One Size Does NOT Fit All
One of the unique things about my coaching is that I don’t teach a particular system. I don’t believe there is a “one size fits all” system or method that works for anyone and everyone.
Why do I believe that? Because we are not all the same!
While I absolutely believe everyone has the capacity to learn, the concept of learning styles shows that everyone does not learn in the same way. Your learning style is a category that identifies the way you prefer to process information. Learning styles, a model developed by Neil Fleming, categorizes learners into 4 groups: Visual Learners, Auditory Learners, Read/Write Learners, and Kinesthetic Learners. These categories are not influenced by any type of ability or intelligence. Rather, they speak to preference of the learner. In other words, how does my brain acquire, understand, and remember information most effectively.
VARK Learning Styles
VISUAL - Visual learners prefer to see the information in charts, graphs, maps, and any visual format.
AUDITORY - Auditory learners prefer listening to information presented in lectures, discussions, audio books, etc.
READ/WRITE - Read/Write learners prefer text-based materials, notes, and lists.
KINESTHETIC - Kinesthetic learners prefer learning through activity, hands-on experiments, and real life situations.
While this model is helpful, it is not absolute. There are some people that prefer different learning styles in different contexts and those are considered multimodal learners.
Why does my learning style matter?
Identifying and understanding your learning style matters because it adds to your self-awareness and it can help you identify the tools that help you learn best.
For example, if I have a client that is an auditory learner in a literature class with lots of instruction geared toward read/write learning, I’m not going to suggest that they spend more time reading. That just turns into staring at pages and all the words running together. Instead, I would suggest that they listen to an audio copy of the text WHILE following along with the written text to reinforce the content. I might also suggest they record themselves reading the text which provides repetition.
Perhaps the most important reason that learning style matters is that it empowers individuals to change the things that are not working in their lives. When you understand that something isn’t working because you are not processing it in the way your brain works, you can adjust the input and improve the output. You don’t have to stay frustrated and ineffective if you don’t want to!
How does my learning style relate to executive functioning?
The connection between your learning style and your executive functioning abilities relates most to self-awareness. When you know your learning style, you understand how to identify the tools and study methods that work best for you. And, you know how to ask for the help you need when you need to.
CAUTION!
More than likely, you have a preferred learning style. BUT, that doesn’t mean that you cannot learn if material is not presented to you in that style. Your learning style is information about how you operate best, but it is not meant to keep you from cultivating the ability to learn in other ways. Don’t let your preference for one learning style become an excuse for not engaging with the others!
Want to discover your learning style?
I’d love to share a free assessment to help you discover your learning style. When you’re ready, email me and I’ll send you the link. You’ll answer a few questions online and I’ll send you the results.
