Understanding your learning style can be a game-changer in high school, making studying more effective and even enjoyable. While early research attempted to neatly categorize learners, recent findings suggest that learning is more nuanced than fitting into strict boxes. The most well-known model, VARK, identifies four main learning preferences: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. While this model suggests different ways of learning, it's important to understand that recent research indicates that learning isn't so clear-cut, and people benefit from using strategies from all learning styles.
Visual learners benefit from seeing pictures or visuals. You can use to-do lists and sticky notes to manage tasks and review information using flashcards and study guides. Employing graphic organizers like diagrams or mind maps for brainstorming and organizing ideas is also helpful. Highlighting, color-coding, and using stickers to mark key concepts can make notes and books more visually engaging. Creating tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps to supplement your notes, and watching related documentaries and videos, are further effective visual strategies.
Auditory learners learn best by hearing explanations or by talking about something out loud. Reading information out loud is a simple yet effective technique. Studying in groups to discuss concepts and listening to audiobooks or podcasts can also be beneficial. Using text-to-speech software to read digital material aloud and recording information to replay later are further auditory methods. Explaining concepts aloud to others, making flashcards to review aloud, and restating what you read aloud in your own words are also recommended.
Kinesthetic learners learn by doing, such as building, moving, creating, or trying things out for themselves. Taking breaks to move around when studying and using a stress ball or fidget toy can help kinesthetic learners stay engaged. Volunteering to demonstrate concepts or perform experiments and choosing projects rather than written assignments when possible align well with this style. Drawing sketches or diagrams and copying important notes repeatedly in different formats can also incorporate a physical element.
Everyone benefits from using strategies from all the learning styles and customizing their own unique learning style. The best way to learn is not to put yourself in a box but to use a lot of different strategies simultaneously to reinforce your knowledge. Mixing and matching keeps you actively thinking and prevents boredom, ultimately increasing your attention span and helping you retain more information. By trying different strategies, even those outside your comfort zone, you can create a personalized learning toolkit. Remember that as you grow, the strategies that work best for you may also change, so it’s important to remain open to new approaches.
