This document discusses learning styles and provides suggestions for effectively using your learning style to improve learning. It identifies the main learning styles as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (VAK). Specific suggestions are provided for each style, such as using visual aids for visual learners, participating in discussions for auditory learners, and engaging in hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners. The document emphasizes that understanding your dominant learning style can improve skills, efficiency, group work, and creating an optimal study environment. It also offers advice on what to do if your professor is not teaching in a way that matches your style.

1. Using Your Learning Style to
Your Advantage
John Pearson
Center for Tutoring & Academic Excellence
jpearson3@luc.edu
www.luc.edu/tutoring

2. Goals for tonight
• Overview of learning style (VAK)
• How to effectively use your style to improve
learning
• How to use peers, and other learning styles, to
improve comprehension

3. A little about you
• How do you currently take notes during
lecture?
• How do you internalize information that you
are learning?
• How are you currently studying?
• How often do you work in group settings?

4. Learning Styles Inventory
Take some time to answer honestly
Discussion

5. What are learning styles?
• Manner in which one’s brain comprehend and
store information
• Different types
– VAK (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic)

6. Suggestions for Visual Learners
• Use visual materials
– Brain storm bubble or picture
– Write a story and illustrate it
– Use color and color-coding in
text
– Use mnemonics, acronyms,
visual chains, and mind maps
– Create charts / diagrams
to demonstrate key points
• Visualize information as a
picture to aid memorization
• Have a clear view of
teachers
• Take notes or request
handouts
• Study in a quiet place away
from verbal disturbances

7. Visual Learners Cont.
• Computers
– Organize materials and
to create graphs, tables,
charts, and spreadsheets
• When explaining something,
write the explanation down
• Organize your material.
– The more you organize your
notes and study material, the
easier it will be for you to
remember content.
• Actively review any
photographs or diagrams in
your textbook.
• Make and use flashcards for
studying.
– The act of writing the cards
and viewing them will
increase comprehension.

8. Suggestions for Auditory Learners
• Participate in class discussions/debates
– speeches and presentations
• Use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes and
review these tapes while you drive.
• Go over all important facts aloud
• Use verbal analogies, and story telling to demonstrate your
point
• Create mnemonics and word links to aid memorization
• Discuss your ideas verbally
– Dictate to someone while they write down your thoughts
• Create musical jingles to aid memorization

9. Auditory Learners Cont.
• Make up and repeat rhymes to remember facts, dates, names.
• Join or create a study group, or to get a study partner
– Explain the material you are trying to learn to a study partner
• To learn a sequence of steps, write them out in sentence
form, then read them out loud
• When learning new information, state the problem out loud.
Reason through solutions out loud.

10. Suggestions for Kinesthetic Learners
• Move around to learn new
things
– Read while on an exercise
bike, mold a piece of clay to
learn a new concept
• Work at a standing position
• Chew gum while studying
• Use bright colors to
highlight reading material
• If you wish, listen to music
while you study
• Skim through reading
material to get a rough idea
what it is about before
settling down to read it in
detail.
• Sit near the front of their
classroom to take notes.
– Will help in focusing on the
lecture

11. Kinesthetic Learners Cont.
• Hold the book in your hand
while reading
• Write while you are reading or
talking.
– Use the computer to reinforce
learning using their sense of
touch
• Make models that demonstrate
the key concept.
– The purpose here is the act of
making the model.
• Use hands-on experience
when possible
• Participate in any field trips
offered.
• Associate feelings with
information.

12. Why is it important to know your
learning style?
• Improved skills in learning complex ideas
• Efficiency in studying and reading
• How to best work within groups
• Ability to create environment that fosters
personal style
Why else do you think it is beneficial to know
your learning style?

13. Your professor is not teaching
nor willing to teach in a manner
that speaks to your learning style,
What should you do?

14. What to do…
1. Be more hands on with your independent learning
2. When you get home, review your notes in your preferred
learning style method
3. Do your own research!
– Look for videos
– Look for additional articles or books to read
4. Come to class extra prepared

15. Resources
• CTAE offers different opportunities for
collaborative learning
– Small group tutoring
– Study buddy directory
– Academic coaching groups
– Tutor-led study halls
• Visit luc.edu/tutoring for more details