What Type of Learner Are You?

We all know that everyone has their own way of doing things, but did you know that people also have their own unique way of learning new information? After all, what works for you may not work well for someone else. So, what type of learner are you? If you don’t already know, keep reading because finding out what your needs are will change your outlook on learning new skills and information.

What Type Of Learner Are You?

We all have that one friend who never has to study or even look at any material until right before the test. And then, every time, as if by miracle, they ace it! And perhaps you aced the same test but felt much less fulfilled because the other person didn’t study to get the same grade. Meanwhile, you pulled an all-nighter memorizing notes and flashcards.

The important thing to keep in mind is that neither of you did anything wrong; it just turns out that you are a visual learner, so seeing it is what helps you retain information. Or are you a visual learner?

Many people assume that they are visual learners because it makes the most sense. And considering that the statistics clearly point to this title, it is a fair assumption. However, it may not be so cut and dry in terms of assigning a style.

While there is no one-size-fits-all learning method, there are four learning styles with which you can identify to make learning an easier task.

What Are The Types Of Learners

As we mentioned, everyone has a strategy they use to memorize information while studying. Some people take notes, some prefer lectures, some create diagrams, etc. All of this has led researchers to investigate the data to understand the best way that students learn new information. From this research, we have these four different learning styles:

• Visual Learners
• Read/Write Learners
• Auditory Learners
• Kinesthetic Learners

Let’s take a look at each learning style in more depth:

Visual Learners

It’s estimated that roughly 20.6% of the population are visual learners. These individuals learn best when information is presented visually in the form of charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, and so on. Yet, these people don’t always respond well to videos or photos, as they prefer their information laid out using shapes and patterns.

So, for visual learners, the best way to present information is by showing them the relationship between ideas visually. For example, if you want to explain a scientific experiment to a visual learner, it would be best to include a flow chart.

Reading/Writing Learners

Reading/writing learners are said to make up about 26.8% of people. These folks consume more information when it’s presented in words that are being either written or read. For these learners, text is the most powerful representation, far more than any type of auditory or visual information. These are the people who tend to perform well on written assignments consistently.

Naturally, people who have this learning style are best engaged when reading and writing information. So, for someone like this, it’s best to have them use written statements to describe diagrams or charts, provide them with plenty of books/reports to read on a given subject, etc.

Auditory Learners

Remember your friend who never studied yet always aced the exam? They fit into the group of auditory learners, with about 25.1% of other people. These learners understand information best when they speak or hear it, and are the ones who love group discussions and lectures.

Auditory learners are also very prone to sorting ideas after speaking rather than thinking about the concept before speaking. They do this because saying the information out loud helps them better understand.

Kinesthetic Learners

It’s estimated that roughly 27.6% of people are kinesthetic learners. These people learn in a hands-on way as they’re doing the task. Some say that kinesthetic learners are more connected to and in touch with reality, so they need tactile experiences to understand how something works. The best way to get through to these learners is with simulations, personal experiences, examples, practice, etc.

How To Know What Type Of Learner You Are

That being said, you can’t always influence how new material is presented to you in life or work. However, if you take a look at how you’ve learned the best in the past, you can make informed choices about what may work in the future. If you’ve learned through reading, then you’re probably a visual learner and would do best using videos of live lectures or demonstrations. Just beware that most experts agree it’s a bad idea to always put learning methods into just one style.

The truth is that understanding how each learning style is useful may help you learn new methods to replace ones you basically “fell into.” For example, let’s say you are an audible learner; prepping for a grammar exam may be best done through reading and writing because your ears can’t always detect grammatical errors. Instead, you should consider using new tactics to see if they work for you, especially when dealing with different applications. Ultimately, using one or more of the learning styles may help you learn things faster and more effectively.

What Type Of Learner Am I Quiz

The best way to figure out what type of learner you are is by taking an online quiz. A simple Google search will overwhelm you with choices for quizzes, so allow us to make it easier for you. Here are a couple of our favorite “What Type Of Learner Am I” Quizzes:

EducationPlanner.org

This site has a quick quiz made up of 20 questions. Each question is straightforward and gives you several choices from which to choose. It’s free and only takes about 2-minutes of your time.

AAT Comment

This quiz tells you if you’re a visual, kinesthetic, or auditory learner. It only asks 10 questions and takes about a minute to complete.

You’ll probably find that AAT Comment only gives you one type of learner, whereas the Education Planner quiz gives you percentages from multiple types of learning styles. Either way, both quizzes are good, and you should try both and consider all results.

How Infographics Can Support Visual Learning

As you’ve heard us say many times, infographics are effective and powerful learning tools that can be used in many ways to enhance the audience’s experience. Yet, there are two main ways in which infographics help the most. First, they are learning programs within themselves, in that they use graphics and video to quickly encapsulate essential facts and present them in an entertaining way. Not to mention, infographics are much faster to produce than other eLearning programs. So, second, infographics make the information memorable. This means that people are more likely to take away crucial facts and information, and most importantly – remember it for more extended periods of time than they would by simply reading it in text.

The Bottom Line

In the end, if you are a student or an adult with a career that requires learning, then you really need to figure out what type of learner you are. This information will provide you insight into new methods for learning that you never tried before! It just may change your life!

Original infographic via onlinecollege.org in 2012, content updated November 2021.