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The Seven Perceptual Learning Styles 1. Visual learners like to
observe people and situations. A visual learner
often has to see something, not just hear it, to learn. Slides,
pictures,demonstrations, graphs, tables, and overhead
transparencies areuseful ways of helping these people learn best.
Research indicatesthat most people in their twenties and over the
age of fty use thisperceptual style as their primary way of
learning material.
. Interactive Learners learn best when verbali!ing their
thoughts andfeelings. Small"group discussions, lively
#uestion"and"answer sessions,and debates are techni#ues that engage
this type of learner. $eopleover the age of fty ranked this style
of learning as second in terms ofpreference, and younger learners
ranked it as third. $rograms whichplace an emphasis on small"group
learning are very successful.
%. Haptic Learners learn best through their sense of touch.
&hey need tofeel objects or to touch as many things as possible
to learn somethingabout them. 'y touching an object, these people
often are able toform a visual image of it. ()ands on( e*perience
is essential forthem to learn. $eople who combine haptic and visual
elements ofperception learn best through demonstrations that are
followed byhands"on practice.
+. Aural Learners learn best by listening. n fact, unless they
combinethis way of taking in information with an interactive mode,
theselearners often are annoyed by interruptions to a lecture. n
general,aural learners like to listen carefully, rarely speak out
during a lecture,and easily remember what they hear. $eople who
listen to audiotapesof popular speakers or books are probably aural
learners.
-. Kinesthetic Learners need to move in order to learn. ou might
ndsuch people dgeting, knitting, doodling, or wood carving during
alecture. nstead of distracting them, movement actually helps
thistype of person to concentrate. /hen they speak,
kinestheticallyoriented people often use hand motions to describe
what they aresaying. &his kind of learner would probably
volunteer to take part in arole"playing activity because it
involves movement.
0. Print-oriented Learners often learn best by reading and
writing.Reading books, maga!ines, or journal articles helps these
learners toeasily retain information. /hen print types attend a
lecture, you oftennd them jotting down notes. 'eing able to see and
record what theyhear helps them focus and learn better.
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. Olfactory Learners use their sense of smell or taste to learn.
&hese arethe people who associate what they learn with
particular smells ortastes. &hey might walk into a room and
smell an odor thatimmediately reminds them of a past learning
e*perience. Recentresearch on the brain indicates that smell
originates in the most
primitive part of the brain and is, therefore, a powerful
reminder ofpeople or past events.
James, Wa yne !", and #al$raith, %ichael W" &Perceptual
Learnin' (tyles)Implications and *echni+ues for the
Practioner"& Lifelon' Learnin', ./" 01-02"
Kolb's Learning Style Descriptors
Accommodator
(Dynamic Learner)
gets involved
good at taking risks
trial and error
uses others for ideas
leadership
self-discovery
variety, flexibility
intuitive
asks ( What can this become?(
Diverger
( nnovative Learner)
imaginative
open-minded
sees things from many angles
good at generating ideas
likes identifying problems
creative
emotional, social
cultural interests
asks, ( Why? Why not?
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Converger
(!ommon "ense Learner)
experiments
application
uses facts to build ideas
good at making decisions
likes a single, correct ans#er
problem solver
likes #orking #ith things
practical
asks, ( $o# does it #ork? (
Assimilator
(%nalytic Learner)
theories
collects information
looks for explanations
industrious and thorough
likes to kno# #hat experts think observer
likes #orking #ith data
likes traditional classrooms
asks, ( What is it? (
Kolb, David A. Learning Style Inventory. McBer and Company:
Boston, MA, 1 !.
