Essay on Vak Learning Styles

Dictionary.com defines a student as “a person formally engaged in learning” (Student, 2012). Students of any age know that comprehending and retaining information is essential to educational success. Just as every student had unique physical attributes, they also have unique learning styles in which they best retain new and important information. The VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) is a questionnaire that is given to help individual find their unique learning style. This allows students and non students alike to explore the way in which the not only retain information, but the best way to present information. Each type of learning style is broken down with ways in which to

One learning style is Visual. Many believe vision is being able to see things. Great vision for instance is 20/20. Although, you can not learn by just being able to see. The brain actually

notes, they will either write it in a different color or they will take detailed notes and go back and highlight the important factors. To help a visual learner organize information they sometimes use a Mind Map. A mind map guide is centered on the topic and includes branches for each related idea. Visual learners learn by seeing. When writing and drawing what they are visualizing, this helps them retain and better process the information being taught. An auditory learner is when a person learns by speaking and hearing. An auditory learner learns best through lectures. Unlike

All learners have different learning styles. Using materials at the initial stage of the learning process can highlight preferred styles. Honey and Mumford show four learning styles – activists, theorists, reflectors and pragmatists, while VAK highlights visual, auditory and kinaesthetic preferences.

Fleming (2005) stated that people can be grouped into four styles of learning: (Gravells, 2012), Visual, Aural, Read / Write and Kinaesthetic (VARK), with Honey and Mumford (1992) suggesting that learners are a...

i. Understanding the learners learning styles can make my course to be engaging. Flemming (1987) noted three different styles of learning; visual, kinaesthetic and aural. In order to know which method(s) to use to benefit my students the first lesson on my course will centre around discussions on what they already know, the resources they are familiar with, and a learning style questionnaire which will provide me with information on preferred learning styles. Effectiveness can also be enhanced if I adapt my teaching style to give maximum benefit to learners.

“Just as students have different personalities, they also have different ways of learing (Slavin, 107).” Learning styles are another important factor to incorporate when implementing the best learning environment. Learning styles are defined as an individual's mode of gaining knowledge. The most common learning styles addressed are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory leaners understand information through hearing. Visual learners need more visual aids in the learning process, such as diagrams, webs, or pictures. Kinesthetic learners learn better by using manipulatives or by being physically involved in the learning process. Learning styles is a piece of the “backbone” of differentiated learning. Both are used to individualize instruction to help students achieve the most success.

Learning styles of individual students vary and as a consequence, learning needs also change from each student to the next (Liew, Sidhu, & Barua, 2015). The “styles” for learning that are widely adopted include the Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic (VARK) model, developed by Fleming and Mills (1992) include Visual (V), Auditory (A), Read/Write (R) and Kinaesthetic (K) types of learning approaches. The Visual (V) learner learns best by the use of information by visual means (using of charts, mindmaps, and other visual aids). The Auditory (A) learner understands best by

Following a review of the Vark Questionnaire and Analysis, it has been determined that preferred learning style is multimodal.

We all learn in different ways, influenced by the combination of our past educational experiences, study practices and personal approach to specific tasks. This can be described as our learning style, defined as ‘particular ways of gathering, processing and storing information and experiences’ (Cuthbert, P.F., 2005).

Linguistic instructional methods, such as reading and listening, activate the left side of the brain, while non-linguistic methods, which incorporate the senses and movement, activate the left side. As a result, engaging both sides of the student’s brain in the learning process, through a balanced plan of instruction, is important. Such an approach is also believed to improve a student’s ability to remember and apply that information in the future. In order to facilitate this, the teacher must include the use of non-linguistic representations or cues in their lessons to make challenging content comprehensible. Such elements as visual aids - like graphic organizers, pictures, illustrations or images; hands-on experiences including the use of manipulatives or physical models that students can touch, move and create; physical or kinesthetic techniques using movement including gestures such as hand movements to illustrate concepts; and demonstrations, modeling

There are several methods used to determine learning styles. “A learning style is, rather, a description of a process, or of preferences. Any inventory that encourages a learner to think about the way that he or she learns is a useful step towards understanding, and hence improving, learning” (Fleming, N., & Baume, D., 2006, p.4). . One of the most commonly used learning styles is the Fleming VARK model. VARK stands for visual, auditory, reading and writing and kinesthetic learners. This model focuses on the best way for a student to learn and retain new information based on sensory modality. “The only perceptual modes, or senses, it does not

There are four main types of learning styles: auditory, kinaesthetic, reading and writing, and visual. Each of these theories describes how learning occurs and has its own terminology, perceptions on learning and generalities about teaching and learning. My personal learning style uses a combination of visual, reading, writing and auditory. I prefer using pictures,

The previously mentioned recommended learning strategies for the very strong read/write learning preference of this student compare near-perfectly with the strategies currently in use. This student however, frequently incorporates visual approaches to writing by using different colored highlighters to categorize and connect different thoughts. Sticky notes, often having various bright colors, adorn books, periodicals, Bibles, and even the course syllabus for this class. Often when communicating in writing with others, words are circled followed by arrows that point to a reply the writer has written. Visual learning strategies are very important to this author’s success

The main characteristics of a visual learner are that they remember what they see, instead of what they hear. They also prefer diagrams, pictures and to read and write rather than listening. This learner is usually good at spelling, but forgets names, and needs to study in quite. Also, they would tune out when they try to pay attention and they would need an overall new and purpose beginning a project.