VAK Learning (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic)

• They often talk to themselves, move their lips or read out loud
• May have difficulty fulfilling reading and writing tasks

• Visual-linguistic
  • They like to learn with the help of written language (e.g. reading and writing tasks, exercises)
  • They prefer to take notes and write down directions to remember
• Visual-spatial
  • They understand charts, videos and other visual materials easily
  • They tend to remember faces and places with easy and tend to have a rich imagination

• They tend to learn better while touching things and moving
• They like to use highlighters, take notes, drawing pictures in order to move their hands
• They have difficulty paying attention when there is no external stimulation or movement present

See also: Accelerated Learning

Tips to identify learners’ preferred learning styles

1. Eye movement while thinking
   • Visual learners usually look upwards
   • Auditory learners usually look straight ahead
   • Kinesthetic learners usually look downwards
2. Vocabulary clues
   • Visual learners often use: I see (your point), I get the picture, In my view, From my perspective
   • Auditory learners often use: It sounds (OK, good, familiar, etc.), I hear you, I get the message, It rings a bell
   • Kinesthetic learners often use: It feels (good, right, OK, off, etc.), I can relate to that, I have a grasp
3. Ikea test (How do people approach assembling a new piece of furniture?)
   • Visual learners: Read the instructions before doing anything
   • Auditory learners: Have someone else read the instructions to them
   • Kinesthetic learners: Try to put the item together without reading the instructions
4. Mobile phone test (What do people do with a new mobile phone?)
   • Visual learners: Read the instructions before they try to do anything with the phone
   • Auditory learners: Ask someone to explain the use of the phone or read the instructions to them
   • Kinesthetic learners: Play around and experiment with the phone
5. Map reading (How do people use maps to find their way?)
   • Visual learners: Look at the whole map and then every road
   • Auditory learners: Read out every road to themselves
   • Kinesthetic learners: Follow the roads on the map with their fingers
6. Behavior-patterns during lessons
   • Visual learners: like reading and may seem to day dream during sessions with focus on verbal activities
   • Auditory learners: enjoy discussions and may whisper during reading
   • Kinesthetic learners: may have a habit of tapping their pencils, and fidgeting during lessons
7. Make learners fill out self-assessment quizzes to identify their learning styles (many available online, see Web Resources)

Guide to tools and activities supporting different learning styles

Note for instructors: As you design your courses aim for a variety of learning styles in every lesson in order to meet individual learners’ needs.

Visual learners

• Use visual aids (charts, graphs, post-its, posters, cue-cards, diagrams, illustrations, pictures, colored pens and paper, mind maps, spider diagrams, etc.) to present and organize information
• Place information above eye level in the room
• Offer help and opportunities for note taking (outlines, concept maps, handouts, key words)
• Use flip charts to present learners the lesson outline

Auditory learners

• Use questions to involve learners in learning, make them also verbalize questions
• Make learners engage in discussions with you and each other
• Use auditory activities (brainstorming, buzz groups, debriefing, reading out loud, oral revisions, stories, anecdotes, jokes, rhymes, jingles, rap, poems, songs, etc.)
• Start and end lessons with explaining and discussion what will and what has happened
• Allow and encourage listening to music while learning (if suitable to your learning environment)

Kinesthetic learners

• Use activities that make learners move (games, group work, role-plays, switch places, partners, field trips, etc.)
• Give regular planned stretch breaks (brain breaks)
• Provide activities that make learners use their hands (move and organize post-its, highlight text, make models, use play dough, transfer text from one medium to an other, etc.)
• Play music during learning (if appropriate for your learning environment)
• Try to stimulate more than one sense
• Offer learners an opportunity to try things and experiment
• Use a lot of examples, case studies, ways of application