What are learning styles and why are they important

People learn in different ways. Identifying your own learning style helps you understand how to identify your learners' styles.

As an instructor it is important that you are able to adapt your style of teaching to suit your learner's style of learning. This is the first step in the process. The following information represents just one way of looking at individual learning styles – there are several other methods.

The information here is adapted from Quantum Learning by Bobbi DePorter – learning styles and their importance for success are covered in detail during the Tri-Coaching BTEC. 

Sufficient to say here that  if you are not identifying your pupil's preferred learning styles and adapting your training to fit you are missing valuable opportunities to create the kind of lesson experience that drives a premium rate business based on recommendation.

There are three basic learning modes:
Seeing, Hearing and Feeling

Although each of us learns in all three modes to some degree, most people prefer one over the other two. Knowing your own preferred mode goes a long way toward explaining things like why we have problems understanding and communicating with some people and not with others, and why we handle some situations more easily than others. 

SEEING Learning through seeing
HEARING Learning through hearing
FEELING Learning through moving, doing and touching

Imagine

Imagine that you are assembling or making something. Perhaps a kitchen cupboard, a set of bunk beds, a hand-made dress, a garden shed. When you are assembling something like this, which method do you prefer?

SEEING Follow the instructions? Read the directions?
HEARING Have someone talk you through it?
FEELING Start putting it together yourself?

If you prefer one mode over the other you are starting to identify your own personal learning style. Knowing the characteristics of seeing, hearing and feeling learning modes will help you zero in on your best learning mode.

SEEING Do you doodle when you talk on the phone? Do you speak quickly? Would you rather see a map than hear directions?
HEARING Do you talk to yourself? Do you prefer a lecture or seminar to reading a book? Do you like talking more than writing?
FEELING Do you think better when you are moving and walking around? Do you gesture a lot while speaking? Do you find it hard to sit still?

How can I spot my pupil's learning mode?

One way to identify the learning modes of your pupils is by noticing what words they use when they are speaking and at what speed they talk. Once you have identified your learner's personal mode, you can match their language and the speed at which they talk, when you speak to them.

SEEING Common process word in a conversation: 'The way I see it is …' Vocal speed is quick
HEARING Common process word in a conversation: 'I hear what you're saying …' Vocal speed is medium
FEELING Common process word in a conversation: 'I feel like you …' Vocal speed is slower

Recognising your learner's preferred learning mode is an important key to effective teaching.

For instance, if you know your learner is a seeing person, you're much more likely to get your point across if you use visual materials, such as handouts and diagrams, in an explanation. If your learner is disinterested in explanations, you might find they benefit more from being given a few short main points and then having a go themselves, because they are a feeling learner. Or, your learner is a hearing learner if they find diagrams unhelpful but respond well to demonstrations.

Verbal cues help you to determine a person's learning mode.

SEEING 'That looks good to me!' 'That's clearer now'
HEARING 'That sounds good to me!' 'That rings a bell'
FEELING 'That feels good to me!' 'I'm, getting to grips with this now'

What will you notice about your pupils this week?

At Tri-Coaching our declared goal is to help drive the success of as many instructors as we possibly can… Click here to read some recent comments from our clients.

In our next mailing we'll consider another important aspecyt of how to deliver compelling lessons.

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Call Graham Hooper on: 0788 919 4011 for full information about our one-day in-car courses and the Professional (Level 4) BTEC Qualification - email: info@tri-coachingpartnership.co.uk

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