Learning Styles

[Alice]

Well you can post yours if you want, and if you know.

I think I'm more of a visual learner. Printed words stick with me better than stuff I hear. (Part of this is because printed words are always clear to me whereas spoke words are not.)

I found out the hard way, when I spent a couple of years trying to learn a language in high school. I never seemed to get anywhere with it!

It turned out the purely-verbal format I was using was the *exact* wrong one for me. It was so much easier with the written language and the sounds. I mean, ten times easier. (I still never got far with the language, though.)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I'm not sure but I found if I was shown how to do something, then I would learn easier then if I was given paper with the instructions of what to do. This applies to many things for me.

[the_lizardqueen]

Typically I have to write things down to cement them in my memory. But I also think I'm somewhat auditory. I have a pretty good ear for music and I tend to remember strings of numbers (like my library barcode) after saying them two or three times.

When I was having to memorize a buncha pages of info for Art History over the last two semesters (title, artist, location, era, date and size of about 40 pieces) my typical study approach was to compile and write out a massive list, which is probably visual. But, after that I'd typically spend two or three hours wandering around the house reading it outloud to myself over and over, which is more auditory. I'm probably better off not thinking about it too much, it gets me confused. All I know, is the mixed approach seems to work for me.

[Fsiphskilm]

I'm a

[Photosoph]

Hmm... perhaps I'm someone who learns by reading, though I'm not sure... sometimes hearing or a demonstration can help. Perhaps, like LQ, a mixed approach is also best for me. ^_^

[shooraijin]

I have to write things down to remember them, but other than that, I'm tremendously better at visual memory than auditory.

[Cap'n Nick]

I learn best by practicing. Whether it's a skill, language, or even just raw facts I find that everything sticks better if I apply it instead of just apprehending it.

I found out the hard way, when I spent a couple of years trying to learn a language in high school. I never seemed to get anywhere with it!

It turned out the purely-verbal format I was using was the *exact* wrong one for me. It was so much easier with the written language and the sounds. I mean, ten times easier. (I still never got far with the language, though)

I've heard that any language is not one skill, but four - reading, writing, speaking, and listening. I think most people would learn best if they worked on all four so that every piece of learning would be redundantly reinforced.

[Alice]

Hm, that could be it. I really had trouble with just audio learning!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I have VERY selective memory AND very selective interests

bleh... math is lame

OOOHHH Cognitive Psychology *starts reading*

[Ssjjvash]

I'm a "retard"

You have to draw diagrams, and pictures, and tell me the same thing over and over and over, and i still won't get it, unless 8 other poeple explain it to me in 8 different ways.

Then I'll start getting it, sorta.

This is how I learn anything in math. Except I never did get geometry.

But I usually have to hear people say it--a few times--and write it down, then read it later. this is how I learn.

[Natholeus]

I learn better if someone shows me how to do it rather then just reading how to do it. but I read a lot (like a lot lot) and thats where I learn the most. I do have a really good memory if somebody tells me something too.

[Doubleshadow]

I'm an extremely visual learner. If I can read it I won't forget it, but if you tell me anything I'll have forgotten in two minutes.

[dragonshimmer]

It's interesting to see the learning methods of different people.

I am a visual learner. If I see something, it sticks, generally. I can use general conversations for example. I can speak with someone for hours and a week or two later not remember a whole lot about what was said. However, I can come here and read posts and such and randomly remember useless information up to months later...just from reading it once. I'm sure some of my online buddies think I'm a stalker or something.

But, yes. Visual learner. Unless it comes to music. When it comes to music, it's best for me to listen to the music rather to read the notes on the page. I can learn a piece of music MUCH more quickly by listening rather than sitting down and plunking out notes on a piano and reading notes. When it comes to music, I'm an aural learner.

[blkmage]

If someone teaches it to me, I can probably absorb it.
If someone has really good notes, I can probably absorb that too.

[Jasdero]

Hmm.. tough question... I think I learn by repetition. If there's a math concept that troubles me, I just have to keep on trying it and it'll eventually become mine.

[Raiden no Kishi]

I learn visually/hands on...but if you really want me to learn it, convince me to give a crap about it...

.rai//

[Lyren]

I am a very visual learner. I remember stuff from books, web forums, AIM, and any other written medium very well. However, I quickly forget information that is spoken.

[TKD Samurai]

According to a quiz I took a while ago, I'm a visual and tactile (hands-on) learner.

[kazekami]

For me I have to be doing something to learn. If its history or something where its just digesting info I have to take copus notes or I won't remember a single thing from class. Well there was this one science class that just repeated everything i learned in high school and since it was after fencing class and i was tierd I would fall asleep. Thatnk goodness the room seated 200. Hopefully I didn't snore. ><

If its something like math though I need to have it demonstrated. I need to be able to see how it works. Have it discected and be able to ask questions. Reading the math text book made no sense to me. Math I either get or don't get though. In the middle of my calculus exam I finally understood how to do a certain type of problem. It was an epiphany.

But I need to be able to see how things work and take copus notes. Always taking notes. My notes were super detailed. And the way I studied was by copying them neatly. Of course my handwritting is hitrousis as is my spelling so sometimes i couldn't make out what I wrote.

[HisaishiFan]

Like Volt, I learn in a combination of ways. Then when it clicks, it clicks.

[TurkishMonky]

I usually learn by obsessively reading about a particular intrest, or solving somthing myself. Too much repetiton makes me bored - i'll usually find the pattern and repeat it while zoned out mentally, and then forget it the next day.

Concepts stick in my head when i assciate them with some random object or action (but not stupid phrases) Most of the main concepts i learn are from connecting what i was daydreaming about when i was learning with the subject. (i don't really listen that well, but well enough)

So i'm probably a visual learner too.

[Syreth]

Shoot, I don't think too much about this. I know in a classroom situation I prefer people who teach very organized in a point-by-point style. Lots of repetition helps me a lot. If it's a motor activity, then it's best to show me and then have me repeat what was just shown me.

[mitsuki lover]

I guess I'm a selective learner.There are some things that come easy to me
such as history and other things I can't learn if my life depended on knowing them such as algebra.
I could never get the metric system when they tried to teach it to us in
8th grade.So I wound up flunking that entire semester in math.
On the other hand if it had to do with the French Revolution I'd learn it in no time.

[Alice]

Hm, it seems the answers so far have been weighted slightly more towards visual. I wonder if that's a pattern with online forums such as this?

Maybe they are more appealing to people who communicate better in written format. (Not that that one's communication style is necessarily the same as one's learning style, but it could be the same.)

[Jeikobu]

I'm definitely a visual learner.

[Arbre]

Visual.

With written words, I can remember generally what areas of what pages topics were discussed with absolutely no problem. If only I could focus that a little more to be photographic. >>

If it's an IM conversation, I usually remember and retain the words of that in my head. I mean, I'm there, staring, reading it to myself in my head, often trying to hear what the person's voice sounds like (if I know their voice already). So well, in fact, that I can reconstruct large portions of it in my mind's eye months/years later...

Diagrams, if thoroughly explained, help me tremendously when dealing with complex ideas. Even throw out a visual analogy and that usually works well too.

Unfortunately, my mind in general is very visual. Someone mentions anything and before I can do anything, a very vivid mental image has formed. ANYTHING that anyone says gets visualized. <_< This is a bad thing when someone so much as references objectionable stuff. And it stays stuck in my head for a very long time.


Anyway... Tell me something verballly and it'll be out of my mind in 5 seconds (no joke), unless I'm repeating it to myself and visualizing it. Don't even try giving me more than two instructions at a time. =/ Horrible short term memory as far as verbal stuff goes.

It's like everything auditory has to be translated to visual before I can grasp it at all.


Music's different, though. =) I can remember lots of music and lyrics in their melodic contexts.
If I originally saw that music in sheet form, it'll be even more cemented in my memory.

[Aeolus21]

I am most definately a visual learner. Although repetition in all styles work, it's safe to say that if I can see something with my eyes, it'll definately be stored in my head - Sort of like having a photographic memory.