V.A.R.K. LEARNING STYLE
The “VARK” acronym stands for Visual, Auditory, Read and Kinesthetic and refers to the different learning styles we have as humans when learning new information. Individuals are identified by the learning style they most identify with.
Read more about each learning style below and discover your personal learning style by clicking here QUESTIONNAIRE | VARK (vark-learn.com)
Visual (V):
The Visual preference includes the depiction of information in maps, diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies, and other devices, that people use to represent what could have been presented in words. This mode could have been called Graphic (G) as that better explains what it covers!
Aural / Auditory (A):
The Aural mode describes a preference for information that is “heard or spoken.” Learners who have this as their main preference report that they learn best from lectures, group discussions, radio, email, using mobile phones, speaking, and talking things through. Email is included here because; although it is text and could be included in the Read/write category (below), it is often chat-style with abbreviations, colloquial terms, slang, and non-formal language. The Aural preference includes talking out loud as well as talking to oneself. Often people with this preference want to sort things out by speaking first, rather than sorting out their ideas and then speaking. They may say again what has already been said or ask an obvious and previously answered question. They have a need to say it themselves and they learn by saying it – their way.
Read/write (R):
The Read/write preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many teachers and students have a strong preference for this mode. Being able to write well and read widely are attributes sought by employers of graduates. This preference emphasizes text-based input and output – reading and writing in all its forms but especially manuals, reports, essays, and assignments. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, diaries, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations and words, words, words… Note that most PowerPoint presentations and a lot of information on the Internet on sites such as Wikipedia are essentially suited to those with this preference as there is seldom an auditory channel or a presentation that uses Visual symbols.
Kinesthetic (K):
It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos, and movies of “real” things, as well as case studies, practice, and applications. The key is the reality or concrete nature of the example. If it can be grasped, held, tasted, or felt it will probably be included. People with this as a strong preference learn from the experience of doing something and they value their own background of experiences and less so, the experiences of others. It is possible to write or speak Kinesthetically if the topic is strongly based on reality. An assignment that requires the details of who will do what and when, is suited to those with this preference, as is a case study or a working example of what is intended or proposed.