Know Your Learning Style!

Provided by www.WomensMedia.com
The Self-Improvement Site for Women
Article by Dianne Schilling

People learn in different ways. Just as we prefer different hair styles, clothing styles, managerial styles, and music styles, we also feel much more natural and comfortable acquiring information in ways that fit our preferred "styles" of learning.

In his landmark 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Harvard educator, Dr. Howard Gardner, strongly urged that we replace the notion of one kind of intelligence--measured by IQ--with a recognition of at least seven different kinds. He categorized them as linguistic (verbal), logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic (using physical movement), musical, spatial (visually oriented), interpersonal and intrapersonal (independent). According to Gardner, each type of intelligence has its own particular neurological pattern and, to a great extent, this has been confirmed by research in the behavioral and brain sciences.

Most of us learn by blending several styles, but we usually prefer just one or two. Think of it as "smarts." Are you: word smart----number smart----picture smart----body smart----music smart----people smart----or self smart?

Knowing your preferred learning styles can help you choose a career or make a career change, acquire new information faster by setting up optimal learning situations, choose satisfying leisure activities, identify compatible relationships with less trial and error, and explain yourself to others. Use the following checklist to identify your preferred styles--then start managing learning situations to your best advantage:

If you are a Linguistic Learner, you:

value books and like to talk about what you've read
"hear" words in your head before speaking or reading them
have a good memory for names, places, dates and/or trivia
enjoy word games, puns and tongue twisters
are a good speller
have a good vocabulary
write well
communicate with others in a highly verbal way

If you are a Logical-mathematical Learner, you:

are curious about how things work
mentally compute measurements and formulas
enjoy logic puzzles, brainteasers and games of strategy, like chess
look for rational explanations, think logically and seek logical answers
feel more comfortable when something has been measured, categorized, analyzed, or quantified in some way
like to experiment in a way that uses higher order cognitive thinking processes
have a good sense of cause and effect

If you are a Spatial Learner, you:

draw or doodle
read charts, maps, and diagrams more easily than text
enjoy artistic pursuits
see clear visual images
have a strong sense for colors
often have vivid dreams at night
enjoy taking (and looking at) photographs or movies
can get around easily in unfamiliar territory
can comfortably imagine how objects appear from different angles
prefer reading material that is heavily illustrated
enjoy doing puzzles, mazes and similar visual activities

If you are a Bodily-Kinesthetic Learner, you:

are physically active and enjoy the outdoors
excel at one or more sports/athletic pursuits
find it difficult to sit still for long periods
like working with your hands
enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together
have a need to touch things when learing about them
are well coordinated
need to practice skills by doing them rather than simply reading/hearing about them

If you are a Musical Learner, you:

sometimes hum,sing or make tapping sounds while working
enjoy listening to music on radio, cassette, or CD
can tell if a musical note is off key
may play a musical instrument or sing well
find music enriching
know the tunes to many different songs
have a good singing voice
have a rythmic way of speaking or moving

If you are an Interpersonal Learner, you:

enjoy socializing with others
are sought out by others for advice and counsel
enouy group games and sports
prefer to talk over problems with another person, rather than solving them alone
have at least three close friends
seek the company of coworkers both during and after hours
show leadership ability
are an active member of one or more clubs, committees or other organizations

If you are an Intrapersonal Learner, you:

are strong willed and independent
are self-directed and prefer working alone
are interested in learning more about yourself
at times may say or do things that others have difficulty understanding
may be a loner
have strong opinions about things
have a rich inner life
have high self-esteem

When you have identified one or two preferred modes of learning, use that knowledge to structure learning situations that favor your style. For example, to learn a foreign language a linguistic learner might concentrate on vocabulary, using books and audio tapes; a logical-mathematical learner might put more emphasis on rules of grammar; a spatial learner would respond well to lots of illustrations, photos and films; a bodily-kinesthetic learner might decide to enroll in a total immersion course abroad; a musical learner would do well to play background music when studying and learn songs and poems in the foreign tongue; an interpersonal learner might seek a highly interactive classroom situation; and an intrapersonal learner might work alone with audio tapes or CDs.