Understanding Learner characteristics and Learning Styles

It is important to know our learners to understand their prior knowledge, learning needs and style, attitudes, inspiration and cravings for learning. Most people are mainly one type of learner, but generally they can get used to to a new style. Learners do have a tendency to seek their favourite style in every learning situation because they connect that style in success. Information regarding our learners is useful in defining our learning objectives. There are three main learning styles; Visual learners, Auditory learners and Tactile learners.

Visual learning process new information best when it is visually illustrated or demonstrated. Visual learners are those who normally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be very effective. They remember things best by considering something written.

In auditory leaning students generally learn best by listening the information spoken. They characteristically like to learn through lectures and discussion and reading aloud. They remember things by hearing or saying items aloud.

The third style of learning, tactile learners are those who learn finest through touching, feeling, and experiencing the things that they are trying to learn. They used to keep things in mind by writing assignments, taking notes, examining objects and also by participating in activities.

There are many tests available to help you and your students discover your best learning style. Firstly, if you are someone who is more likely to think in pictures, prefer to meet with someone, if you want visual diagrams to complete a project you have tendencies towards visual learning. Similarly, if you are more likely to think in terms of sounds, prefer to speak on the phone with someone, and want oral instructions then you tend towards auditory learning. Finally, if you are more likely to think in terms of touching images like mini-movies in your mind, desire to involve yourself in an activity when you meet to speak with someone, and be likely to bind right into a project without reading directions you tend towards tactile learning.

It is very important for a teacher to use the learning styles effectively in the class and prepare the assessments relating to learners characteristics and learning styles. But as we are human beings it is just not possible in real world of teaching and even hard to apply all three styles in the lessons. For instance, you can have information written on the board and say them out loud. Though, it is not always easy to take in the tactile learning style into your lessons. However the reality is that many students have this as their greatest learning style. It is not preferable to force the matter but instead get natural places to include tactile learning. If the class warrants it, you could include simulations, role playing, debates, or the use of manipulative.