated 2024)
• 20 Huge Benefits of Using Technology in the Classroom
• 15 Learning Theories in Education (A Complete Summary)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Center for Teaching

Learning styles, what are learning styles, why are they so popular.

The term  learning styles is widely used to describe how learners gather, sift through, interpret, organize, come to conclusions about, and “store” information for further use.  As spelled out in VARK (one of the most popular learning styles inventories), these styles are often categorized by sensory approaches:   v isual, a ural, verbal [ r eading/writing], and k inesthetic.  Many of the models that don’t resemble the VARK’s sensory focus are reminiscent of Felder and Silverman’s Index of Learning Styles , with a continuum of descriptors for how learners process and organize information:  active-reflective, sensing-intuitive, verbal-visual, and sequential-global.

There are well over 70 different learning styles schemes (Coffield, 2004), most of which are supported by “a thriving industry devoted to publishing learning-styles tests and guidebooks” and “professional development workshops for teachers and educators” (Pashler, et al., 2009, p. 105).

Despite the variation in categories, the fundamental idea behind learning styles is the same: that each of us has a specific learning style (sometimes called a “preference”), and we learn best when information is presented to us in this style.  For example, visual learners would learn any subject matter best if given graphically or through other kinds of visual images, kinesthetic learners would learn more effectively if they could involve bodily movements in the learning process, and so on.  The message thus given to instructors is that “optimal instruction requires diagnosing individuals’ learning style[s] and tailoring instruction accordingly” (Pashler, et al., 2009, p. 105).

Despite the popularity of learning styles and inventories such as the VARK, it’s important to know that there is no evidence to support the idea that matching activities to one’s learning style improves learning .  It’s not simply a matter of “the absence of evidence doesn’t mean the evidence of absence.”  On the contrary, for years researchers have tried to make this connection through hundreds of studies.

In 2009, Psychological Science in the Public Interest commissioned cognitive psychologists Harold Pashler, Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, and Robert Bjork to evaluate the research on learning styles to determine whether there is credible evidence to support using learning styles in instruction.  They came to a startling but clear conclusion:  “Although the literature on learning styles is enormous,” they “found virtually no evidence” supporting the idea that “instruction is best provided in a format that matches the preference of the learner.”  Many of those studies suffered from weak research design, rendering them far from convincing.  Others with an effective experimental design “found results that flatly contradict the popular” assumptions about learning styles (p. 105). In sum,

“The contrast between the enormous popularity of the learning-styles approach within education and the lack of credible evidence for its utility is, in our opinion, striking and disturbing” (p. 117).

Pashler and his colleagues point to some reasons to explain why learning styles have gained—and kept—such traction, aside from the enormous industry that supports the concept.  First, people like to identify themselves and others by “type.” Such categories help order the social environment and offer quick ways of understanding each other.  Also, this approach appeals to the idea that learners should be recognized as “unique individuals”—or, more precisely, that differences among students should be acknowledged —rather than treated as a number in a crowd or a faceless class of students (p. 107). Carried further, teaching to different learning styles suggests that “ all people have the potential to learn effectively and easily if only instruction is tailored to their individual learning styles ” (p. 107).

There may be another reason why this approach to learning styles is so widely accepted. They very loosely resemble the concept of metacognition , or the process of thinking about one’s thinking.  For instance, having your students describe which study strategies and conditions for their last exam worked for them and which didn’t is likely to improve their studying on the next exam (Tanner, 2012).  Integrating such metacognitive activities into the classroom—unlike learning styles—is supported by a wealth of research (e.g., Askell Williams, Lawson, & Murray-Harvey, 2007; Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000; Butler & Winne, 1995; Isaacson & Fujita, 2006; Nelson & Dunlosky, 1991; Tobias & Everson, 2002).

Importantly, metacognition is focused on planning, monitoring, and evaluating any kind of thinking about thinking and does nothing to connect one’s identity or abilities to any singular approach to knowledge.  (For more information about metacognition, see CFT Assistant Director Cynthia Brame’s “ Thinking about Metacognition ” blog post, and stay tuned for a Teaching Guide on metacognition this spring.)

There is, however, something you can take away from these different approaches to learning—not based on the learner, but instead on the content being learned .  To explore the persistence of the belief in learning styles, CFT Assistant Director Nancy Chick interviewed Dr. Bill Cerbin, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and former Carnegie Scholar with the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.  He points out that the differences identified by the labels “visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing” are more appropriately connected to the nature of the discipline:

“There may be evidence that indicates that there are some ways to teach some subjects that are just better than others , despite the learning styles of individuals…. If you’re thinking about teaching sculpture, I’m not sure that long tracts of verbal descriptions of statues or of sculptures would be a particularly effective way for individuals to learn about works of art. Naturally, these are physical objects and you need to take a look at them, you might even need to handle them.” (Cerbin, 2011, 7:45-8:30 )

Pashler and his colleagues agree: “An obvious point is that the optimal instructional method is likely to vary across disciplines” (p. 116). In other words, it makes disciplinary sense to include kinesthetic activities in sculpture and anatomy courses, reading/writing activities in literature and history courses, visual activities in geography and engineering courses, and auditory activities in music, foreign language, and speech courses.  Obvious or not, it aligns teaching and learning with the contours of the subject matter, without limiting the potential abilities of the learners.

• Askell-Williams, H., Lawson, M. & Murray, Harvey, R. (2007). ‘ What happens in my university classes that helps me to learn?’: Teacher education students’ instructional metacognitive knowledge. International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , 1. 1-21.
• Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L. & Cocking, R. R., (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school (Expanded Edition). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
• Butler, D. L., & Winne, P. H. (1995) Feedback and self-regulated learning: A theoretical synthesis . Review of Educational Research , 65, 245-281.
• Cerbin, William. (2011). Understanding learning styles: A conversation with Dr. Bill Cerbin .  Interview with Nancy Chick. UW Colleges Virtual Teaching and Learning Center .
• Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., & Ecclestone, K. (2004). Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning. A systematic and critical review . London: Learning and Skills Research Centre.
• Isaacson, R. M. & Fujita, F. (2006). Metacognitive knowledge monitoring and self-regulated learning: Academic success and reflections on learning . Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , 6, 39-55.
• Nelson, T.O. & Dunlosky, J. (1991). The delayed-JOL effect: When delaying your judgments of learning can improve the accuracy of your metacognitive monitoring. Psychological Science , 2, 267-270.
• Pashler, Harold, McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R.  (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence . Psychological Science in the Public Interest . 9.3 103-119.
• Tobias, S., & Everson, H. (2002). Knowing what you know and what you don’t: Further research on metacognitive knowledge monitoring . College Board Report No. 2002-3 . College Board, NY.

Teaching Guides

• Online Course Development Resources
• Principles & Frameworks
• Pedagogies & Strategies
• Reflecting & Assessing
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Populations & Contexts

Quick Links

• Services for Departments and Schools
• Examples of Online Instructional Modules

Understanding Learning Styles

The idea of learning styles began in the 1970s, where a growing literature and industry posited that learners have specific, individualized ways of learning that work best for them. This Teaching Tip discusses the distinction between learning styles and learning preferences, and summarizes the Solomon-Felder index of learning styles.

The research on learning styles

There are many different theories of learning styles, including ones that classify people as visual, auditory, or tactile learners, or ones that outline different cognitive approaches people take in their learning.

However, there is virtually no evidence that supports that individuals have learning styles, nor that when taught in a way that “meshes” with their learning style that there is greater learning. A group of psychologists reviewed the literature and in their report:  Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence . They state that while there have been studies done on how individuals can have preferences for learning, almost none of the studies employed rigorous research designs that would demonstrate that people benefit if they are instructed in a way that matches their learning style (Pashler, et al., 2008).

In the study,  Matching Learning Style to Instruction Method: Effects on Comprehension , Rogowsky and colleagues (2015) conducted an experimental test of the meshing hypothesis, which is the hypothesis that providing instruction based on individuals’ preferred learning styles improves learning. They found that matching the type of instruction to learning style did not make a difference on students’ comprehension of material. Furthermore, certain teaching strategies are best suited for all learners depending on the material that is being taught. For example, learning how to make dilutions in a chemistry course requires a hands-on experiential approach, even if you have a preference to learn from reflection.

Important considerations when using learning styles

Learning style preferences refer to the “characteristic strengths and preferences in the ways [people] take in and process information” (Felder, 1996). Felder (2020) stresses the following when understanding and applying learning styles:

• Learning styles are  not  pairs of strict either-or categories. People can shift between preferences depending on the context and how strong their preference is.
• Learning styles are  not fixed and can change over time alongside lived and professional experiences.
• All learning style preferences are likely represented in your classroom. Instruction should routinely address all categories of the learning style model rather than focus on only one.
• Learning styles should  not be used to determine a students' major or profession. Learning style preferences provide no indication of what students are or are not capable of.

According to Felder (2020), the optimal balance of instruction " depends on the subject, the level of the course, the prior knowledge of the students, and the familiarity of the instructor with alternative teaching strategies...When that balance is achieved, all students are taught sometimes in their preferred categories, so they are not too uncomfortable to learn, and sometimes in their less preferred categories, so they can build critically important skills they might never acquire from matched instruction." (Felder, 2020)

Soloman-Felder Model

The Soloman-Felder model of learning styles incorporates most of the major approaches to understanding learning preferences and is designed for use with college and university students to self-test their learning preferences. " A learning style model is a small set of learning style dimensions selected to provide instructors with a useful— but not all-encompassing—collection of guidelines for designing instruction " (Felder, 2020).  Each of the four scales of the Soloman-Felder index of learning styles has two opposite preferences. Everyone uses all preferences at different times, but not usually with equal levels of confidence. 

The active/reflective scale: How do you prefer to process information?

The sensing/intuitive scale: how do you prefer to take in information, the visual/verbal scale: how do you prefer information to be presented, the sequential/global scale: how do you prefer to organize information.

Adapted from: Felder, R. (1996).  Matters of Style . ASEE Prism, December, pp. 18-23. See also : Felder, R. & Soloman, B. (2002)  Index of Learning Styles Page .

Learning strategies for your students

• Compensate for lack of discussion by scheduling regular meetings with advising faculty member or seek out other students interested in same or similar topics and organise discussion groups
• When developing your work to assess, find creative ways to use the material learned
• Talk about material learned with family and friends
• Schedule time to reflect on material
• Don’t just read – stop periodically to review the material and think of possible questions or applications
• Write short summaries of materials read
• Use reflective writing tasks (i.e., journals)
• Make connections to the real world
• Seek out specific examples of concepts and procedures
• Brainstorm about real world connections with your advising faculty member, other students, family, or friends
• Seek out interpretation and theory to link together facts
• Try to find theoretical connections to material learned
• Discuss theories and interpretations with your advising faculty member
• Take care not to miss the details when producing work to assess
• Seek out diagrams, graphs, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or other visual representations of material
• Review videos and animations of material
• Organize material into a concept map (or flow chart)
• Colour code your notes
• Write summaries and outlines of material 
• Convert diagrams, graphs, etc., into written descriptions
• Meet with advising faculty member regularly to discuss material
• Organise discussion groups with other students
• Explain material to family and friend
• Learn material in steps
• Ask advising faculty member to fill in any skipped steps when explaining information
• Take time to organize material in a logical order: themes, chronological, steps, etc.
• Try to strengthen global skills by relating new topics to material already learned
• Generate the big picture before trying to master details
• Seek out general review articles that summarize literature before reading individual research papers
• Skim through headings/subheadings before you read material carefully
• Instead of spending a little time on a subject daily, try to schedule larger blocks of time less often to immerse yourself in the subject
• Find connections to material already learned

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help.  View the  CTE Support  page to find the most relevant staff member to contact.

Felder, R. (1996).  Matters of Style . ASEE Prism, December, pp. 18-23 Felder, R. & Soloman, B. (2002).  Learning Styles and Strategies .

Felder, R. (2020). “Opinion: Uses, Misuses, and Validity of Learning Styles.”  Advances in Engineering Education, 8(1). https://www.engr.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/drive/1tKCP5oEAV5VV4Yb97j-IG_geuBxCQqB6/2020-AEE%20Learning%20Styles%20Opinion%20Piece.pdf

Massa, L. & Mayer, R. (2006). Testing the ATI hypothesis: Should multimedia instruction accommodate verbalizer-visualizer cognitive style?. Learning and Individual Differences - LEARN INDIVID DIFFER. 16. 321-335. 10.1016/j.lindif.2006.10.001. 

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.  Psychological Science in the Public Interest Report, 9 (3). 

Rogowsky, B. A., Calhoun, B. M., Tallal, P. (2015). Matching learning style to instructional method: Effects on comprehension.  Journal of Educational Psychology, 107 (1), 64-78.

Weale, S. (2017, March 13). Teachers must ditch 'neuromyth' of learning styles, say scientists.  The Guardian.  https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/13/teachers-neuromyth-learning-styles-scientists-neuroscience-education

CTE teaching tips

Self-Directed Learning: A Four-Step Process

University resources

• Waterloo’s  Student Success Office
• Waterloo’s  AccessAbility Services

Catalog search

Teaching tip categories.

• Assessment and feedback
• Blended Learning and Educational Technologies
• Career Development
• Course Design
• Course Implementation
• Inclusive Teaching and Learning
• Learning activities
• Support for Student Learning
• Support for TAs

• ACADEMIC ADVICE

8 Types of Learning Styles | The Definitive Guide

• March 7, 2024

Table of Contents

Visual learning style, auditory learning style, kinesthetic learning style, reading/writing, logical/analytical learners, social/linguistic learners, solitary learners, nature learners, how do students learn best, cognitive factors influencing learning styles, emotional factors impacting learning styles, assessment and feedback for learning optimization, what are learning styles, and why are they important, how can teachers accommodate diverse learning styles in the classroom, is there a single best learning style for all students, how can students identify their preferred learning style, are there other factors besides learning styles that influence how students learn.

Every student has a strategy they use to remember information more efficiently while studying. Some of them take notes; some make diagrams; some prefer to listen to lectures, etc. Since no learning style fits all students, scientists have conducted research in order to understand the way students learn new information best.

Let’s look at the different types of learning they have distinguished.

What Are the Main Four Types of Learning in Education?

We mentioned before that scientists have for years tried to understand the best ways students learn through research. One of the popular theories, to this day, is the VARK model. This model identifies four types of learners: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing .

Most people are a combination of these four styles, but more times than not, they have a predominant style of learning. Each of these styles has a complementary way of teaching. Now, let’s see the characteristics each of these styles entails and how best to make use of them.

Visual learners are individuals who prefer to take in their information visually—be that with maps, graphs, diagrams, charts, and others. However, they don’t necessarily respond well to photos or videos, rather needing their information using different visual aids such as patterns and shapes.

The best way to present to visual learners is by showing them the relationship between different ideas visually. For instance, when explaining a scientific process, it can be done by using a flow chart.

Auditory learners are individuals who learn better when they take in information in auditory form when it is heard or spoken. They are prone to sorting their ideas after speaking rather than thinking ideas through before. Since, to them, saying things out loud helps them understand the concept.

If they are learning a second language or a new theory, auditory learners learn best when information is presented to them via strategies that involve talking, such as lectures and group discussions. They can benefit from repeating the lessons, utilizing technology for recordings of the lectures, doing group activities that require classmates to explain ideas, etc.

Kinesthetic learners are individuals who prefer to learn by doing. They enjoy a hands-on experience. They are usually more in touch with reality and more connected to it, which is why they require using tactile experience to understand something better.

The best way to present new information to a kinesthetic learner is through personal experience, practice, examples, or simulations. For instance, they can remember an experiment by recreating it themselves.

Reading/writing learners consume information best when it’s in words, whether that’s by writing it down or reading it. To them, text is more powerful than any kind of visual or auditory representation of an idea. These individuals usually perform very well on written assignments.

There are different ways to get a reading/writing learner to engage and understand a certain lesson. For instance, it would be best to have them describe charts and diagrams by written statements, take written quizzes on the topics, or give them written assignments.

Other Types of Learning Styles

Now that we have discussed some learning styles that have been around for a while, it’s time we dug a little deeper and introduced some other lesser-known learning styles. It is important to note that not everyone agrees on the types of learning styles, their names, or even their number. Recent studies and theories from psychologists and experts in the field suggest that there are anywhere between 3 to 170 different types of learning styles . Other types of learning styles, based on one of the senses and a social aspect, include:

As the name suggests, analytical learners depend on logic and analytical skills to understand a particular subject. These types of learners search for connections, causes, patterns, and results in their learning. A teacher can engage and motivate these students by posing questions that require interpretation, using material that activates problem-solving skills, and stimulating students to reach conclusions based on facts or reasoning.

These types of learners favor educational lessons that include peer work or participation. Social/ linguistic learners get two things out of this participation: socializing (which they love) and a better understanding of a subject. Teachers can motivate these types of learners by using role-playing and different communication activities , such as encouraging student interaction (asking questions, sharing stories, etc.).

Otherwise known as solo learners, these students are the opposite of social learners. Solitary learners prefer to study alone without having to interact with other learners. Individual work is a solo student’s forte. Teachers can help these types of learners by using activities that require individual work (including keeping a diary) and problem-solving skills, recognizing a student’s individual accomplishments, etc.

These types of learners excel when in contact with nature. A nature learner’s ideal study environment is a calm and relaxing environment. If we had to compare nature learners with another type, it would be tactile learners. The only difference is the nature part of this deal, as nature learners need to be outside to learn better. While learning in nature may not always be possible, teachers can still nurture this learning style in students by assigning hands-on activities, having classes outdoors when possible, and using nature examples when explaining a new lesson.

✅ Request information on BAU's programs TODAY!

Given that everyone has a unique learning method, it would be wrong to say that a specific learning style is the best way to go. However, understanding your or your child’s style of learning is very important.

Since the way someone best consumes information can be a deciding factor in their academic success, understanding what kind of learner they are is vital. You can do this by trying all four methods of learning and then deciding which one helps you remember best. Once you know what kind of style fits you, you can tailor your studies to fit your needs.

Additional Insights into Learning Styles

Understanding learning styles encompasses a broader spectrum beyond just the VARK model, delving into cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors influencing how individuals prefer to learn. 

Cognitive styles, such as sequential versus global processing, contribute significantly to learning preferences. Sequential learners thrive on step-by-step instruction, while global learners prefer grasping the big picture first. Factors like attention span, memory capacity, and processing speed also shape learning preferences.

Emotional elements, including motivation and self-esteem, play a crucial role in individuals engaging with different learning styles. Students with high confidence and motivation may readily explore various learning approaches, while those with lower self-esteem might stick to familiar methods. 

Moreover, the learning environment, encompassing aspects like noise level, lighting, and physical comfort, can significantly impact receptiveness to different learning styles. Flexibility in the environment, such as offering study location choices or adjusting classroom setups, helps accommodate diverse preferences.

Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learning Styles

Personalized strategies tailored to individual learning styles can enhance engagement and comprehension in teaching. Teachers can provide various learning materials, allow students to choose assignments, or offer alternative assessment methods to cater to varied preferences. 

Integrating technology, such as interactive multimedia presentations or online forums, further supports different learning modes. Collaborative learning opportunities, including group activities and peer tutoring, benefit students with social or linguistic learning preferences by fostering interaction and discussion. Conversely, solitary learners may thrive in environments where they can work independently.

Continuous assessment and feedback mechanisms are integral in identifying students’ preferred learning styles and adjusting instructional strategies accordingly. Regular feedback enables students to reflect on their learning processes and refine study habits based on their unique styles. 

Moreover, professional development programs for educators can provide training on recognizing and accommodating diverse learning styles in the classroom. Teachers can learn effective instructional strategies tailored to different preferences and gain insights into creating inclusive learning environments. 

By embracing the multifaceted nature of learning styles, educators can cultivate environments that cater to the diverse needs of all students.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Learning styles refer to individual preferences and approaches to acquiring knowledge. Understanding one’s learning style can enhance comprehension and academic success by tailoring study methods to fit individual needs.

Teachers can accommodate diverse learning styles by offering a variety of learning materials, allowing for student choice in assignments, integrating technology, fostering collaborative learning opportunities, and providing personalized feedback and support.

No, there is no single best learning style for all students. Every individual has a unique learning method that suits them best. It’s essential to explore different learning styles and determine which one works most effectively for each student.

Students can identify their preferred learning style by experimenting with different study methods, such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing techniques. Reflecting on which methods result in better comprehension and retention can help determine their preferred style.

Yes, besides learning styles, other factors such as cognitive abilities, emotional factors like motivation and self-esteem, environmental conditions, and teaching methods also influence how students learn. It’s essential to consider these factors holistically when designing educational strategies.

Bay Atlantic University

You may also like.

• 4 minute read

Preparing to Study in the U.S.: Everything You Need To Know

• June 20, 2020
• 5 minute read

What are Ambassadors?

• March 9, 2022

Finest Accounting Skills You Need for Career Success

• March 13, 2022

How Do I Become a Political Science Professor?

• March 24, 2022
• 7 minute read

8 Easy Ways to Build Relationships with Your Students

• May 10, 2022

Leadership Qualities: Defining the Good and Not-That-Good Leaders

• January 27, 2022
• 1 share 1 0 0

Navigate the Levels of English as a Second Language

• April 24, 2024
• 6 minute read

Learning English as A Second Language: A Comprehensive Guide

Mastering esl teacher skills: a comprehensive guide to success, esl vs. efl: what is the difference, request information on bau's programs today.

• Curriculum and Instruction Master's
• Reading Masters
• Reading Certificate
• TESOL Master's
• TESOL Certificate
• Educational Administration Master’s
• Educational Administration Certificate
• Autism Master's
• Autism Certificate
• Leadership in Special and Inclusive Education Certificate
• High Incidence Disabilities Master's
• Secondary Special Education and Transition Master's
• Secondary Special Education and Transition Certificate
• Virtual Learning Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Video Gallery
• Financial Aid

Different Learning Styles—What Teachers Need To Know

The concept of “learning styles” has been overwhelmingly embraced by educators in the U.S. and worldwide. Studies show that an estimated 89% of teachers believe in matching instruction to a student’s preferred learning style (Newton & Salvi, 2020). That’s a problem—because research tells us that this approach doesn’t work to improve learning.

What Do We Mean by “Learning Styles”?

It’s true that people have fairly stable strengths and weaknesses in their cognitive abilities, such as processing language or visual-spatial stimuli. People can also have preferences in the way they receive information—Joan may prefer to read an article while Jay may rather listen to a lecture.

The “learning styles” theory makes a big leap, suggesting that students will learn better if they are taught in a manner that conforms to their preferences. More than 70 different systems have been developed that use student questionnaires/self-reports to categorize their supposed learning preferences.

VARK Learning Styles

One of the most popular learning styles inventories used in schools is the VARK system (Cuevas, 2015). Students answer 25 multiple-choice questions that range from how they like their teachers to teach (discussions and guest speakers, textbooks and handouts, field trips and labs, or charts and diagrams) to how they would give directions to a neighbor’s house (draw a map, write out directions, say them aloud, or walk with the person) (VARK Learn Limited, 2021). Based on their responses, the system classifies them as Visual, Auditory, Read-write, and/or Kinesthetic learners and recommends specific learning strategies.

If only it were that simple. While this brief survey may provide some insights for teachers, we must be wary of overestimating the value of the results. By placing students in categories that reflect “preferred learning styles,” we run the risk of oversimplifying the complex nature of teaching and learning to the detriment of our students.

What Does the Science Say?

Study after study has shown that matching instructional mode to a student’s supposedly identified “learning style” does not produce better learning outcomes. In fact, a student’s “learning style” may not even predict the way they prefer to be taught or the way they actually choose to study on their own (Newton & Salvi, 2020).

Simply put, students’ learning preferences as identified via questionnaires do not predict the singular, best way to teach them. A single student may learn best with one approach in one subject and a different one in another. The best approach for them may even vary day-to-day. Most likely, students are best served when a variety of strategies are employed in a lesson.

As appealing as a framework like VARK is—relatively easy to conceptualize and quick to assess—everyone engages in different modes of learning in various ways. The brain processes information in very complex and nuanced ways that can’t be so simply generalized.

Fads are common in education. Having been embraced for several decades, though, “learning styles” has moved beyond fad to what experts refer to as “neuromyth,” one of many “commonly accepted, erroneous beliefs based on misunderstandings of neuroscience that contribute to pseudoscientific practice within education (Ruhaak & Cook, 2018). In fact, the idea that “students learn best when teaching styles are matched to their learning styles” earned a spot in 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology (Lilienfeld, Lynn, & Beyerstein, 2009), alongside “Extrasensory perception is a well-established scientific phenomenon” and “Our handwriting reveals our personality traits.”

Unfortunately, the myth has become so prevalent that the majority of papers written about learning styles are based on the assumption that matching teaching style to learning style is desirable (Newton, 2015). It’s no surprise, then, that well-intentioned educators (and parents and caregivers) buy into the concept as well.

What Harm Does It Do?

When a student is pigeonholed as a particular “type” of learner, and their lessons are all prepared with that in mind, they could be missing out on other learning opportunities with a better chance of success.

Adapting instruction to individual students’ “learning styles” is no small task—and teachers who attempt to do so are clearly motivated to find the best way to help their students. They could put their time to better use, though.

Better Learning Style Approaches

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an evidence-driven framework for improving and optimizing learning for all students. When a learning opportunity provides for 1) multiple means of engagement, 2) multiple means of representation, and 3) multiple means of action and expression, different styles of learning are accounted for at the outset, reducing the need to personalize every activity. Nonprofit CAST.org, where KU Special Education Professor Jamie Basham is Senior Director for Learning & Innovation, offers free UDL Guidelines, with detailed information on how to optimize learning for all your students.

Operating within a UDL framework, teachers should use Evidence-based Practices (EBPs)—specific teaching techniques and interventions that have sufficient published, peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate their effectiveness in addressing specific issues with particular populations of students. (We discussed EBPs for autism spectrum disorder in a previous blog.) In addition, the Council for Exceptional Children recommends a core set of High Leverage Practices –basic, foundational practices that every special education teacher should know and perform fluently.

Evidence-based Learning Style Approaches at KU Special Education

Faculty in the University of Kansas Department of Special Education are world-renowned for their research in UDL and evidence-based special education practices. Students can be assured that our online master’s degrees and graduate certificates focus on research-based teaching and assessment methods—just one of the reasons we’ve been rated the #1 Best Online Master’s Degree in Special Education by U.S. News & World Report for two years in a row. 1

Explore our special education programs and consider how earning an online master’s from a Top 10 Best Education School (among public universities) can help you achieve your goals

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved March 4, 2021 from udlguidelines.cast.org.

Cuevas, J. (2015). Is learning styles-based instruction effective? A comprehensive analysis of recent research on learning styles. Theory & Research in Education. 13 (3), 308–333. doi.org/10.1177/1477878515606621

Lilienfeld, S., Lynn, J., Rucio, J., & Beyerstein, B. (2009) 50 great myths of popular psychology: Shattering widespread misconceptions about human behavior. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN: 978-1405131117

Newton, P. M. (2015). The learning styles myth is thriving in higher education. Frontiers in Psychology, 6 , 1908. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01908

Newton, P. M. & Salvi, A. (2020). How common is belief in the learning styles neuromyth, and does it matter? A pragmatic systematic review. Frontiers in Education, 5 (602451), 1-14. doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.602451

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., and Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9 , 105–119. doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x

Ruhaak, A. E., & Cook, B. G. (2018). The prevalence of educational neuromythings among pre-service special education teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education. 12 (3) 155-161. doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12181

1 Retrieved on May 13, 2021, from usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/university-of-kansas-06075 2 Retrieved on May 13, 2021, from usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings

Return to Blog

IMPORTANT DATES

Stay connected.

Link to twitter Link to facebook Link to youtube Link to instagram

The University of Kansas has engaged Everspring , a leading provider of education and technology services, to support select aspects of program delivery.

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, retaliation, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University's programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and is the University's Title IX Coordinator: the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, [email protected] , 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785) 864-6414 , 711 TTY.

• WordPress.org
• Documentation
• Learn WordPress
• Members Newsfeed

What are Learning Styles, and How Should Teachers Use Them?

• Learning Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Introduction

Learning styles are an essential aspect of education that impact both student performance and teacher effectiveness. Teachers must recognize and understand these learning styles to create a conducive learning environment for their students. This article explores what learning styles are, their importance, and how teachers can use them to enhance student experiences.

What are Learning Styles?

Learning styles refer to the various ways individuals process and retain information. They describe a person’s preferred method of gathering, interpreting, organizing, and thinking about new information. Various models categorize learning styles differently, but some of the most common include:

1. Visual Learning: Visual learners process information effectively when presented in charts, diagrams, or other visual aids.

2. Auditory Learning: Auditory learners absorb information best when it is spoken or heard.

3. Kinesthetic Learning: Kinesthetic learners prefer hands-on experiences or physical activities to understand new concepts.

4. Reading/Writing Learning: Reading/writing learners effectively gather information through reading text or writing about the material they learn.

Why are Learning Styles Important?

Understanding different learning styles has several benefits for both students and teachers:

1. Enhances Students’ Understanding: A tailored approach to teaching can help clarify complex topics and improve comprehension by addressing each student’s preferred learning style.

2. Encourages Active Participation: Students feel more engaged when lessons match their preferred learning style, promoting participation in classroom discussions and activities.

3. Boosts Confidence: When students experience success through tailored teaching methods, their confidence and motivation increase.

4. Personalized Education Experience: Customizing instruction according to learning styles ensures that no student is left behind due to a one-size-fits-all approach.

How Should Teachers Use Learning Styles?

Teachers can implement various strategies based on understanding their students’ learning styles:

1. Offer Diverse Instructional Methods: Teachers should incorporate visual aids, auditory explanations, hands-on activities, and reading/writing assignments in their lessons to appeal to a range of preferences.

2. Cater to Multiple Learning Styles Simultaneously: Presenting material in diverse formats at once can engage multiple learning styles and foster a deeper understanding.

3. Foster Collaborative Learning: Teachers can encourage students with different learning styles to work together on projects or assignments, promoting active engagement and shared understanding.

4. Adapt Assessments: Varying assessment formats, such as oral presentations, written essays, or practical tasks, enables students to perform at their best based on their preferences.

5. Maintain Flexibility: Educators must be willing to adjust teaching methods based on student feedback and ongoing assessments of class progress.

Teachers play a vital role in facilitating the growth of every student by recognizing and adapting their teaching style to meet each student’s unique needs. Understanding learning styles and employing strategies that cater to them can have a profound impact on student success, resulting in a more inclusive, engaging, and effective classroom experience for all involved.

Related Articles

Introduction: In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, educators and school administrators are faced…

Introduction: In the world of education, teachers encounter students with various backgrounds,…

Introduction Halloween is a much-awaited festival that brings excitement and fun to…

Pedagogue is a social media network where educators can learn and grow. It's a safe space where they can share advice, strategies, tools, hacks, resources, etc., and work together to improve their teaching skills and the academic performance of the students in their charge.

If you want to collaborate with educators from around the globe, facilitate remote learning, etc., sign up for a free account today and start making connections.

Pedagogue is Free Now, and Free Forever!

• New? Start Here
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Registration

Don't you have an account? Register Now! it's really simple and you can start enjoying all the benefits!

We just sent you an Email. Please Open it up to activate your account.

I allow this website to collect and store submitted data.

10 Types of Learning and How to Teach Them: A Complete Guide to Learning Styles

If you have been a part of the education sector, you probably already know how different each child is. Every student has their own set of strengths and weaknesses which make them unique. Similarly, every student has a preferred way of learning and retaining the material. These preferences are called “learning styles”. 

Each learning style describes how a learner best receives information, interprets it, organizes it, and stores it. A majority of the learners today even have multiple or overlapping learning styles, also called multimodal learning . As an educator, it is extremely important to know the different types of learning – since this will help your students build on their strengths and retain information better. The original model of VARK only describes four of these - visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. However, in this article we explore 10 types of learning and how to teach them. 

Another factor that contributes to learning and retaining information is the subject of the information. It is a well known fact that some people excel better in creative fields like design, fine arts, photography, while others might excel in practical or calculative fields like mathematics, engineering, science, and so on.

Thus, different people have different interests and these interests contribute to different learning areas or subjects as well. 

1. Physical (Kinesthetic) Learning

Physical or kinesthetic learners prefer a hands-on experience rather than listening to lectures or sitting in a class. They like interacting physically with things that are tangible in nature. These learners could see the idea of studying for hours as a daunting experience but are better with actually doing things themselves. They possess qualities like being restless, preferring to get their hands “dirty”, outgoing and energetic.

Ways to engage physical learners:

• Encourage movement within lessons. Example: role play
• Give them well-spaced breaks between lessons to move around
• Use props and interactive models
• Declutter desks to promote better focus

2. Visual (Spatial) Learning

Visual or spatial learners learn best with the help of visual cues like charts, images, diagrams, graphs, etc. These learners respond best to colours and mind maps . They use their visual memory to retain information for longer periods of time. Many visual learners possess characteristics like frequent planning and doodling, they have a good attention span and are extremely observant, and they prefer visual directions.

Ways to engage visual learners:

• Use maps, diagrams, imagery
• Include technology like projectors
• Use colour coding techniques
• Encourage mind maps and flowcharts

3. Auditory Learning

People who tend to understand and retain information by hearing it or saying it out loud (oral) are called auditory learners. These types of learners can quickly notice the change in someone’s pitch, tone, and other voice qualities. They usually prefer discussing topics, participating in debates, and conversing about things to remember them. Most auditory learners are easy to distract and might even hum, sing, or talk to self frequently.

Ways to engage auditory learners:

• Try using different pitches and tones while reading the material
• Record voice lessons
• Encourage class presentations, group discussions, debates
• Ask them to teach others verbally

4. Verbal (Read/Write) Learning

These types of learners prefer traditional methods like using multiple written resources for learning. Verbal learners learn best through written material or by writing the material themselves. They usually possess a broad vocabulary and might even like using tools like acronyms, rhymes, tongue twisters, among others. Verbal learners are known to be bookworms.

Ways to engage verbal learners:

• Make use of mnemonics while teaching (song, rhyme, acronym, phrase)
• Inculcate scripts
• Encourage students to jot down and voice their ideas
• Include word games like crossword

5. Logical (Mathematical) Learning

Logical or mathematical learners tend to categorize information into groups to learn them better. They have a knack for quickly recognizing patterns and sequences; and understand equations, numbers, and relationships easily. These learners love structure and logic to things. Naturally, mathematics comes easy to them.

Ways to engage logical learners:

• Create an easy to navigate system to your lessons
• Try and inculcate statistics to subjects other than mathematics
• Classify concepts into groups or categories
• Generate cause-effect relationships between variables throughout all subject areas

6. Musical Learning

Where music or background noise is a distraction to most of us, musical learners prefer them. They tend to learn better with music, beats, and rhythm. Like logical learners, they too find patterns and relationships, but between different sounds. Some sources say they even think in sounds and rhythms instead of words and pictures.

Clearly, these learners often grow up to be musicians or instrumentalists. More often than never, some people are a combination of auditory and musical learners. This is why strategies to engage these two kinds aren’t too different.

Ways to engage musical learners:

• Encourage listening to soft background music
• Promote podcasts

7. Naturalist Learners

Naturalist learners learn best through experimentation and practical experiences. They like making observations of the world around them. Just like the name suggests, naturalistic learners are also said to be one with nature. They retain information best when they are outdoors, around plants, animals, among others. 

These types can also be somewhat related to kinesthetic learners since they appreciate tactile sensations. All-in-all, they apply scientific reasoning to the world around them and are highly interested in nature, as well as the things created by man.

Ways to engage naturalistic learners:

• Take students out for a field trip 
• Give lessons in outdoor spaces 
• Promote journaling, drawing, sketching, photographing or natural phenomena
• Encourage work that involves getting into nature (especially in subjects like biology)

8. Linguistic Learners 

Linguistic learners are the combination of auditory and verbal learners. They absorb knowledge best by writing, reading, and sounding the material out. These learners can use the traditional methods of learning just like verbal learners and also prefer listening to the information. Linguistic learners also make their own notes while studying. 

Ways to engage linguistic learners:

• Read out to them and have them read it back to you
• Include written projects and assignments
• Avoid using too many diagrams; use verbal methods of engaging them 
• Avoid using a monotonous voice; use different pitches, voices, and characters

9. Interpersonal (Social) Learners

Social or interpersonal learners learn best while working in groups or with other people. They often make good leaders and others even come for advice to them. Social learners learn by relating their ideas and thoughts to the lives of other people. These learners are usually empaths and possess qualities like sensitivity to others, excellent communication, leadership skills, and  problem-solving skills. This type of learning can fall adjacent to one or more types mentioned above. 

Ways to engage social learners:

• Figure out their adjacent learning style and inculcate those strategies 
• Encourage role-playing
• Assign group activities and projects

10. Intrapersonal (Solitary) Learners

In a complete contrast to interpersonal or social learners, intrapersonal or solitary learners prefer solitude while studying. They are more independent and introspective by nature and prefer to be with their own thoughts and ideas without too much external interference. Usually, you can find these types sitting at the back of the class or you might refer to them as the “quiet kid” but they may end up acing the exam. Solitary learning too can fall adjacent with other learning styles. 

Ways to engage solitary learners:

• Designate a quiet area
• Check in with them every once in a while 
• Define a specific time for collaboration so they feel prepared enough

To summarize, remember to not put your students in a box. It is not necessary and probably unlikely that a student is only one type of learner. There can exist multiple variations and combinations between their learning styles. This is also called a multimodal approach. According to statistics, more than 60% of people are multimodal learners. 

Acknowledge that each child is different and you might have the need to find varying ways to approach their education. Again, these differences can also exist with regards to the subject area. Certain people are simply better suited and more interested in some, while others might have completely opposing interests. These learning styles only provide you with a framework to follow.  

Organize and sell classes online

Creator Educators - Redefining Education in the Digital Age

Somersault to success: effective gymnastics school management and growth, start, grow, and thrive: essential tips for running a teaching and learning business.

Online Students

For All Online Programs

International Students

On Campus, need or have Visa

Campus Students

For All Campus Programs

Types of Learning Styles: The Value in Holistic Strategies

Everyone has a different style of learning. Some people do well with reading the written word. Others learn better through audio. For some, sitting in a quiet library or home office space is key. For others, being physically active or engaged in hands-on activities is best.

Through understanding how you learn and applying different strategies for activating your education, you can maximize your overall study experience.

Traditional Learning Styles

Traditionally, there were four main learning styles: visual, aural/auditory, read/write and kinesthetic, known collectively as " VARK ."

• Visual learners do well with information in graphic form. Maps, graphic organizers and charts are just a few ways that a visual style of processing information helps some people learn.
• Aural/Auditory learners tend to learn best when materials are accessed out loud, such as with live lectures, listening to podcasts or engaging in group discussions.
• Read/Write learners prefer information in written form. Accessing content via reports, essays, books, manuals or even websites tends to work best for people with this predominant style.
• Kinesthetic learners tend to learn best when physical movement is involved in the lesson or activity. For example, hands-on laboratory experiments or experiential activities  help people with this dominant learning style engage with information.

While the VARK learning styles differentiate into four distinct types, a 2014 study published in the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine (JPM) revealed that most people learn best with a combination of styles.

According to the study, auditory and kinesthetic learning are the most common among participants, with visual learning being the least common.

Nearly 87% of participants identified as having a multimodal style of accessing information, with audio-kinesthetic and audio-read/write as the most common combinations, according to JPM. Some participants identified as trimodal, with audio-read/write-kinesthetic as the most common combination.

Why Traditional Learning Styles are Changing

The JPM study highlights an important point: How you learn is rarely static. In fact, most people learn in different ways, and those ways can change throughout their lives. While having a general understanding of the types of learning styles that exist and how you learn best as an individual can be helpful, a holistic approach to your education is key.

“Students will take a free online quiz to learn their style, and what often happens then is that I hear people say, ‘I’m a hands-on learner,’ for example, which in their mind equates to a belief that they can’t learn any other way,” Johnson said.

While traditional styles such as VARK provide a sound starting point to understanding how you learn as an individual, Johnson and the Academic Support team at SNHU advocate for a more holistic approach.

What are Some Different Learning Strategies in Education?

There are many different learning strategies available to help students. As noted in the aforementioned JPM study, most people favor a blend of two or three or possibly more styles.

Understanding different learning strategies can help you best leverage those that apply to you. In addition to VARK, two popular and effective strategies, according to Johnson, are:

• Appreciative Inquiry : PositivePyschology.com describes appreciative inquiry as a strengths-based holistic strategy that focuses on metacognitive (learning how you learn) strategies and capabilities. By combining positive psychology and storytelling, a coach can help students feel empowered in the learning process.
• Growth vs. Fixed Mindset : According to Psychology Today, a growth mindset is when a learner knows that if they work hard and put in the effort, they can succeed at anything they put their mind to. A fixed mindset is when a person believes that no amount of hard work can help them learn a particular skill or subject.

Johnson's coaching is centered on helping students apply a growth mindset  to their education. “We want students to be aware that every class, regardless of discipline, has the opportunity for them to engage in learning through multiple modalities,” she said.

Find Your Program

What are learning approaches from a holistic perspective.

Academic Support at SNHU favors a strength-based, holistic model called appreciative coaching. “This method of coaching focuses on metacognitive strategies and capabilities,” Johnson said. By asking questions and activating prior knowledge, the Academic Support coaches guide students through an inquiry-based process to discover the study methods that suit them best. This process is known as appreciative inquiry.

As mentioned above, appreciative inquiry is an approach to coaching that combines principles of psychology and storytelling to empower learners to develop their strengths. An appreciative inquiry coaching model focuses on encouraging the exploration of strengths while grounded in the belief that:

• Imagination drives action
• Inquiry creates change
• Life is expressed through story
• Positive questions enact positive change

What are the Best Ways of Learning?

What’s best for one person’s learning style may not be what’s best for another. That’s why it's critical to understand yourself first. From there, you can take what you need from a variety of study techniques.

Johnson lists 5 essential steps to identifying those techniques, in school or at home:

Step 1: Activate Prior Knowledge

What a person already knows is important for making connections to anything new. “There are two levels to this,” said Johnson. “Learning in general and learning course-specific content.”

For learning in general, it’s most important to think about a time when you deeply learned something outside of school, such as with a skill or a hobby.

For learning course-specific content, the process starts with recognizing what looks familiar, what terms and vocabulary stand out from prior classes and how this information relates to what you already know. This knowledge serves as a foundation for acquiring and understanding new course content.

Step 2: Apply the Right Mindset

The concept of a growth versus fixed mindset is key, according to Johnson. “It’s important to have a mindset that serves learning," she said. When you are poised to have an open mind about how you study and engage with your classes, the better able you are to apply a growth mindset and expand your knowledge.

Step 3: Be Aware of Barriers and Brain Differences

There are a number of types of barriers that students find along the way to learning. “Barriers can be lack of time, technology, lack of support and lack of essentials,” Johnson said. “These barriers can be significant.”

SNHU's Academic Support team helps all students, including those with both diagnosed and undiagnosed learning differences, such as ADHD and autism. All of these barriers have potential solutions.

“Many neurodivergent individuals have done amazing work all their lives to come up with solutions to work with these challenges,” Johnson said.

Step 4: Learn About Different Learning Strategies and Technologies

“One thing that VARK can help a student understand is that there are many modalities and strategies that a person can use to learn,” Johnson said. Some of those strategies include:

• Changing the scenery and studying in a new location
• Adding voice-to-text to your reading session
• Drawing as a form of note-taking  
• Writing a letter to a loved one summarizing what you've learned
• Spacing out study sessions  with breaks in between
• Taking notes in different ways

The overarching goal of these strategies is to help people become aware of their own preferences and potential. “There are many different strategies for learning, and the best I’ve seen are often those that students come up with themselves,” said Johnson.

Step 5: Learn With Others and Share What You Learn

For many people, it can be challenging to learn new things alone. “Working and engaging with others while learning helps new knowledge stick and builds confidence,” Johnson said.

Several ways that Johnson suggests sharing what you learn and reinforcing new knowledge are:

• Joining student clubs. Whether in a brick-and-mortar or online program, seek out clubs , peer groups and workshops in addition to one-to-one tutoring and coaching services.
• Engaging with others in your household or friend groups. Even if you’re learning different things than a partner, family member or friend, that doesn’t mean you can’t help each other. “There is a lot of power in parallel work to help keep focus and motivation,” Johnson said.
• Explaining something to someone else. If you can explain something to someone else, that’s when you know you really understand a new concept. “I hear many great stories of parents having their children sit side-by-side with them and do homework together,” Johnson said. “At certain points in studying, they’ll take a break to summarize to each other what they’ve learned.”

What's Your Learning Style?

The best way to determine your own learning style is to take a similar holistic approach. Research VARK, but use that information as a place to start rather than as a way to define how you think.

Be open to the fact that you likely learn according to multiple styles. Activate prior knowledge as you work on incorporating new study habits and strategies into your university journey.

By taking a true holistic approach to learning, you may find that your own learning style is uniquely special to you.

Online. On campus. Choose your program  from 200+ SNHU degrees that can take you where you want to go.

Marie Morganelli, Ph.D. is an educator, writer and editor.

Explore more content like this article

Academic Spotlight: Executive Director of Academic Effectiveness Dr. Meleena Eaton

Why It Pays to Advance from an Associate to Bachelor’s Degree

The Leadership and Legacy of Gertrude Shapiro

About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

Request More Info

Fill out the form below and a member of our team will reach out right away!

" * " indicates required fields

An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Styles & Learning Styles

Student Learning Styles

A range of different teaching styles.

• Lifelong Education for Teachers: Impact of a Master's Degree

Hello, welcome to “An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Styles & Learning Styles.” Today’s discussion topic: How student learning styles affect educators’ teaching styles, and vice versa. Here is the syllabus for our key discussion points:

• Individual Student Learning Styles
• The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
• Teacher-Centered vs. Student-Centered
• Teaching Styles: 5 Approaches to Education
• Lifelong Education for Teachers: Impact of an MEd
• Follow-up Quiz

Editor’s note: The decision to playfully craft this blog post to feel like a classroom lesson is a writing strategy intended to engage the reader for what we hope will be an informative discussion of important educational concepts and practices.

If you are a teacher, you know that no two students are the same and that there is a spectrum of different learning styles. An educator’s teaching style, therefore, can greatly impact a student’s ability to learn and comprehend. This is why knowledge of different learning styles is essential for teachers.

Does Andrea learn most effectively through images and graphics? She may be a  Visual learner .

Does Jeremy seem to grasp the material best by listening to lectures, asking questions and participating in group discussions? He may be an  Auditory learner .

Do Max and Emily prefer to gather information by reading, taking notes and writing reports or essays? They may be  Reading/Writing learners .

And what about Dylan? She is very hands-on, and seems to enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together — to learn by doing. She may be a  Kinesthetic learner .

That’s one common breakdown of the spectrum of learning styles, but of course it is not the only one. (One of the first lessons you learn when researching learning styles is that there are many different theories.)

One is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences , developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Harvard educator Howard Gardner (see video) , who believed that there are eight distinct “intelligences” that are closely connected to learning. These are:

• Visual-Spatial  — The ability to conceptualize and manipulate large-scale spatial arrays (e.g. airplane pilot, sailor), or more local forms of space (e.g. architect, chess player).
• Bodily-Kinesthetic — The ability to use one’s whole body, or parts of the body (like the hands or the mouth), to solve problems or create products (e.g. dancer).
• Musical  — Sensitivity to rhythm, pitch, meter, tone, melody and timbre. May entail the ability to sing, play musical instruments, and/or compose music (e.g. musical conductor).
• Linguistic  — Sensitivity to the meaning of words, the order among words and the sound, rhythms, inflections and meter of words (e.g. poet). Sometimes called language intelligence.
• Logical-Mathematical  — The capacity to conceptualize the logical relations among actions or symbols (e.g. mathematicians, scientists).
• Interpersonal — The ability to interact effectively with others. Sensitivity to others’ moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations (e.g. negotiator). Sometimes called social intelligence.
• Intrapersonal — Sensitivity to one’s own feelings, goals and anxieties, and the capacity to plan and act in light of one’s own traits. It is not particular to specific careers; rather, it connects to the ability of every individual to make consequential decisions for oneself. Sometimes called self-intelligence.
• Naturalistic  — The ability to make consequential distinctions in the world of nature as, for example, between one plant and another, or one cloud formation and another. Sometimes called nature intelligence.

The idea behind multiple intelligence theories is not that people learn in only one way, but that people are stronger in different areas and can demonstrate their knowledge and abilities in different ways. For teachers, being attuned to such distinctions can be helpful in understanding how to best connect with individual students.

[Download] Get the Teaching and Learning Styles Guide PDF Now >>

There are two main buckets that most teaching styles fall into: teacher centered or student centered. Here’s a closer look at teacher-centered instruction vs. the student-centered approach :

Teacher-Centered Approach

The teacher-centered approach to education positions the teacher as the expert who is in charge of imparting knowledge to his or her students via lectures or direct instruction. In this approach (sometimes called “sage on the stage”), students are passive actors or “empty vessels,” listening and absorbing information.

This teacher-centered style is the traditional approach to teaching, but it’s not necessarily the best. And as educators learn more about effective ways to engage learners of every style, the teacher-centered approach is looked upon less fondly than it once was. However, there are also countless examples of students being challenged and transformed by a teacher or professor lecturing about a subject they have spent their entire life exploring.

Student-Centered Approach

The student-centered approach creates more equanimity between the teacher and student, with each playing a role in the learning process. In this approach, the teacher is sometimes referred to as the “guide on the side.”

While the teacher still holds authority, he or she is more likely to act as a facilitator, coaching students and assisting them in their learning. This approach champions student choice and facilitates connections among students. A couple of styles within the student-centered approach to teaching are:

Inquiry-Based Style This student-centered learning style encourages independence, autonomy and hands-on learning, with students leading the way and receiving guidance from their teachers.

Cooperative Style Cooperative learning is a student-centered approach that focuses on group work and social growth. Much like the inquiry-based style, the cooperative style encourages independence and hands-on learning but puts special importance on peer-to-peer work and community.

Question : How many teaching styles are there? Answer : This is sort of a “trick question” because, as you might expect, different educational theorists offer differing ideas about the range, scope, descriptions (and number) of different teaching style s.

Though this may be a case where there are no “right answers,” many educational resources break down the different styles of teaching into the following five primary categories :

Lecturer or Authoritative Style The authoritative teaching style follows the traditional teacher-centered approach, often characterized by lecture sessions or one-way presentations. In this approach (also called the “chalk and talk” style), students are expected to pay attention, absorb the information, take notes and ask questions.

Demonstrator or Coach Style Often used in math, science and music, the demonstrator style involves more “showing” rather than “telling” with teachers more likely to support the information with examples or experiments, demonstrations or multimedia presentations.

Facilitator or Activity Style The facilitator/teacher is focused on promoting self-learning and helping students develop critical learning and thinking skills. A student-centered approach, it involves creating learning plans and classes that require students to explore and discover the course content in creative and original ways.

Delegator or Group Style Well-suited for curriculums that include or emphasize group activities, the delegator style of teaching shifts much of the responsibility for learning onto the students, who are encouraged to work together in projects connected to the lesson themes (think science labs, debates, etc.). In this style, the teacher is an active observer working to guide students in the right direction.

Hybrid or Blended Style

The hybrid approach may integrate elements of the styles discussed above, often blending the teacher’s personality and interests with those of the students. While this method is considered inclusive, enabling teachers to tailor their styles to student needs within the subject matter, some educators believe it risks diluting the learning process by placing less emphasis on in-depth study than when following a single, focused approach.

The discussion above is not intended to reduce the organic practice of classroom teaching into neat categories or to pigeonhole educators into being characterized as one “type” of teacher or another — but rather to explore different methodologies to enhance our shared understanding of the teaching experience. What it boils down to is getting to know your students and using your skills and instincts to discover the most effective ways to engage both the individual student and entire classes with your curriculum.

Getting to know each student well enough to effectively teach them is especially challenging for high school and middle school teachers who have different students every hour. What works with one student or group might not work with the next.

That’s why it’s so important for educators to have both a strong sense of the range of different student learning styles and a firm grasp of the different teaching styles and strategies you can use to be the most effective educator you can be.

Lifelong Education for Teachers: Impact of a Master’s Degree

Educators who are motivated to develop a deeper understanding of different teaching styles, learning styles, instructional theory and much more will often pursue a Master of Education degree. Such programs not only present an opportunity to become a better educator, in many school districts obtaining an MEd will also earn teachers a salary increase.

To help expand educational opportunities for busy working teachers, the University of San Diego has developed an innovative, 100% online  Master of Education degree program  that gives teachers the option of earning their MEd on their own schedule, while interacting with and learning from fellow educators across the country.

The  MEd specializations  include:

• STEAM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics)
• Inclusive Learning: Special Education and Universal Design  (UDL)
• Curriculum and Instruction
• School Leadership
• Technology and Innovation

Follow-up quiz:

• What are some of your most effective teaching strategies?
• What aspects of education (or specializations) would you like to learn more about?
• Have you been thinking about taking your mastery of teaching to the next level?

If you answered “Yes” to Question 3, you may want to start a conversation with a USD advisor about how our master’s degree program could help you achieve your goals as an educator, and as a lifelong student.

Be Sure To Share This Article

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

Guide to Teaching and Learning Styles

Download this free resource for an overview of how different students learn, and how you can support them. 

• Master of Education

Related Posts

• Columbia University in the City of New York
• Office of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation
• University Policies
• Columbia Online
• Academic Calendar
• Resources and Technology
• Instructional Technologies
• Teaching in All Modalities

Designing Assignments for Learning

The rapid shift to remote teaching and learning meant that many instructors reimagined their assessment practices. Whether adapting existing assignments or creatively designing new opportunities for their students to learn, instructors focused on helping students make meaning and demonstrate their learning outside of the traditional, face-to-face classroom setting. This resource distills the elements of assignment design that are important to carry forward as we continue to seek better ways of assessing learning and build on our innovative assignment designs.

On this page:

Rethinking traditional tests, quizzes, and exams.

• Examples from the Columbia University Classroom
• Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

Reflect On Your Assignment Design

Connect with the ctl.

• Resources and References

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2021). Designing Assignments for Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/designing-assignments/

Traditional assessments tend to reveal whether students can recognize, recall, or replicate what was learned out of context, and tend to focus on students providing correct responses (Wiggins, 1990). In contrast, authentic assignments, which are course assessments, engage students in higher order thinking, as they grapple with real or simulated challenges that help them prepare for their professional lives, and draw on the course knowledge learned and the skills acquired to create justifiable answers, performances or products (Wiggins, 1990). An authentic assessment provides opportunities for students to practice, consult resources, learn from feedback, and refine their performances and products accordingly (Wiggins 1990, 1998, 2014). 

Authentic assignments ask students to “do” the subject with an audience in mind and apply their learning in a new situation. Examples of authentic assignments include asking students to: 

• Write for a real audience (e.g., a memo, a policy brief, letter to the editor, a grant proposal, reports, building a website) and/or publication;
• Solve problem sets that have real world application; 
• Design projects that address a real world problem; 
• Engage in a community-partnered research project;
• Create an exhibit, performance, or conference presentation ;
• Compile and reflect on their work through a portfolio/e-portfolio.

Noteworthy elements of authentic designs are that instructors scaffold the assignment, and play an active role in preparing students for the tasks assigned, while students are intentionally asked to reflect on the process and product of their work thus building their metacognitive skills (Herrington and Oliver, 2000; Ashford-Rowe, Herrington and Brown, 2013; Frey, Schmitt, and Allen, 2012). 

It’s worth noting here that authentic assessments can initially be time consuming to design, implement, and grade. They are critiqued for being challenging to use across course contexts and for grading reliability issues (Maclellan, 2004). Despite these challenges, authentic assessments are recognized as beneficial to student learning (Svinicki, 2004) as they are learner-centered (Weimer, 2013), promote academic integrity (McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, 2021; Sotiriadou et al., 2019; Schroeder, 2021) and motivate students to learn (Ambrose et al., 2010). The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning is always available to consult with faculty who are considering authentic assessment designs and to discuss challenges and affordances.   

Examples from the Columbia University Classroom 

Columbia instructors have experimented with alternative ways of assessing student learning from oral exams to technology-enhanced assignments. Below are a few examples of authentic assignments in various teaching contexts across Columbia University. 

• E-portfolios: Statia Cook shares her experiences with an ePorfolio assignment in her co-taught Frontiers of Science course (a submission to the Voices of Hybrid and Online Teaching and Learning initiative); CUIMC use of ePortfolios ;
• Case studies: Columbia instructors have engaged their students in authentic ways through case studies drawing on the Case Consortium at Columbia University. Read and watch a faculty spotlight to learn how Professor Mary Ann Price uses the case method to place pre-med students in real-life scenarios;
• Simulations: students at CUIMC engage in simulations to develop their professional skills in The Mary & Michael Jaharis Simulation Center in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center in the Columbia School of Nursing; 
• Experiential learning: instructors have drawn on New York City as a learning laboratory such as Barnard’s NYC as Lab webpage which highlights courses that engage students in NYC;
• Design projects that address real world problems: Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy on the Engineering design projects completed using lab kits during remote learning. Watch Dr. Yesilevskiy talk about his teaching and read the Columbia News article . 
• Writing assignments: Lia Marshall and her teaching associate Aparna Balasundaram reflect on their “non-disposable or renewable assignments” to prepare social work students for their professional lives as they write for a real audience; and Hannah Weaver spoke about a sandbox assignment used in her Core Literature Humanities course at the 2021 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium . Watch Dr. Weaver share her experiences.  

​Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

While designing an effective authentic assignment may seem like a daunting task, the following tips can be used as a starting point. See the Resources section for frameworks and tools that may be useful in this effort.  

Align the assignment with your course learning objectives 

Identify the kind of thinking that is important in your course, the knowledge students will apply, and the skills they will practice using through the assignment. What kind of thinking will students be asked to do for the assignment? What will students learn by completing this assignment? How will the assignment help students achieve the desired course learning outcomes? For more information on course learning objectives, see the CTL’s Course Design Essentials self-paced course and watch the video on Articulating Learning Objectives .  

Identify an authentic meaning-making task

For meaning-making to occur, students need to understand the relevance of the assignment to the course and beyond (Ambrose et al., 2010). To Bean (2011) a “meaning-making” or “meaning-constructing” task has two dimensions: 1) it presents students with an authentic disciplinary problem or asks students to formulate their own problems, both of which engage them in active critical thinking, and 2) the problem is placed in “a context that gives students a role or purpose, a targeted audience, and a genre.” (Bean, 2011: 97-98). 

An authentic task gives students a realistic challenge to grapple with, a role to take on that allows them to “rehearse for the complex ambiguities” of life, provides resources and supports to draw on, and requires students to justify their work and the process they used to inform their solution (Wiggins, 1990). Note that if students find an assignment interesting or relevant, they will see value in completing it. 

Consider the kind of activities in the real world that use the knowledge and skills that are the focus of your course. How is this knowledge and these skills applied to answer real-world questions to solve real-world problems? (Herrington et al., 2010: 22). What do professionals or academics in your discipline do on a regular basis? What does it mean to think like a biologist, statistician, historian, social scientist? How might your assignment ask students to draw on current events, issues, or problems that relate to the course and are of interest to them? How might your assignment tap into student motivation and engage them in the kinds of thinking they can apply to better understand the world around them? (Ambrose et al., 2010). 

Determine the evaluation criteria and create a rubric

To ensure equitable and consistent grading of assignments across students, make transparent the criteria you will use to evaluate student work. The criteria should focus on the knowledge and skills that are central to the assignment. Build on the criteria identified, create a rubric that makes explicit the expectations of deliverables and share this rubric with your students so they can use it as they work on the assignment. For more information on rubrics, see the CTL’s resource Incorporating Rubrics into Your Grading and Feedback Practices , and explore the Association of American Colleges & Universities VALUE Rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). 

Build in metacognition

Ask students to reflect on what and how they learned from the assignment. Help students uncover personal relevance of the assignment, find intrinsic value in their work, and deepen their motivation by asking them to reflect on their process and their assignment deliverable. Sample prompts might include: what did you learn from this assignment? How might you draw on the knowledge and skills you used on this assignment in the future? See Ambrose et al., 2010 for more strategies that support motivation and the CTL’s resource on Metacognition ). 

Provide students with opportunities to practice

Design your assignment to be a learning experience and prepare students for success on the assignment. If students can reasonably expect to be successful on an assignment when they put in the required effort ,with the support and guidance of the instructor, they are more likely to engage in the behaviors necessary for learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Ensure student success by actively teaching the knowledge and skills of the course (e.g., how to problem solve, how to write for a particular audience), modeling the desired thinking, and creating learning activities that build up to a graded assignment. Provide opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills they will need for the assignment, whether through low-stakes in-class activities or homework activities that include opportunities to receive and incorporate formative feedback. For more information on providing feedback, see the CTL resource Feedback for Learning . 

Communicate about the assignment 

Share the purpose, task, audience, expectations, and criteria for the assignment. Students may have expectations about assessments and how they will be graded that is informed by their prior experiences completing high-stakes assessments, so be transparent. Tell your students why you are asking them to do this assignment, what skills they will be using, how it aligns with the course learning outcomes, and why it is relevant to their learning and their professional lives (i.e., how practitioners / professionals use the knowledge and skills in your course in real world contexts and for what purposes). Finally, verify that students understand what they need to do to complete the assignment. This can be done by asking students to respond to poll questions about different parts of the assignment, a “scavenger hunt” of the assignment instructions–giving students questions to answer about the assignment and having them work in small groups to answer the questions, or by having students share back what they think is expected of them.

Plan to iterate and to keep the focus on learning 

Draw on multiple sources of data to help make decisions about what changes are needed to the assignment, the assignment instructions, and/or rubric to ensure that it contributes to student learning. Explore assignment performance data. As Deandra Little reminds us: “a really good assignment, which is a really good assessment, also teaches you something or tells the instructor something. As much as it tells you what students are learning, it’s also telling you what they aren’t learning.” ( Teaching in Higher Ed podcast episode 337 ). Assignment bottlenecks–where students get stuck or struggle–can be good indicators that students need further support or opportunities to practice prior to completing an assignment. This awareness can inform teaching decisions. 

Triangulate the performance data by collecting student feedback, and noting your own reflections about what worked well and what did not. Revise the assignment instructions, rubric, and teaching practices accordingly. Consider how you might better align your assignment with your course objectives and/or provide more opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills that they will rely on for the assignment. Additionally, keep in mind societal, disciplinary, and technological changes as you tweak your assignments for future use. 

Now is a great time to reflect on your practices and experiences with assignment design and think critically about your approach. Take a closer look at an existing assignment. Questions to consider include: What is this assignment meant to do? What purpose does it serve? Why do you ask students to do this assignment? How are they prepared to complete the assignment? Does the assignment assess the kind of learning that you really want? What would help students learn from this assignment? 

Using the tips in the previous section: How can the assignment be tweaked to be more authentic and meaningful to students? 

As you plan forward for post-pandemic teaching and reflect on your practices and reimagine your course design, you may find the following CTL resources helpful: Reflecting On Your Experiences with Remote Teaching , Transition to In-Person Teaching , and Course Design Support .

The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is here to help!

For assistance with assignment design, rubric design, or any other teaching and learning need, please request a consultation by emailing [email protected] . 

Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework for assignments. The TILT Examples and Resources page ( https://tilthighered.com/tiltexamplesandresources ) includes example assignments from across disciplines, as well as a transparent assignment template and a checklist for designing transparent assignments . Each emphasizes the importance of articulating to students the purpose of the assignment or activity, the what and how of the task, and specifying the criteria that will be used to assess students. 

Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) offers VALUE ADD (Assignment Design and Diagnostic) tools ( https://www.aacu.org/value-add-tools ) to help with the creation of clear and effective assignments that align with the desired learning outcomes and associated VALUE rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). VALUE ADD encourages instructors to explicitly state assignment information such as the purpose of the assignment, what skills students will be using, how it aligns with course learning outcomes, the assignment type, the audience and context for the assignment, clear evaluation criteria, desired formatting, and expectations for completion whether individual or in a group.

Villarroel et al. (2017) propose a blueprint for building authentic assessments which includes four steps: 1) consider the workplace context, 2) design the authentic assessment; 3) learn and apply standards for judgement; and 4) give feedback. 

References 

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., & DiPietro, M. (2010). Chapter 3: What Factors Motivate Students to Learn? In How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching . Jossey-Bass. 

Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., and Brown, C. (2013). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 39(2), 205-222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566 .  

Bean, J.C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom . Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. 

Frey, B. B, Schmitt, V. L., and Allen, J. P. (2012). Defining Authentic Classroom Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. 17(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/sxbs-0829  

Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., and Oliver, R. (2010). A Guide to Authentic e-Learning . Routledge. 

Herrington, J. and Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48. 

Litchfield, B. C. and Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 142 (Summer 2015), 65-80. 

Maclellan, E. (2004). How convincing is alternative assessment for use in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 29(3), June 2004. DOI: 10.1080/0260293042000188267

McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, J. (2021). Assessments in a Virtual Environment: You Won’t Need that Lockdown Browser! Faculty Focus. June 2, 2021. 

Mueller, J. (2005). The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning through Online Faculty Development . MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. 1(1). July 2005. Mueller’s Authentic Assessment Toolbox is available online. 

Schroeder, R. (2021). Vaccinate Against Cheating With Authentic Assessment . Inside Higher Ed. (February 26, 2021).  

Sotiriadou, P., Logan, D., Daly, A., and Guest, R. (2019). The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and promote skills development and employability. Studies in Higher Education. 45(111), 2132-2148. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1582015    

Stachowiak, B. (Host). (November 25, 2020). Authentic Assignments with Deandra Little. (Episode 337). In Teaching in Higher Ed . https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/authentic-assignments/  

Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Authentic Assessment: Testing in Reality. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 100 (Winter 2004): 23-29. 

Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S, Bruna, D., Bruna, C., and Herrera-Seda, C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 43(5), 840-854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396    

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice . Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Wiggins, G. (2014). Authenticity in assessment, (re-)defined and explained. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/authenticity-in-assessment-re-defined-and-explained/

Wiggins, G. (1998). Teaching to the (Authentic) Test. Educational Leadership . April 1989. 41-47. 

Wiggins, Grant (1990). The Case for Authentic Assessment . Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation , 2(2). 

Wondering how AI tools might play a role in your course assignments?

See the CTL’s resource “Considerations for AI Tools in the Classroom.”

This website uses cookies to identify users, improve the user experience and requires cookies to work. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University's use of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice .

We use cookies on our website to support technical features that enhance your user experience, and to help us improve our website. By continuing to use this website, you accept our privacy policy .

• Student Login
• No-Cost Professional Certificates
• Call Us: 888-549-6755
• 888-559-6763
• Search site Search our site Search Now Close
• Request Info

Skip to Content (Press Enter)

4 Types of Learning Styles: How to Accommodate a Diverse Group of Students

By Callie Malvik on 08/17/2020

We all experience the world in unique ways, and with that comes variation in the ways we learn best. Understanding these different types of learning styles can drastically impact the way teachers handle their students, set up group projects and adapt individual learning. Without understanding and acknowledging these different ways of learning, teachers might end up with a handful of students lagging behind their classmates—in part because their unique learning style hasn’t been activated.

Part of your responsibility as an educator is to adjust your lessons to the unique group of students you are working with at any given time. The best teachers can cater to each student’s strengths, ensuring they are truly grasping the information.

So how do you meet the needs of different types of learners in your class? Join us as we outline the four types of learning styles and how teachers can practically apply this information in their classrooms.

Ways of learning: A closer look at 4 learning styles

Learning styles and preferences take on a variety of forms—and not all people fit neatly into one category. But generally speaking, these are the most common types of learners:

1. Visual learners

How to recognize visual learners in your class: Someone with a preference for visual learning is partial to seeing and observing things, including pictures, diagrams, written directions and more. This is also referred to as the “spatial” learning style. Students who learn through sight understand information better when it’s presented in a visual way. These are your doodling students, your list makers and your students who take notes.

How to cater to visual learners: The whiteboard or smartboard is your best friend when teaching these types of learners. Give students opportunities to draw pictures and diagrams on the board, or ask students to doodle examples based on the topic they’re learning. Teachers catering to visual learners should regularly make handouts and use presentations. Visual learners may also need more time to process material, as they observe the visual cues before them. So be sure to give students a little time and space to absorb the information.

2. Auditory learners

How to recognize auditory learners in your class: Auditory learners tend to learn better when the subject matter is reinforced by sound. These students would much rather listen to a lecture than read written notes, and they often use their own voices to reinforce new concepts and ideas. These types of learners prefer reading out loud to themselves. They aren’t afraid to speak up in class and are great at verbally explaining things. Additionally, they may be slower at reading and may often repeat things a teacher tells them.

How to cater to auditory learners: Since these students generally find it hard to stay quiet for long periods of time, get your auditory learners involved in the lecture by asking them to repeat new concepts back to you. Ask questions and let them answer. Invoke group discussions so your auditory and verbal processors can properly take in and understand the information they’re being presented with. Watching videos and using music or audiotapes are also helpful ways of learning for this group.

3. Kinesthetic learners

How to recognize kinesthetic learners in your class: Kinesthetic learners, sometimes called tactile learners, learn through experiencing or doing things. They like to get involved by acting out events or using their hands to touch and handle in order to understand concepts. These types of learners might struggle to sit still and often excel at sports or like to dance. They may need to take more frequent breaks when studying.

How to cater to kinesthetic learners: The best way teachers can help these students learn is by getting them moving. Instruct students to act out a certain scene from a book or a lesson you’re teaching. Also try encouraging these students by incorporating movement into lessons: pacing to help memorize, learning games that involve moving around the classroom or having students write on the whiteboard as part of an activity.

Once kinesthetic learners can physically sense what they’re studying, abstract ideas and difficult concepts become easier to understand.

4. Reading/writing learners

How to recognize reading/writing learners in your class: According to the VARK Modalities theory developed by Fleming and Mills in 1992, reading/writing learners prefer to learn through written words. While there is some overlap with visual learning, these types of learners are drawn to expression through writing, reading articles or books, writing in diaries, looking up words in the dictionary and searching the internet for just about everything.

How to cater to reading/writing learners: Of the four learning styles, this is probably the easiest to cater to since much of the traditional educational system tends to center on writing essays, doing research and reading books. Be mindful about allowing plenty of time for these students to absorb information through the written word, and give them opportunities to get their ideas out on paper as well.

Embrace all types of learning

Understanding these different learning styles doesn’t end in the classroom. By equipping students with tools in their early years, teachers are empowering them for their futures. Pinpointing how a child learns best can dramatically affect their ability to connect with the topics you’re teaching, as well as how they participate with the rest of the class.

Now that you have some tactics in your back pocket to accommodate different ways of learning, you may be curious about classroom management strategies. Learn more in our article, “ Proven Classroom Management Tips for Preschool Teachers . ”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in 2018. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2020.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on LinkedIn

Request More Information

Talk with an admissions advisor today. Fill out the form to receive information about:

• Program Details and Applying for Classes
• Financial Aid and FAFSA (for those who qualify)
• Customized Support Services
• Detailed Program Plan

There are some errors in the form. Please correct the errors and submit again.

Please enter your first name.

Please enter your last name.

There is an error in email. Make sure your answer has:

• An "@" symbol
• A suffix such as ".com", ".edu", etc.

There is an error in phone number. Make sure your answer has:

• 10 digits with no dashes or spaces
• No country code (e.g. "1" for USA)

There is an error in ZIP code. Make sure your answer has only 5 digits.

Please choose a School of study.

Please choose a program.

Please choose a degree.

The program you have selected is not available in your ZIP code. Please select another program or contact an Admissions Advisor (877.530.9600) for help.

The program you have selected requires a nursing license. Please select another program or contact an Admissions Advisor (877.530.9600) for help.

Rasmussen University is not enrolling students in your state at this time.

By selecting "Submit," I authorize Rasmussen University to contact me by email, phone or text message at the number provided. There is no obligation to enroll. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

About the author

Callie Malvik

Callie is the Content Manager at Collegis Education, overseeing blog content on behalf of Rasmussen University. She is passionate about creating quality resources that empower others to improve their lives through education.

Posted in General Education

• early childhood education

Related Content

Brianna Flavin | 12.21.2023

Hope Rothenberg | 11.09.2023

Brianna Flavin | 05.11.2023

Patrick Flavin | 06.20.2022

This piece of ad content was created by Rasmussen University to support its educational programs. Rasmussen University may not prepare students for all positions featured within this content. Please visit www.rasmussen.edu/degrees for a list of programs offered. External links provided on rasmussen.edu are for reference only. Rasmussen University does not guarantee, approve, control, or specifically endorse the information or products available on websites linked to, and is not endorsed by website owners, authors and/or organizations referenced. Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Varying Assignments to Enhance Student Learning Styles

• Teaching Resources
• An Introduction to Teaching
• Tips & Strategies
• Policies & Discipline
• Community Involvement
• School Administration
• Technology in the Classroom
• Teaching Adult Learners
• Issues In Education
• Becoming A Teacher
• Assessments & Tests
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• Homeschooling
• M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida
• B.A., History, University of Florida

Each student comes to your class with their own learning style strengths and weaknesses. Some will be stronger at auditory learning or learning through listening and sound. Others might find they learn better visually , gaining understanding through reading and writing.  Finally, many students will be stronger kinesthetic learners , learning better through hands-on activities. Therefore, it is important that we present lessons to students through a variety of techniques that play to each of their strengths.

While most teachers know this and try to vary presentation techniques as much as possible, it can be quite easy to forget about changing up assignments. In other words, if your student is an auditory learner, their understanding of the material will be reflected better through an auditory method. Traditionally, we have students present us with what they have learned through written means: essays, multiple-choice tests, and short answers. However, some students might do a better job reflecting their comprehension of what they have learned through either verbal or kinesthetic means. 

Therefore, requiring students to vary their responses can not only help more of them shine by working in their dominant learning style but it can also allow all students the chance to find new ways to learn. 

The following are ideas for activities that you can have students complete in each of their dominant learning styles. Realize, however, that many of these actually play to the strengths of more than one category. 

Visual Learners

• 'Typical' Written Activities: These include assignments like essays and short answer questions. 
• Outlining: Students can outline a chapter in a book or other reading assignment. 
• Flash Cards: Students can create flashcards that they can not only submit as an assignment but also use for review. 
• SQ3R: This stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review and is quite an effective reading comprehension method. 

Auditory Learners

• Cooperative Learning Activities: Activities that include auditory interaction between students can be quite powerful.
• Class Discussions: Students can discuss the lesson with teacher support. 
• Debates: Students can work in groups to debate an issue. 
• Recitations: Having students memorize and recite poetry or other readings also has the added benefit of helping improve their memory. 
• Musical Activities: Students can use music in a number of ways. For example, in an American History class, students might find songs that represent the turmoil of the 1960s protests. You might also have students write their own lyrics to songs as a way to present the information that they have learned. 
• Kinesthetic Learners
• Dramatic Presentations: Having students present their information through a play or other dramatic presentation not only helps kinesthetic learners but also auditory learners as well. 
• Speeches With Props: Students can stand before the class and speak about a topic while using props. 
• 'Teacher' for the Day Activities: Give students parts of a lesson that they are to 'teach' to the rest of the class. You can choose to have the students work individually or in small groups. 
• Simulations: Getting students moving around the classroom as they simulate an event like a presidential election can build interest and excitement in learning. 
• Manipulatives: Students enjoy being able to use manipulatives in classes like mathematics and science.
• Incorporating Dance or Exercise: While this might not work in some classes, allowing students the ability to choose to incorporate dance or exercise as a method of lesson presentation can open up a whole new avenue of learning. 
• Outdoor Activities: Students can be given assignments that require them to go outside and move around. 

Obviously, your subject matter and classroom environment will impact which of these would be the best fit for your students. However, I challenge you to move outside your comfort zone and try to find a way to not only represent lessons while incorporating all three learning styles, but also giving students' assignments and activities that allow them to use different learning modalities as well. 

• The Best Study Techniques for Your Learning Style
• Adapt Your Studying Techniques to Your Learning Style
• What’s Your Learning Style?
• Understanding Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learning Styles
• The Auditory Learning Style
• Activities and Ideas for Students with an Auditory Learning Style
• Make the Most of Your Tactile Learning Style
• Methods for Presenting Subject Matter
• Standard Lesson Plan Format for ESL Teachers
• How to Facilitate Learning and Critical Thinking
• The Kinesthetic Learning Style: Traits and Study Strategies
• Visual Learners Learn Best By Sight
• Resources for Adult Students with a Kinesethetic Learning Style
• 13 Creative Examples of Informal Assessments for the Classroom
• How Scaffolding Instruction Can Improve Comprehension

K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers Provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance

• Teaching Strategies
• Classroom Activities
• Classroom Management
• Technology in the Classroom
• Professional Development
• Lesson Plans
• Writing Prompts
• Graduate Programs

Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Tiered Assignments

Janelle cox.

• September 23, 2014

Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies  as a way to reach all learners and accommodate each student’s learning style. One very helpful tactic to employ differentiated instruction is called tiered assignments—a technique often used within flexible groups.

Much like flexible grouping—or differentiated instruction as a whole, really—tiered assignments do not lock students into ability boxes. Instead, particular student clusters are assigned specific tasks within each group according to their readiness and comprehension without making them feel completely compartmentalized away from peers at different achievement levels.

There are six main ways to structure tiered assignments: challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, or resources. It is your job, based upon the specific learning tasks you’re focused on, to determine the best approach. Here we will take a brief look at these techniques.

Ways to Structure Tiered Assignments

Challenge level.

Tiering can be based on challenge level where student groups will tackle different assignments. Teachers can use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide to help them develop tasks of structure or questions at various levels. For example:

• Group 1:  Students who need content reinforcement or practice will complete one activity that helps  build  understanding.
• Group 2:  Students who have a firm understanding will complete another activity that  extends  what they already know.

When you tier assignments by complexity, you are addressing the needs of students who are at different levels using the same assignment. The trick here is to vary the focus of the assignment based upon whether each group is ready for more advanced work or simply trying to wrap their head around the concept for the first time. You can direct your students to create a poster on a specific issue—recycling and environmental care, for instance—but one group will focus on a singular perspective, while the other will consider several points of view and present an argument for or against each angle.

Tiering assignments by differentiated outcome is vaguely similar to complexity—all of your students will use the same materials, but depending on their readiness levels will actually have a different outcome. It may sound strange at first, but this strategy is quite beneficial to help advanced students work on more progressive applications of their student learning.

This differentiated instruction strategy is exactly what it sounds like—student groups will use different processes to achieve similar outcomes based upon readiness.

Tiered assignments can also be differentiated based on product. Teachers can use the Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences to form groups that will hone particular skills for particular learning styles . For example, one group would be bodily/kinesthetic, and their task is to create and act out a skit. Another group would be visual/spatial, and their task would be to illustrate.

Tiering resources means that you are matching project materials to student groups based on readiness or instructional need. One flexible group may use a magazine while another may use a traditional textbook. As a tip, you should assign resources based on knowledge and readiness, but also consider the group’s reading level and comprehension.

How to Make Tiering Invisible to Students

From time to time, students may question why they are working on different assignments, using varied materials, or coming to dissimilar outcomes altogether. This could be a blow to your classroom morale if you’re not tactful in making your tiers invisible.

Make it a point to tell students that each group is using different materials or completing different activities so they can share what they learned with the class. Be neutral when grouping students, use numbers or colors for group names, and be equally enthusiastic while explaining assignments to each cluster.

Also, it’s important to make each tiered assignment equally interesting, engaging, and fair in terms of student expectations. The more flexible groups and materials you use, the more students will accept that this is the norm.

Tiering assignments is a fair way to differentiate learning. It allows teachers to meet the needs of all students while using varying levels of tasks. It’s a concept that can be infused into homework assignments, small groups, or even learning centers. If done properly, it can be a very effective method to differentiate learning because it challenges all students.

• #DifferentiatedInstruction , #TieredAssignments

More in Teaching Strategies

Learning Where You Live: The Power of Place-Based Education

Place-based learning is an innovative approach that engages students in their community. By…

Write On! Fun Ways to Help Kids Master Pencil Grip

Teaching children proper pencil grip will lay the foundation for successful writing. Holding…

Practical Strategies for Supporting Executive Function in the Classroom

Executive functions are self-regulating skills that we use every single day. Imagine a…

Helping Students Improve Their Handwriting

Despite the widespread use of technology in the classroom, handwriting remains an essential…

What Are The Different Types Of Learning Styles?

Learning is a complex process, and each person has their own unique way of absorbing information. Understanding different types of learning styles can significantly enhance the effectiveness of education and training. In this blog, we’ll explore the various types of learning styles, how they impact learning, and why it’s essential to recognize and accommodate them.

What Is The Theory Of Learning Styles?

Table of Contents

The theory of learning styles suggests that individuals have preferred ways of learning, and understanding these preferences can enhance educational outcomes.

For example, someone with a visual learning style may learn best through diagrams, charts, and other visual aids, while an auditory learner may prefer listening to lectures or discussions.

By recognizing and accommodating these preferences, educators can tailor their teaching strategies to better suit the needs of diverse learners, ultimately leading to improved comprehension and retention.

How To Identify Different Learning Styles?

Identifying different learning styles involves observing how individuals prefer to absorb and process information. Here are some methods to help identify learning styles:

• Self-assessment: Encourage people to reflect on their own learning preferences by considering how they best understand and retain information. This can involve thinking about whether they prefer visual aids, auditory explanations, hands-on activities, or reading/writing tasks.
• Learning style inventories: Utilize standardized assessments or quizzes designed to identify learning styles. These tools often present scenarios or questions related to learning preferences and provide insights into an individual’s dominant learning style(s).
• Observation: Observe how individuals engage with learning materials and activities in various settings. Pay attention to their reactions, preferences, and behaviors, such as whether they gravitate towards visual aids, actively participate in discussions, or prefer hands-on activities.
• Feedback: Seek feedback from learners themselves, as well as from peers, teachers, or trainers who have interacted with them in learning environments. They may provide valuable insights into the individual’s strengths and preferences in learning.
• Trial and error: Try out different ways of teaching and using different things to see which ones the child likes the most. By observing their responses and performance across various learning activities, you can gather clues about their preferred learning style(s).
• Multiple modalities: Keep in mind that individuals may exhibit characteristics of multiple learning styles or may prefer different styles in different contexts. Therefore, it’s essential to offer a variety of learning opportunities that cater to different modalities to accommodate diverse learning preferences effectively.

Visual Learning Style

Characteristics.

• Visual learners like to understand things by looking at pictures, drawings, graphs, or any other things they can see.

Preferred learning methods

• Watching videos or demonstrations
• Studying infographics, diagrams, or maps
• Using flashcards or visual organizers
• Understanding a concept better by viewing a graph or chart that illustrates the information.
• Remembering details of a story by visualizing scenes in their mind.
• Learning vocabulary words by associating them with corresponding images.

Auditory Learning Style

• Auditory learners like to learn by listening and talking.
• Participating in discussions or group activities
• Listening to lectures, podcasts, or audiobooks
• Using verbal repetition or mnemonics
• Remembering information from a lecture or podcast discussion.
• Understanding musical concepts by listening to examples and analyzing their sound.
• Memorizing information by reciting it out loud or creating rhymes to remember key points.

Kinesthetic Learning Style

• Kinesthetic learners prefer hands-on experiences and physical activities.
• Engaging in experiments, simulations, or role-plays
• Using manipulatives or interactive materials
• Incorporating movement or gestures into learning activities
• Understanding physics concepts by conducting experiments or building models.
• Learning a new dance routine by physically practicing the steps.
• Memorizing multiplication tables by using finger counting or physical movements.

Reading/Writing Learning Style

• Reading/writing learners prefer to learn through written materials and text-based activities.
• Reading textbooks, articles, or written instructions
• Taking notes, writing summaries, or creating outlines
• Engaging in writing exercises, essays, or journaling
• Understanding historical events by reading primary sources and analyzing written accounts.
• Learning grammar rules by reading explanations and practicing writing sentences.
• Retaining information by writing down key points or summarizing text in their own words.

Multimodal Learning Style

• Multimodal learners incorporate elements of two or more learning styles.
• Engaging with a variety of learning materials and activities that cater to different modalities
• Combining visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing approaches to learning
• Watching a video lecture (visual) while taking notes (reading/writing).
• Participating in a group discussion (auditory) while using visual aids (visual).
• Engaging in a hands-on experiment (kinesthetic) while verbally explaining the process (auditory).

What Is The Most Common Learning Style?

The way people learn the best can change from person to person. It depends on what they like, their culture, and what they’ve learned before. However, research suggests that the visual learning style is often considered one of the most prevalent among learners.

Lots of folks understand and remember stuff better when they see it with their eyes, like pictures, drawings, charts, or videos. Visual learning is particularly common in educational settings where visual aids are frequently used to convey information and enhance understanding.

However, it’s important to note that learning styles can be diverse, and individuals may exhibit characteristics of multiple styles or prefer different styles in different contexts.

How Do You Identify A Child’s Learning Style?

Identifying a child’s learning style involves observing their behaviors, preferences, and responses to various learning activities. Here are some strategies to help identify a child’s learning style:

• Observe their preferences: Pay attention to how the child naturally engages with learning materials and activities. Notice if they show a preference for certain types of activities, such as drawing, listening to stories, or participating in hands-on experiments.
• Ask questions: Encourage the child to express their preferences and experiences with different learning activities. Ask them about their favorite subjects, how they like to study or learn new things, and what activities they find most enjoyable or challenging.
• Provide variety: Offer a variety of learning materials and activities that cater to different learning styles, including visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing approaches. Observe which types of activities the child gravitates towards and performs well in.
• Use learning style inventories: Utilize standardized assessments or quizzes designed to identify learning styles in children. These tools often present scenarios or questions related to learning preferences and provide insights into the child’s dominant learning style (s).
• Encourage self-reflection: Help the child become more aware of their own learning preferences by encouraging them to reflect on how they best understand and retain information. Prompt them to think about whether they prefer looking at pictures, listening to explanations, or engaging in hands-on activities.
• Seek feedback: Talk to parents, teachers, or other caregivers who interact with the child regularly. They may provide valuable insights into the child’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning preferences based on their observations and interactions.

In conclusion, understanding different types of learning styles is essential for educators, trainers, and learners alike. By recognizing and accommodating individual differences in learning preferences, we can create more inclusive and effective learning environments.

Whether you’re a visual learner, auditory learner, kinesthetic learner, reading/writing learner, or a combination of these, embracing your unique learning style can empower you to achieve your full potential.

So, next time you embark on a learning journey, remember to consider your learning style and explore diverse teaching methods that cater to your needs. Happy learning!

Related Posts

Step by Step Guide on The Best Way to Finance Car

The Best Way on How to Get Fund For Business to Grow it Efficiently

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

U.S/Canada 1.800.393.4636 | International 1.407.796.5200 | [email protected]

Live Courses

Kinesthetic learning style: definition, characteristics & benefits in 2024, what is kinesthetic learning, how kinesthetic learners learn, characteristics of kinesthetic learning style, benefits of kinesthetic learning style, kinesthetic teaching tools.

• Kinesthetic Teaching Methods

Steps to Implementing Kinesthetic Learning Style In Your Classroom

Career options for kinesthetic learners, start teaching the kinesthetic style.

Kinesthetic learning, also known as tactile learning, is a learning style in which individuals learn best through physical activities such as touching, moving, or performing hands-on tasks. 

Kinesthetic learners are often described as hands-on learners who require active participation and physical engagement to understand and retain new information fully.

They enjoy hands-on activities such as building, crafting and creating things. They also tend to doodle a lot while listening.

Unlike other learning styles, such as auditory and reading/writing, where learners prefer to listen or read, kinesthetic learners prefer to learn by doing and experiencing.

Today, we’ll explain everything educators need to know about kinesthetic learning . We’ll cover everything from benefits to characteristics and demonstrate real examples of how you can implement it.

According to Cambridge  Dictionary , the word kinesthesia means knowing where the parts of your body are and how they are moving.

It describes the type of learning that emphasizes physical activity and hands-on experiences as the primary means of learning and understanding new information. 

For kinesthetic learners, simply reading or listening to information may not be enough to fully comprehend or retain it. Instead, they must engage in hands-on experiences .

For example, if you’re covering a topic on how to plant strawberries, you may read about it, watch instructional videos, and have group discussions. But, a kinesthetic learner will only understand and remember if you actually plant the strawberries.

Kinesthetic learning is one of four different learning styles in the VARK model .

The VARK model is a framework used to describe different learning styles. It was developed by Neil Fleming in the late 1980s, and it categorizes learners into four main categories based on their preferred learning method. 

The four learning styles in the VARK model are:

• Visual learners: Prefer to learn through visual aids such as diagrams, pictures, and videos.
• Auditory learners: Learn better through listening, either through lectures, discussions, or podcasts.
• Reading/Writing learners: Prefer to learn through written material, such as books and articles.
• Kinesthetic learners: Learn through hands-on activities and physical experiences.

As mentioned, kinesthetic learners learn through real-life experiences and physical activity. They tend to learn best by doing, touching, and manipulating objects.

Kinesthetic learners enjoy acting out scenarios, which helps them better understand the material and apply it to real-world situations.

Kinesthetic learning takes place in normal daily life too. For instance, imagine wanting to learn how to ride a bike. 

No amount of instructions will help as much as getting on the bike, falling a few times, and learning how to maneuver the whole process.

The table below shows the differences between a kinesthetic learner and a visual learner.

For kinesthetic learners, doing things and engaging in physical activity is critical for effective learning. It works better for them than seeing or listening.

By doing things, they can physically connect with the concept, which helps with memory retention.

They also get to receive immediate feedback on their actions. This feedback helps them adjust their actions where needed leading to better learning outcomes.

For young children, you can spot kinesthetic learning characteristics in several ways. For example, mimicking the actions of others, asking to touch things, tearing things apart, or fidgeting when asked to sit still for long periods.

The following are some common characteristics of kinesthetic learners:

• Good at visualizing how objects fit together and may excel in activities that require physical coordination, such as sports or dance.
• Very active and often prefer activities that involve movement, such as sports or dance.
• Good at multitasking and can perform physical tasks while simultaneously processing information.

By understanding their learning style and providing opportunities for active learning, you can help kinesthetic learners thrive and reach their full potential.

Kinesthetic learners typically play with the material and need physical sensations to learn. This has several benefits for students.

Let’s explore the benefits of kinesthetic learning style.

Improved Comprehension

Inadequate teaching styles can prevent kinesthetic learners from learning as effectively as other students. 

For example, the lack of hands-on activities can make it harder for kinesthetic learners to engage with the material.

In another instance, kinesthetic learners may struggle with written assignments and tests because they prefer to learn through physical activity. If a teacher only emphasizes written work, kinesthetic learners may feel left behind.

If teachers do not recognize the importance of different learning styles , they may not provide opportunities for kinesthetic learners to learn effectively. This can lead to frustration and a lack of engagement in the classroom.

On the other hand, when kinesthetic learners are being taught in a way tailored to their learning method, the comprehension process can be very effective. This can lead to better academic performance and greater engagement with the learning process.

Supports Cognitive Development

Many studies suggest that thinking and movement are connected in our brains. Pairing cognitive activity with movement is an effective way to help kinesthetic learners stay focused and interested in the material they are learning.

Movement also helps kinesthetic learners understand concepts by providing a physical representation of the ideas they are trying to learn. For example, a kinesthetic learner will understand the concept of gravity better by acting out the force of gravity on their body.

By engaging their bodies and minds simultaneously, kinesthetic learners improve their retention, understanding, and creativity.

Better Social Skills

Kinesthetic learning often involves group work and collaboration, which helps students develop teamwork and communication skills.

Group role-playing, teamwork, and cooperation are important elements that help kinesthetic learners develop social skills.

Through working together to complete physical tasks, learners can practice listening to others, providing feedback, and problem-solving as a group.

Additionally, kinesthetic learning improves verbal communication skills. Through practicing activities with peers, learners get better at articulating their thoughts and ideas. 

Boosts Creative Thinking

Kinesthetic learning promotes divergent thinking. This is the ability to think creatively and generate multiple solutions to a problem. 

By engaging in physical activities, learners approach problems from different angles and explore multiple solutions.

Kinesthetic learning also encourages learners to experiment and try new things. By physically engaging with materials and manipulating them in different ways, learners explore and discover new ways of thinking and problem-solving.

For instance,  kinesthetic learners can participate in building projects, such as constructing models or structures to develop creativity and imagination.

Improves Muscle Memory

Kinesthetic learning helps improve muscle memory by engaging the learner's body in the learning process. 

Muscle memory is a type of procedural memory that involves the ability to repeat a physical task or movement without conscious thought. It’s developed through repeated practice.

Kinesthetic learning often involves using the whole body to perform physical tasks. This helps develop muscle memory by engaging multiple muscle groups and making the movement more natural and automatic.

Examples of kinesthetic learning activities that can improve muscle memory include

• Sports such as shooting a basketball or practicing dance routines and other physical activities.
• Performing arts, such as theater or dance, that involve repeated physical movements and actions.
• Fine motor skill development, such as drawing or playing musical instruments, that involve precise movements and hand-eye coordination.

There are many tools or activities that teachers can use to help kinesthetic learners understand and retain information.

We’ll now look at the kinesthetic learning activities and how they can be implemented in a classroom setting.

Animations are visual representations of movement and change created through a series of sequential images or frames. They can be created using hand-drawn images, computer-generated graphics, and stop-motion techniques.

Animations can tell stories, explain complex concepts, and demonstrate the movement of objects or the flow of a process.

For example, you can create a series of photographs of a physical object or scene, with slight changes between each photo. When the photos are played back in sequence, they create the illusion of movement.

You can use this kind of animation to explain concepts such as evaporation, movement of blood through the circulatory system, and more.

By using animation techniques, you can depict complex processes and concepts in a simplified and interactive way for the kinesthetic learner.

Stand-on Simulations

Stand-on simulations refer to a type of training or exercise where participants remain standing throughout the simulation instead of sitting or moving around.

In stand-on simulations, participants are asked to role-play different scenarios and make decisions under pressure while standing and moving around a simulated environment. 

This helps improve physical stamina, coordination, and decision-making skills, while also providing a more dynamic and engaging learning experience.

By engaging in stand-on simulations, kinesthetic learners can use their bodies and physical movements to better understand and internalize new information and skills.

In addition, stand-on simulations help kinesthetic learners develop problem-solving and decision-making skills by requiring them to react quickly and make decisions while in motion.

Micro-Learning Lessons

Microlearning is a teaching method that delivers content in short, bite-sized lessons designed to be consumed quickly and easily. 

Microlearning lessons are designed to be brief and concise, with most lessons ranging from a few minutes to 15 minutes or less. Here, teachers focus on one learning objective at a time.

Micro-learning lessons can be delivered as experiments, videos, podcasts, infographics, or interactive quizzes, to make the learning experience more engaging and interactive.

By breaking down content into smaller chunks, learners can absorb information more easily and retain it for longer. 

Interactive Documents

Interactive documents are digital documents that allow users to engage with the content in a more interactive way. 

Unlike traditional static documents, such as PDFs or Word documents, interactive documents include multimedia elements such as images, videos, gifs and clickable links.

They allow users to navigate and explore the content more easily. Some common examples of interactive documents are:

• Interactive PDFs
• Online magazines and catalogs
• Interactive digital presentations such as polls and quizzes

Interactive documents provide a more engaging and interactive way to present information and assess learning outcomes. 

Role-Playing Exercise

Role playing is a teaching method that involves simulating real-life situations in which learners take on different roles or characters.

Role playing is an effective tool for kinesthetic learners , because it provides them with an opportunity to engage with the material in a more hands-on and interactive way.

For example, let's say you are teaching a lesson on conflict resolution. You could start by presenting a scenario, such as a disagreement between two friends.

To help your kinesthetic learners better understand and apply the material, you could ask them to take on different roles, such as the two friends and a mediator.

Your learners could then act out the scenario, practicing important conflict resolution skills such as effective communication, active listening, and problem-solving. 

After the role play, you could facilitate a discussion about what worked well, what could have been improved, and how the conflict could have been resolved more effectively

By using role playing in this way, you are providing your tactile learners with an opportunity to engage with real-life examples, which helps them understand better.

Kinesthetic Teaching Methods 

As a teacher, you should be able to determine which of your learners are kinesthetic. This way, you can employ teaching methods to improve their academic performance.

If you incorporate kinesthetic learning in your classroom, you’re not only benefiting your kinesthetic learners but also other students with different approaches to learning.

Let’s look at ways you can give a kinesthetic learning experience to your entire classroom.

Incorporating Kinesthetic-Friendly Activities in Your Lessons

Research has shown that the average attention span of an adult is between 10 to 20 minutes. For children and young learners, attention spans can be even shorter. 

Shorter lessons are a kinesthetic-friendly approach that helps learners stay engaged and focused throughout the lesson. You can introduce activities to help them develop various skills and abilities.

Shorter lessons help learners retain more information by allowing them to focus on a smaller amount of material at one time. This can be particularly important for kinesthetic learners who may struggle to stay focused on longer lessons.

Shorter lessons also provide more opportunities for learners to review and reflect on what they have learned. This helps to reinforce their understanding and promote deeper learning.

By incorporating kinesthetic-friendly activities in your classroom, you can help kinesthetic learners be more fully engaged and successful in their learning.

Implement Movement

For kinesthetic learners, body movement is an essential part of the learning process. It’s important to allow them to move in the classroom because movement helps kinesthetic learners improve their focus and attention by providing an outlet for excess energy.

Movement-based activities also encourage kinesthetic learners to express their creativity in new  and unique ways.

Remember , it’s important to incorporate movement into a classroom without negatively affecting classroom management.

Establish clear guidelines and expectations for movement in the classroom by:

• Amount of movement allowed during certain activities,
• Establishing rules for movement and noise levels, and 
• Providing alternative activities for students who struggle with movement-based learning.

Motivate Students to Create Their Own Notes

Encouraging your students to take notes helps them to understand better and retain information, as well as improve their organizational skills.

Taking notes helps kinesthetic learners reinforce what they’ve learned by allowing them to review the material at a later time. 

This also helps them to identify areas where they may need additional clarification or support.

You should encourage your students to take notes in several ways until they determine which style works best for them.

Take Your Class Outside

Taking your class outside provides opportunities for students to move around and engage with the environment in a more hands-on way.

Taking the class outside provides opportunities for them to engage with the environment through sight, sound, touch, and even smell, which enhances their learning experience.

Kinesthetic learners benefit from making real-world connections to the topic they are learning. Taking the class outside allows them to see it more tangibly and make connections to their own experiences.

If you're interested in incorporating kinesthetic activities in your teaching style, there are some steps that can make it easier for you.

1. Try Kinesthetic Learning 

The first step in implementing kinesthetic learning is by trying it yourself. This means you become a kinesthetic learner and try to learn things through getting physically involved.

You can start with trying to learn things at home. For example, you can try something you've never tried before, such as doing decor, baking a cake, or getting an indoor plant.

By doing it physically, you can come up with ways of implementing kinesthetic learning in a more effective manner.

2. Practice Demonstrations

Show is often more important than tell for a kinesthetic learner. They need you to create a hands-on experience in order to understand each topic.

This means you have to be very skilled at physically demonstrating concepts that your students must learn,

3. Walk or Stand During Classes

When a teacher is standing up and moving around, it helps maintain the attention and engagement of students.

Standing up also makes you more visible to the students, which makes it easier to follow along with the lesson and see any visual aids or demonstrations that you’re using.

If you’ve always taught while seated, you can practice at home first and become better and more confident before implementing it in your classroom.

4. Be Open to Mistakes and Do Better

When trying something new, mistakes are bound to happen, either by the teacher or students. Do not give up if there are some hiccups.

The best way to approach this is by being open-minded and having a dialogue with your students from time to time to learn what’s working and what’s not so you can adjust accordingly.

Motivating our students to learn with kinesthetic learning prepares them for a bright future with careers such as:

• Physician: Medical training often includes opportunities for hands-on experience, such as clinical rotations, internships, and residency programs, which can be ideal for tactile learners. .
• Automotive mechanic: An automotive mechanic's work involves a great deal of hands-on work with tools and equipment. This work requires a strong mechanical aptitude and good problem-solving skills, which are traits that many tactile learners possess.
• Sports coach: Many successful coaches are kinesthetic learners with a natural ability to demonstrate techniques and communicate effectively through physical movement.

Kinesthetic learning helps students retain information, improves classroom engagement, and promotes physical activity, improving their health and well-being.

It’s important for teachers to learn their students’ learning preferences to create lesson plans and teaching strategies that cater to the individual needs of each student.

If you’d like to start teaching the kinesthetic style, take a look at SimpleK12 for free professional teacher development courses . 

Professional Development made simple

We offer flexible classes that address the needs of teachers and schools to support today’s classrooms and increase student success

Latest posts

The learning liaisons review – teacher test prep review 2024, teachers of tomorrow review by simplek12 – 2024 teachers certification program review, best teacher certification programs in nevada in 2024, sign up for our newsletter.

Professional Development

Useful links.

© 2024 • Simple K12 – A Teachers of Tomorrow Company • All rights reserved.

A Tiered Homework Model Designing with Learning Style Under Double Reduction

• Conference paper
• First Online: 10 January 2024
• Cite this conference paper

• Chunhong Liu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7364-0568 11 ,
• Zhengling Zhang 12 ,
• Wenfeng Li 11 ,
• Fuzhen Hu 13 &
• Dong Liu 11  

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1900))

Included in the following conference series:

• International Conference on Computer Science and Educational Informatization

Under the background of the Double Reduction policy in K12 education, how to improve the actual effect of homework training in teaching activities without increasing the total amount and duration has become an urgent problem to be solved. To address this issue, a tiered homework model considering learning style and learning emotion is proposed in this paper. The paper first constructs a student portrait system from the two dimensions of learning style and learning ability. According to the established portrait model, student groups are divided, and tiered homework content is designed. Then, the actual effect of the homework mentioned in the paper is tested by using the microexpression experimental platform. Taking the middle school Information Technology course as an example, with the support of data from 181 students (7th grade) in the middle school attached to our university, we have found that this model can improve students’ homework completion rate. Furthermore, the results also indicate that nonintellectual factors such as learning style and learning emotion have a partial impact on students’ learning outcomes. Finally, the proposed model can help teachers grasp the classroom learning situation and realize students’ personality development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Opinions on Further Reducing the Burden of Students’ Homework and off Campus Training in Compulsory Education. http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xxgk/moe_1777/moe_1778/202107/t20210724_546576.html . Accessed 24 July 2021

Ke, Q.C., Bao, T.T., Li, J.: The supply and service innovation of digital education resources under the background of Double Reduction. China Educ. Technol. 1 , 17–23 (2022)

Google Scholar  

Long, B.X.: The mechanism of the growth of school burden in primary and secondary schools and the way to cure it also on the limitation and enhancement of the Double Reduction policy. Nanjing Soc. Sci. 10 , 146–155 (2022)

Fu, W.D., Liu, H.M., Chen, A.N., et al.: New education infrastructure helps implement the Double Reduction policy: needs, advantages and challenges. Mod. Educ. Technol. 32 (1), 27–34 (2022)

Galloway, M., Conner, J., Pope, D.: Nonacademic effects of homework in privileged, high-performing high schools. J. Exp. Educ. 81 (4), 490–510 (2013)

Article   Google Scholar  

Huang, X.: An adaptive framework of learner model using learner characteristics for intelligent tutoring systems. J. Educ. Hum. Soc. Sci. 2 , 365–369 (2022)

Zhou, J., Ye, J.M., Li, C.: Affective computing in multimodal learning: motivation, framework and suggestions. E-educ. Res. 42 (7), 26–32 (2021)

Luo, R.S., Yang, Y.S., Shen, J.L.: Analysis of principal nonintellectual factors. J. Math. Educ. 1 (1), 172–181 (2008)

Xu, H.Y., Zhang, H., Han, K., et al.: Learning alignment for multimodal emotion recognition from speech. In: Inter-Speech 2019, Graz, Austria, pp. 1–5 (2019)

Rohmanawati, E., Kusmayadi, T.A., Fitriana, L.: Analysis of students’ mathematical communication ability based on Kolb’s learning styles of converger and diverger type. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1808 (1), 12–50 (2021)

Felder, R.M., Silverman, L.K.: Learning styles and teaching styles in engineering education. J. Eng. Educ. 78 (7), 674–681 (1988)

Pan, Y.B., Cao, L.Z., Tan, M.L., et al.: The effect of VARK learning style survey on the teaching quality and satisfaction of dermatology students. China’s Contin. Med. Educ. 14 (7), 101–105 (2022)

Sathishkumar, V., Radha, D.R., Saravanakumar, D.A., et al.: E-learning during lockdown of Covid-19 pandemic a global perspective. Int. J. Control Autom. 13 (4), 1088–1099 (2020)

Li, X., Shen, S.S.: The connotation and design of homework based on adaptive learning support system. Mod. Educ. Technol. 29 (1), 38–44 (2019)

Wang, Z.Y., Teng, J.M., Lei, M., et al.: Opportunities and strategies for the implementation of STEAM inclusive education enabling Double Reduction. Mod. Educ. Technol. 32 (8), 43–49 (2022)

Mosca, J.B., Curtis, K.P., Savoth, P.G.: New approaches to learning for generation Z. J. Bus. Divers. 19 (3), 66–74 (2019)

Strapparava, C., Mihalcea, R.: Learning to identify emotions in text. In: Proceedings of the 2008 ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, New York, United States, pp. 1556–1560 (2008)

Bahreini, K., Nadolski, R., Westera, W.: Towards multimodal emotion recognition in e-learning environments. Interact. Learn. Environ. 24 (3), 590–605 (2014)

Ammen, S.Y., Alfarras, M., Hadi, W. A.: OFDM system performance enhancement using discrete wavelet transform and DS-SS system over mobile channel. In: ACTA Press Advances in Computer and Engineering, Sharm EI Sheikh, Egypt, pp. 1–18 (2010)

Chen, Y.L., Cheng, Y.F., Chen, X.Q., et al.: Speech emotion recognition in 3D emotion space of PAD. J. Harbin Inst. Technol. 50 (11), 160–166 (2018)

Li, X.B., Pfister, T., Huang, X.H., et al.: A spontaneous microexpression database-inducement, collection and baseline. In: Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition (FG), 2013 10th IEEE International Conference and Workshops on IEEE, Shanghai, China, pp. 1–6 (2013)

Yan, W.J., Li, X., Wang, S.J., et al.: CASME II: an improved spontaneous microexpression database and the baseline evaluation. PLoS ONE 9 (1), 1–8 (2014)

Article   MathSciNet   Google Scholar  

Davison, A.K., Lansley, C., Costen, N., et al.: SAMM: a spontaneous microfacial movement dataset. IEEE Trans. Affect. Comput. 9 (1), 116–129 (2018)

Li, T.T., Tan, D.N., Tan, S.H.: Dimension, characteristics and function mechanism of online learning emotional experience. Adult Educ. 42 (10), 63–70 (2022)

Yerkes, R.M., Dodson, J.D.: The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit formation. J. Comp. Neurol. Psychol. 18 (5), 459–482 (1908)

Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Titz, W., et al.: Academic emotions in students’ self-regulated learning and achievement: a program of qualitative and quantitative research. Educ. Psychol. 37 (2), 91–105 (2002)

Li, X.Y., Yang, Y.S.: A study on the relationship between learning motivation, academic emotion and academic self-efficacy of Mongolian and Han students from high school. J. Inner Mongolia Normal Univ. (Nat. Sci. Edn.) 44 (6), 856–861 (2015)

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Henan Provincial Higher Education Teaching Reform Research and Practice Project Foundation [No. 2021SJGLX355], the 2021 special research project of Wisdom Teaching in General Undergraduate College and University of Henan Province, Tracking of Group Intelligent Learning Knowledge Integrated with Learning Emotion, Personalized Guidance and Effectiveness Research.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Henan Key Laboratory of Educational Artificial Intelligence and Personalized Learning, Xinxiang, Henan, China

Chunhong Liu, Wenfeng Li & Dong Liu

Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China

Zhengling Zhang

Affiliated High School of Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chunhong Liu .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China

Jianhou Gan

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA

Juxiang Zhou

Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China

Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, China

Xianhua Song

National Academy of Guo Ding Institute of Data Science, Beijing, China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Cite this paper.

Liu, C., Zhang, Z., Li, W., Hu, F., Liu, D. (2024). A Tiered Homework Model Designing with Learning Style Under Double Reduction. In: Gan, J., Pan, Y., Zhou, J., Liu, D., Song, X., Lu, Z. (eds) Computer Science and Educational Informatization. CSEI 2023. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1900. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9492-2_36

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9492-2_36

Published : 10 January 2024

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-99-9491-5

Online ISBN : 978-981-99-9492-2

eBook Packages : Computer Science Computer Science (R0)

Share this paper

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Open access
• Published: 26 April 2024

Relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in nursing students

• Seyed Kazem Mousavi 1 , 2 ,
• Ali Javadzadeh 3 ,
• Hanieh Hasankhani 3 &
• Zahra Alijani Parizad 3  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  469 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

346 Accesses

Metrics details

The acquisition of clinical competence is considered the ultimate goal of nursing education programs. This study explored the relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in undergraduate nursing students.

A descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 2023 with 276 nursing students from the second to sixth semesters at Abhar School of Nursing, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, Kolb’s learning styles, and Meretoja’s clinical competence assessments completed online by participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16, employing descriptive statistics and inferential tests (independent T-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation) at a significance level 0.05.

The predominant learning styles among nursing students were divergent (31.2%), and the least common was convergent (18.4%). The overall clinical competency score was 77.25 ± 12.65. Also, there was a significant relationship between learning styles and clinical competency, so the clinical competency of students with accommodative and converging learning styles was higher. ( P  < 0.05).

The results of this study showed the association between learning styles and clinical competence in nursing students. It is recommended that educational programs identify talented students and provide workshops tailored to strengthen various learning styles associated with enhanced clinical competence.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Clinical competency is a multifaceted and nuanced concept that has been extensively explored and examined from various perspectives in recent years [ 1 ]. Its significance is underscored by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has identified the assessment and enhancement of nurses’ competencies as fundamental principles to uphold the quality of care. WHO defines nurses as competent when they can fulfill their professional responsibilities at the appropriate level, grade, and standard [ 2 ]. Factors such as evolving healthcare systems, the imperative for safe and cost-effective services, heightened community awareness of health issues, escalating expectations for quality care, and the demand for skilled healthcare professionals have elevated the importance of clinical competence in nursing and related fields [ 3 ]. Clinical competency is considered the ultimate objective and benchmark of nursing education effectiveness [ 4 ]. Notably, clinical education constitutes a pivotal component of nursing training, with over half of nursing programs dedicated to practical training [ 5 ]. A nursing student’s ability to become a proficient nurse at the bedside hinges on acquiring essential skills during their academic journey and attaining requisite qualifications [ 6 ]. Scholars argue that continual efforts to enhance educational quality are essential for upholding nursing care standards and improving clinical competence [ 7 , 8 ]. Understanding how learners acquire knowledge is crucial for enhancing educational quality, with learning styles playing a pivotal role in this process [ 9 ].

Learning refers to the relatively enduring behavioral changes from experiences [ 10 ]. Learning styles, a concept widely embraced by educational theorists in recent decades, pertain to individuals’ distinct approaches to processing information and acquiring knowledge [ 11 ]. These styles encompass cognitive and psychosocial traits that are relatively stable indicators of learners’ engagement with and response to their learning environments [ 12 ]. Among the myriad theories on learning styles, Kolb’s learning theory is particularly influential [ 13 ]. According to Kolb, learning can be categorized into four primary modes: concrete experience, abstract conceptualization, reflective observation, and active experimentation, yielding four learning styles—converging, diverging, assimilating, and accommodating [ 14 ].

People with a converging learning style excel at problem-solving, decision-making, and practical application by engaging in abstract conceptualization and active experimentation [ 15 ]. Diverging learners thrive on experiencing and closely observing situations, possessing a unique ability to view scenarios from multiple perspectives and synthesize information into a cohesive whole [ 16 ]. The assimilating learning style is characterized by a preference for deep thinking and thorough examination, with individual’s adept at organizing information and employing abstract concepts to comprehend complex situations [ 13 ]. Accommodating learners learn best through hands-on experiences and activities, demonstrating proficiency in working with tangible objects and gaining new insights through practical engagement [ 10 ]. Learning styles are essential in nursing education because the primary mission of nursing education programs is to train nurses who have the necessary knowledge, attitude, and skills to maintain and improve the health of society members, and in other words, have sufficient competence in providing their job duties [ 17 ].

So far, separate studies have been conducted on nursing students’ learning styles and clinical competency [ 4 , 8 , 13 , 17 ]. However, the relationship between these two concepts has received less attention from researchers. The first step in ensuring students’ academic success is to determine their learning style [ 11 ]. Professors’ awareness of the student’s learning styles and the relationship between these styles and the level of clinical competency provide a favorable opportunity to identify the styles with higher clinical competency and encourage students to use them as much as possible. Considering this importance, the researchers decided to design and implement the present study to investigate the relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in nursing students.

Materials and methods

Study design and sampling.

This study was a descriptive-correlational study conducted in 2023, investigating the relationship between learning styles and the clinical competency of undergraduate nursing students. The research involved all second to sixth-semester undergraduate nursing students from the Abhar School of Nursing affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Sampling was carried out as a census, with 276 students selected to participate in the study. The inclusion criteria included willingness to participate in the study, full-time employment in nursing, no prior clinical work experience, and no reported psychiatric diseases or medication use. Incomplete questionnaire completion was set as an exclusion criterion.

Instruments

The data collection tools included demographic questionnaires, Kolb’s learning styles questionnaire, and a modified Meretoja nursing clinical competency questionnaire. The demographic questionnaire gathered age, gender, marital status, semester, Grade Point Average (GPA), and interest in nursing.

The data collection tools included demographic questionnaires, Kolb’s learning styles questionnaire, and a modified Meretoja nursing clinical competency questionnaire. The demographic questionnaire gathered information such as age, gender, marital status, semester, Grade Point Average (GPA), and interest in nursing.

Kolb’s III learning styles questionnaire comprised 12 questions with four options each, requiring the student to select the option most similar to them. Each option represented one of the four main learning methods: concrete experience (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE). Scores for the four learning styles were obtained from the total questions across the sections. By subtracting scores, two dimensions (AC - CE) and (AE - RO) were derived, determining the student’s learning styles as converging, diverging, accommodating, or assimilating [ 18 ]. This questionnaire has been used in various studies over the past 30 years, demonstrating validity and reliability. In Iran, Ghahrani et al. used the internal consistency method to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. They obtained Cronbach’s alpha of 71% in concrete experience, 68% in reflective observation, 71% in abstract conceptualization, and 71% in active experimentation [ 19 ]. Also, In the present study, the reliability value of this questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s alpha method of 0.94.

Meretoja’s revised nursing clinical competency questionnaire contained 47 items across 5 areas of clinical competency: assisting patients (7 skills), teaching and guidance (12 skills), diagnostic measures (8 skills), therapeutic measures (5 skills), and occupational responsibilities (15 skills). Skills were rated on a four-point Likert scale, assessing the degree of skill utilization [ 20 ]. This questionnaire was psychometrically evaluated in Iran by Bahreini et al., and its validity was qualitatively determined at the optimal level, and its reliability was determined between 70 and 85%. Also, in this study, the reliability value of this questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s alpha method of 0.91 [ 21 ].

Data collection and statistical analysis

Following ethical approval and research permission, questionnaires, consent forms, and contact information for the researchers were provided to students online through the Porsline system ( www.porsline.ir ) for completion. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 16 software, employing descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential (independent T-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation) statistics at a significance level of 0.05.

Out of 276 participants, 10 students were excluded due to incomplete questionnaire responses, leaving 266 participants for analysis. The average age of students was 22.33, with 63.4% being female. Most participants were single (79.2%), and 46.2% had a GPA between 16 and 18. Also, 80.7% of students declared that they are interested in nursing. Then, the results of the questionnaires on learning styles and clinical competency were examined. Based on this, the findings showed that divergent (31.2%) and convergent (18.4%) styles were the study participants’ most and least-used learning styles, respectively. Also, the overall students’ clinical competence score was 77.25 ± 12.65 (Table  1 ).

The relationship between the participants’ learning styles and clinical competency was examined in the next step. Initially, the study data underwent a normality assessment. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test results indicated that parametric statistical tests were applicable ( p  > 0.05). Subsequently, an ANOVA test was conducted to explore the relationship between learning styles and clinical competency, revealing a significant association between learning style and clinical competency with moderate effect size ( p  < 0.05) (Table  2 ).

The correlation between demographic variables, learning styles, and student clinical competency was investigated in the final phase of analyzing the findings. Parametric independent t-tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and ANOVA were employed for this analysis. The results indicated that none of the learning styles exhibited a statistically significant relationship with the demographic characteristics of the participants ( p  > 0.05). However, a significant correlation was observed between participants’ demographic variables, such as age, academic semester, GPA, and interest in nursing, and their clinical competencies ( p  < 0.05) (Table  3 ).

This study explored the relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in undergraduate nursing students. The research initially focused on examining the variables and subsequently explored their interrelation. According to this, the most prevalent learning style among nursing students was divergent. This finding aligns with the outcomes of various domestic studies like Mehni et al. [ 22 ] and Shirazi et al. [ 16 ], as well as numerous international studies such as those by Campos et al. in Brazil and the United States [ 23 ], Nosheen in Pakistan [ 24 ], Madu et al. in Nigeria [ 25 ], and AbuAssi et al. in Saudi Arabia [ 26 ]. It should be said that the dominant abilities of people with divergent styles are concrete experience and reflective observation. They see the situation from multiple angles, emphasize brainstorming and generating ideas, have a strong imagination, are more sensitive to values, respect the feelings of others, and listen with an open mind and without bias [ 5 ]. Therefore, these people have high cultural interests and are more inclined towards humanities fields such as sociology, psychology, counseling, and nursing.

Upon reviewing studies in this field, it is concluded that findings often vary. They can be influenced by factors including individual student traits, educators’ teaching styles, learning environments, and tasks [ 12 ]. Also, this study noted no significant association between learning styles and participants’ demographic characteristics, consistent with similar research in the field [ 22 , 23 ]. In this regard, Dantas et al. emphasized that learning styles predominantly reflect individuals’ traits and are minimally impacted by demographic variables [ 12 ].

Furthermore, the clinical competency level of nursing students was reported to be at an average level, consistent with findings from studies conducted in Iran [ 6 , 27 , 28 ] and other countries [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Some studies, however, have yielded differing results compared to the present study. For instance, Ghafari et al. [ 1 ], Katebi et al. [ 32 ], and Fung et al. [ 33 ] found that nursing students participating in their studies exhibited a higher level of clinical competency. Notably, participants in all three mentioned studies were in their final year of study undergoing the arena course. Hence, the emphasis on passing diverse training units and gaining more clinical experiences could justify the high clinical competency score achieved. Also, In the present study, the relationship between academic semesters and students’ clinical competency was significant, which confirms the above argument. Conversely, certain studies have reported a lower level of clinical competency among nursing students. For example, Getie et al. found that only one-third of nursing students demonstrated acceptable clinical competency [ 34 ]. These discrepancies in findings can stem from the questionnaire and the data collection method used. Notably, Getie et al. evaluated students’ clinical competency through assessments by cooperating nurses rather than self-assessment. Additionally, adjusting the questionnaire averages to reflect higher clinical competence could impact the reported competency levels. Various factors, such as individual, environmental, organizational, and educational characteristics, influence the acquisition of clinical competency in nursing students [ 2 ]. Hence, diverse study outcomes exist in this field. Also, besides academic semesters, relationships were observed between age, GPA, interest in the field, and nursing students’ clinical competency. These results align with the findings of many studies in this area [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 32 , 33 ]. Older students are often in their final semesters, potentially showcasing higher clinical competency due to their exposure to clinical environments. Madjid et al. highlighted in their study that good grades obtained by learners in any field indicate their interest in the subject. This aspect holds particular significance in nursing—a complex and demanding profession where success hinges on a genuine interest and academic excellence [ 35 ].

Also, the study revealed a significant relationship between nursing students’ learning styles and clinical competency. According to this, students employing accommodating and converging learning styles reported heightened levels of clinical competency. In their study, Ebrahimi Fakhar et al. noted that medical students utilizing reflective observation and active experimentation learning methods exhibited enhanced clinical competency upon course completion. As these attributes align with accommodative and convergent learning style characteristics, the present study’s results are consistent with these findings [ 36 ]. Moon et al. found that nursing students with converging and accommodating styles reported increased competence in clinical practices [ 37 ]. Similarly, Lundell Rudberg et al. revealed that nursing students with these learning styles demonstrated greater professional responsibility, a key aspect of clinical competence. This correlation indirectly supports the present study’s outcomes [ 38 ]. Generally, it can be said that people with convergent and accommodating learning styles typically gravitate toward practical learning. They are inclined towards hands-on activities, deriving their learning mainly through experience and active participation [ 12 , 15 ]. Therefore, they are expected to engage more in clinical settings, fostering heightened clinical competency. Furthermore, the study’s latest findings indicated that students with an assimilating learning style exhibited lower levels of clinical competency, aligning with Moon et al.‘s study [ 37 ]. Similarly, Figueiredo et al. explored nurses’ learning styles based on Kolb’s theory in qualitative research, noting that nurses with assimilating learning styles are inclined towards abstract and subjective concepts over practical content and may have less enthusiasm for immersive clinical environments [ 39 ].

Limitations

One limitation of this study was the potential for inaccuracies in questionnaire completion due to the electronic data collection method and the extensive number of questions. To address this concern, participants were provided with researchers’ contact details for clarifications during data collection. Another limitation was the reliance on self-report tools and the omission of considering individuals’ personality traits in measuring the research variables, factors beyond researchers’ direct control.

The study’s findings underscore the relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in undergraduate nursing students. Therefore, considering the high importance of acquiring clinical competency in these students, it is recommended that educational administrators identify students prone to declining clinical competency based on their learning styles and organize workshops to enhance styles associated with superior clinical competency. Also, Given the complexity of learning styles and clinical competency as constructs, future studies may benefit from exploring additional theories and tools to delve deeper into these concepts, employing qualitative or mixed-method approaches for comprehensive analysis.

Data availability

Data is provided within the manuscript or supplementary information files.

Ghafari S, Atashi V, Taleghani F, Irajpour A, Sabohi F, Yazdannik A. Comparison the Effect of two methods of internship and apprenticeship in the field on clinical competence of nursing students. RME. 2022;14(1):64–72.

Article   Google Scholar  

Ghanbari-Afra L, Sharifi K. Clinical competence and its related factors in Iranian nurses: a systematic review. Qom Univ Med Sci J. 2022;16(1):2–17.

Najafi B, Nakhaee M, Vagharseyyedin SA. Clinical competence of nurses: a systematic review study. Q J Nurs Manage. 2022;11(1):1–9.

Google Scholar  

Taylor I, Bing-Jonsson PC, Finnbakk E, et al. Development of clinical competence– a longitudinal survey of nurse practitioner students. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):1–15.

Shoja M, Arsalani N, Rasouli P, Babanataj R, Shirozhan S, Fallahi-Khoshknab M. Challenges of clinical education for Iranian undergraduate nursing students: a review of the literature. 2022; 2(2):46–60.

Khashei s, Ziaeirad M. The relationship between moral intelligence and clinical competence of nursing students in the internship course. Nurs Midwifery J. 2021;19(6):437–48.

Rahmah NM, Hariyati TS, Sahar J. Nurses’ efforts to maintain competence: a qualitative study. J Public Health Res. 2021;11(2):2736.

Matlhaba KL, Nkoane NL. Understanding the learning needs to enhance clinical competence of new professional nurses in public hospitals of South Africa: a qualitative study. Belitung Nurs J. 2022;8(5):414–21.

Den Hertog R, Boshuizen HPA. Learning Professional Knowledge: bachelor nursing students’ experiences in Learning and Knowledge Quality outcomes in a competence-based curriculum. Vocations Learn. 2022;15(1):21–47.

Cheng YC, Huang LC, Yang CH, Chang HC. Experiential Learning Program to strengthen self-reflection and critical thinking in Freshmen nursing students during COVID-19: a quasi-experimental study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(15):1–8.

Dantas LA, Cunha A. An integrative debate on learning styles and the learning process. Social Sci Humanit Open. 2020;2(1):1–5.

Al-Roomy MA. The relationship among students’ learning styles, Health sciences Colleges, and Grade Point Average (GPA). Adv Med Educ Pract. 2023;14(1):203–13.

Helou N, Aoudé J, Sobral G. Undergraduate students’ perceptions of learning nursing theories: a descriptive qualitative approach. Nurse Educ Pract. 2022;61(1):103325.

Figueiredo LDF, Silva NC, Prado ML. Primary care nurses’ learning styles in the light of David Kolb. Rev Bras Enferm. 2022;75(1):1–7.

Khozaei SA, Zare NV, Moneghi HK, Sadeghi T, Mahdizadeh Taraghdar M. Effects of quantum-learning and conventional teaching methods on learning achievement, motivation to learn, and retention among nursing students during critical care nursing education. Smart Learn Environ. 2022;18(9):1–11.

Shirazi F, Heidari S. The relationship between critical thinking skills and learning styles and academic achievement of nursing students. J Nurs Res. 2019;27(4):e38.

Lundell Rudberg S, Lachmann H, Sormunen T, et al. The impact of learning styles on attitudes to interprofessional learning among nursing students: a longitudinal mixed methods study. BMC Nurs. 2023;68(22):1–9.

Kolb A, Kolb D. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory—Version 3.1 2005 Technical Specifi cations 2005.

Ghahremani Z, Amini K, Roohani M, Aghvamy MA. The Relationship between Preferred Learning styles and Academic Achievement of Zanjan Nursing and midwifery students. J Med Educ Dev. 2013;6(12):51–61.

Meretoja R, Isoaho H, Leino-Kilpi H. Nurse competence scale: development and psychometric testing. J Adv Nurs. 2004;47(2):124–33.

Bahreini M, Moatary M, Akaberian S, Mirzaie K. Determining nurses’ clinical competence in hospitals of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences by self assessment method. Iran South Med J. 2008;11(1):69–75.

Mehni S, Chahartangi F, Tahergorabi M, Dastyar N, Mehralizadeh A, Amirmijani A. Relationship between Kolb’s Learning styles and Readiness for E-learning: a crosssectional study in the Covid-19 pandemic. Interdiscip J Virtual Learn Med Sci. 2023;14(2):99–10.

Campos DG, Alvarenga MRM, Morais SCRV, Gonçalves N, Silva TBC, Jarvill M, Oliveira Kumakura ARS. A multi-centre study of learning styles of new nursing students. J Clin Nurs. 2022;31(1–2).

Nosheen N, Hussain M. The Association between learning style, learning strategies with academic performance among nursing students. J Health Med Nurs. 2020;72:62–7.

Madu OT, Ogbonnaya NP, Chikeme PC, Omotola NJ. A study to assess the learning style preference of undergraduate nursing students in Southeast, Nigeria. Asian J Nurs Educ Res. 2019;9:177–84.

AbuAssi N, Alkorashy H. Relationship between learning style and readiness for self-directed learning among nursing students at king Saud university, Saudi Arabia. Int J Adv Nurs Stud. 2016;5:109–16.

Tohidi S, KarimiMoonaghi H, Shayan A, Ahmadinia H. The Effect of Self-learning Module on nursing students’ clinical competency: a pilot study. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2019;24(2):91–5.

Motefakker S, Shirinabadi Farahani A, Nourian M, Nasiri M, Heydari F. The impact of the evaluations made by Mini-CEX on the clinical competency of nursing students. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):1–8.

Lee KC, Ho CH, Yu CC, Chao YF. The development of a six-station OSCE for evaluating the clinical competency of the student nurses before graduation: a validity and reliability analysis. Nurse Educ Today. 2020;84:104247.

Yu M, Tong H, Li S, Wu XV, Hong J, Wang W. Clinical competence and its association with self-efficacy and clinical learning environments among Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Educ Pract. 2021;53:103055.

Green G, Ofri L, Tesler R. The role of fundamental nursing practices Simulation on Students’ competencies and learning satisfaction: repeated measured design. Healthc (Basel). 2022;10(5):1–8.

Katebi MS, Arab Ahmadi A, Jahani H, Mohalli F, Rahimi M, Jafari F. The effect of portfolio training and clinical evaluation method on the clinical competence of nursing students. J Nurs Midwifery Sci. 2020;7:233–40.

Fung JTC, Zhang W, Yeung MN, Pang MTH, Lam VSF, Chan BKY, Wong JY. Evaluation of students’ perceived clinical competence and learning needs following an online virtual simulation education programme with debriefing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurs Open. 2021;8(6):3045–54.

Getie A, Tsige Y, Birhanie E, Tlaye KG, Demis A. Clinical practice competencies and associated factors among graduating nursing students attending at universities in Northern Ethiopia: institution-based cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2021;11(4):e044119.

Madjid FT, Villacorte LM, Cajigal JV, Rosario-Hussein CD, Saguban RB, Gudoy N, Madjid ZNT. Factors influencing the clinical competency among nursing students: a cross-sectional study. Hail J Health Sci. 2023;5(1):7–12.

Ebrahimi Fakhar A, Adhami Moghadam F, Merati F, Sahebalzamani M. The relationship of learning styles with Basic sciences and pre-internships Comprehensive Examination scores and students’ results of the clinical competency test at the end of the General practitioner course. Educational Dev JundiShapur. 2019;10(3):219–29.

Moon MY. Relationship between clinical competency and Kolb’s learning style for clinical practice education in nursing students. Int J Adv Nurs Educ Res. 2019;4(2):1–6.

Lundell Rudberg S, Lachmann H, Sormunen T, Scheja M, Westerbotn M. The impact of learning styles on attitudes to interprofessional learning among nursing students: a longitudinal mixed methods study. BMC Nurs. 2023;22(1):68.

Figueiredo LDF, Silva NCD, Prado MLD. Primary care nurses’ learning styles in the light of David Kolb. Rev Bras Enferm. 2022;75(6):e20210986.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the students who participated in the study.

Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Nursing, Abhar School of Nursing, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

Seyed Kazem Mousavi

Ph.D Candidate in Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

Ali Javadzadeh, Hanieh Hasankhani & Zahra Alijani Parizad

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

All the authors helped design the study. AJ and HH collected the data. SKM, and AJ analyzed and interpreted the data. All the authors helped write the manuscript and read and approved the final version.Funding.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seyed Kazem Mousavi .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Permission to conduct the present study was obtained from the Research Department and Ethics Committee of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (IR.ZUMS.REC.1402.095. available at: https://ethics.research.ac.ir/ ). All the study participants were informed about the objectives of the study, the confidentiality of the information, and the voluntary nature of their participation, and all students completed the informed consent form.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Mousavi, S.K., Javadzadeh, A., Hasankhani, H. et al. Relationship between learning styles and clinical competency in nursing students. BMC Med Educ 24 , 469 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05432-z

Download citation

Received : 23 December 2023

Accepted : 15 April 2024

Published : 26 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05432-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Clinical competence

BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

• Submission enquiries: [email protected]
• General enquiries: [email protected]

Lewis Hamilton Understood the Assignment at This Year's Met Gala

The fashion community often jokes about attendees at the annual Met Gala who ignore the theme, wearing something beautiful, yes, but something that doesn't exactly embody the year's exhibition and the story behind it. Lewis Hamilton is never one of those attendees, and his 2024 look is no exception.

This year's Met Gala celebrated the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's exhibition Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion and as such had a dress code of The Garden of Time, which was inspired by J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name. To adhere to the theme, Hamilton—who raced from the Miami Grand Prix yesterday to New York City for fashion's biggest night—worked with his stylist, Eric McNeal, and Burberry's creative director, Daniel Lee, to create a custom, all-black ensemble dedicated to an 18th-century gardener named John Ystumllyn.

In an interview with Vogue on the steps of the Met, Hamilton shared that he stumbled across Ystumllyn's story while he was gathering research for his Met Gala look. As a child, Ystumllyn was taken from Africa to Wales, where he was enslaved. There, he learned horticulture, going on to become the first Black gardener in Wales. "Inspired by the legacy of John Ystumllyn and the beauty of his work," the seven-time Formula One world champion captioned a slideshow of IG photos from the red carpet. "Thank you, Daniel Lee and the Burberry team."

Specifically, Hamilton wore a tailored black coat with floral bullion embellishments and an Alex Wharton poem titled "The Gardener" embroidered on the inside. Underneath, he wore a silk double-breasted suit with leather Burberry Saddle boots. As for jewelry, Hamilton partnered with Briony Raymond, donning yellow-diamond earrings, a diamond wrap ring, and a vintage 1960s yellow sapphire and diamond ring.

Scroll down to see Hamilton's 2024 Met Gala look and read an excerpt of the poem stitched inside of it.

On Lewis Hamilton: Custom Burberry coat, suit, and shoes; Briony Raymond earrings and Étoile Triple-Wrap Ring ($16800)

Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns,  Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear ; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning , Diane Kruger , Katie Holmes , and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits , running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.

Spend summer in style.

By Remy Farrell

The best of the best.

By Anna LaPlaca

It makes every outfit look pricey.

By Allyson Payer

Outfit inspo from Paris to NYC.

By Jennifer Camp Forbes

Now I need one, too.

By Natalie Munro

This is how you do it.

By Maxine Eggenberger

Fortunately, it's not the only option on the market.

By Eliza Huber

How to dress for world domination.

It's ideal for spring.

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Accessibility Statement
• Advertise with us

Who What Wear UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

• Sports Betting
• Sports Entertainment

Recommended

Jerry ‘the king’ lawler out as wwe commentator after three decades.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Jerry “The King” Lawler’s reign has come to an end.

The Post has confirmed that WWE did not renew Lawler’s broadcasting contract.

However, contrary to the tenor of reports in the wrestling space, a source said that Lawler, 74, remains on a “Legends deal” with the company.

Lawler first joined WWE as a color commentator on “Superstars” in 1992 and would mostly remain in that role, working the flagship shows “Raw” or “SmackDown”, as well as the pay-per-views, until 2016.

His partnership with play-by-play broadcaster Jim Ross during the fabled “Attitude Era” formed the soundtrack of countless memorable moments in pro wrestling lore.

Lawler was away from the company for about nine months in 2001.

He also returned to commentary for a stretch between 2019 and 2020.

For much of the past decade, he has been involved in pre- and postgame shows for WWE’s premium live events (the rebranded PPVs), although appearances have been more sparse in recent years.

Last year, Lawler suffered what was described as a “massive stroke” after he became ill while having lunch with friends in Florida.

He recovered enough from the medical emergency to make one appearance at “Raw” in his native Memphis last year, and another on NXT, WWE’s developmental promotion.

Lawler made his bones as a wrestler in the Memphis territory, and continued to wrestle for various independent promotions into his 70s, despite suffering from a heart attack in 2012.

He mounted an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1999.

He also had an infamous feud with the comedian Andy Kaufman in the early 1980s.

Share this article:

Advertisement