Here you have a test which can make you aware of learning style your brain prefer :)
Test
3 basic learning styles:
As the name indicates people which prefer this type of learning achieve best when learning through visual. Solution for them is presentation, graphs, analyzing charts and also sight reading. Seeing information and retaining them is most effective when you can observe it. People like that tent to think “in pictures”. Good advice for those people is to make detailed notes and do lots of exercises involving images, analyzing graphs.
Auditory learners mostly enjoy talking and hearing teacher’s voice. They like to discuss the problem and explain it. Good methods for them are listening to music, reading aloud and conducting oral information via sound. Helpful for people like this can be talking to themselves.
Those people are in minority and they also are referred as tactical learners. In order to learn something kinesthetic learners ought to experience it. People like that like to move and change scenery often. They tend to get bored very easy so monotonous lectures are not for them. To optimize their learning they should have an opportunity to get involved in role-playing or making a movie.
Let’s say that now we know what type of learning styles is suitable for us. However, that doesn’t mean we are geniuses. In the Internet you can find plenty of methods how to learn faster, deeper and better
It’s easy and actually effective way to improve studying. In the center of the paper you write a topic of the map. Then start making lines which will be connecting the center with the sentences or pictures. Allow the image to create its own shape, which is the picture of your way of thinking.
Average people can read circa 250 per minute. The goal of speed reading is to read faster, but without greatly reducing comprehension or retention. While reading fast you can save the time and it also allow us to see a “bigger picture” of the text.
Also referred as Art of Memory. To upgrade your memory you can do tricks which help you remember important information. People who use mnemotechnics use techniques like categorizing, matching, associating similarities and others like vocal abbreviation. It really can help to learn by creating a system which is personalized and adapted to individual abilities.
While most of us are receiving education in traditional schools that doesn’t mean that this kind of learning is the only way to achieve a success. About 1970s have been established new schools, which meets expectations of those who have learning disabilities, certain medical conditions, psychological and behavioral issues, or advanced skills. Alternative schools tend to focus on improving student self-esteem, develop growth of individuality and certain medical conditions, psychological and behavioral issues, or advanced skills. Curriculum differs from the one you experienced in traditional schools and they may be focused on determinate skills like music or visual arts.
Learning doesn’t have to be very hard, you just have to focus on your individual predispositions and do everything to make it not a torture. :D Just believe in yourself and remember:
How do you learn? Any advices?
Sources: http://www.ehow.com/list_7204700_learning-styles-list.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_reading http://www.answers.com/topic/alternative-school http://www.mind-mapping.co.uk/make-mind-map.htm
I did once a test to know what kind of learner was I and the result was a mixture of kinestethhic and visual. Sounds reasonable because I draw often and use different colours to underline certain notes, as well as I have to walk around (literally) if I need to memorize something word by word. I hate mind-maps and tend to make notes in points, one below another - it's much clearer to me, however I do know a lot of people using this technique. I think that speed reading is a very useful skill, but only in learning process, not when reading just for pleasure, because you're missing a lot of literature's beauty, ommiting eg. adjectives, which our mind treat as useless information, whether in fact it's essencial in some kinds of oeuvres.
ReplyDeleteI prefer learning by mind map. It’s a clear way of remembering words, connections between issues. It’s very helpful to concentrating, organizing, planning, remembering and problem solving. Mind map is really logical planning with many colors, images and key words. I remember more when I see the photos or images then the teachers speak during the lessons. There are many way of learning at they are depend on the personality of student and their own competence.
ReplyDeleteCertain mind-maps can be helpful in learning process, can save time to prepare to test or something else. It is interested way of learning but it isn't for me. I don't know why, maybe that because I can't focus to information, colored lines distract me in consequence I ommitted important content. I prefer do notes, underline important information. I use some mental shortcuts, thanks to them after reading them remind me of another material that is associated with them.
ReplyDeleteI think I am auditory learner. I like to hear teacher voice, how do the teachers modify their speech. That is way I am looking for good teacher who is talking in the way I like. I like to discuss the problem and explain it. I like questions and answers.
ReplyDeleteI need to catch contact with person.
When I really want to understand what is written in book I read aloud with another character then myself. For example I try to imagine author of text and the way he or she would talk about the problem.
I found the way haw to learn English words. I like to learn it in traffic, in bus for example. I am talking to myself English words aloud. When it is a lot of noise I am not concentrated on it and it comes to me more natural.
I think that my learning styles are visual and auditory. When I am learning in these ways I do it quite fast and good. It's very helpful for me to read something loud and than talk about it. When I am doing it in proper way I am very focused on the topic.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion it depends on our personality, character and competence. Everyone try to find the best way to learn and of course the most effective. Much depends on the intelligence and acquisition of knowledge, because someone will learn to the test 5 days, but another person spend only 1 day and they will receive the same assessment.
Moreover, it is very important why we are reading something, because it is necessary or just because we want to find some information and we are interested in this topic...? It is harder to learn something when we are forced to do it. When we are doing it, because we just want to do it, it is easier for us and give us pleasure.
First of all I have to say that I hate learning and it is difficult for me to motivate myself to work. I think I am visual and kinsthetic learner. When I see something, f. ex. a mathematical formula or a diagram it is easier for me to remember it than when someone tells me about it. What's more, it is easier to assimilate knowledge to me if I have given some examples. Theory is not enough for me, I have to use my knowledge in practice and than everything is clear to me.
ReplyDeleteI think that the learning style depends on the personality and character of a person. Each of us is different and everyone has their own way to learn.
It's hard definitely to tell what way I'm learning because I mixed two od basis styles, visual and kinesthestic. It depends on the situation what style I use. My process of learning is simple but difficult in practise because I try to collect every single information what in the future will buid my memory. Difficult is that I need more time for it than others and it need more self-denial. Funny is that I used to remember for example smell which was in the class or in my room when I was learning. It is the side effect of my learning. I think the good BUW-atmosphere :D and free mind from unnecessary things is the way for success.
ReplyDeleteMy learning style is visual and auditory, because if something will be interest for me, and I will focus on listening to it I can remember a lot of what I heard. However, because little things can turn my attention I need to learn at home. I always read the first notes (usually not mine), circle what I consider the most important and rewrites again this making my own notes.
ReplyDeleteI don't like learning something by heart because it is fleeting. I know how a while and then usually forget.
However, I would like to focus and learn, the session is for me not much differs than other days. Because I noticed that when I trying to learn something, I failed the exam and when I am not study I pass the exams. This was confirmed by two sessions during which I had two resit.
I like learning because it is good feeling that you know more! but I hate this process, that after short time you don't remember a lot of things.. I like me study because usually this knowledge that I have to learn is very interesting! During the normal year I learn only if i have exam (very rarely) or when I should read something, but I learn mainly in Januar! And at the beginning it is hard, but the more I read and learn the more I like this process.
ReplyDeleteI am visual and always I write notes or if I have copy I highlight in different colors. It is good way to remember more.
I prefer visual learning styles. I’m good at remembering information, which I see in various books, presentations, place, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea of “alternative schools” is very profitable for people. Because of personal attitude to pupils, it can help them in the optimal way to learn fast and carefully.
Nowadays, we must often find the best way to memorize by ourselves- teachers at school rarely give some information about the technique of a learning.
I didn't have to do a test to know what methods are the best for me. Since I remember I've been a visualizer - when I learn I remember how the pages looks like, the fonts, colors and so on. So when I make my own notes I also use a lot of colorful pens, underline things and draw. I think that other methods are as good as this one, but they don't suit everyone. Nowadays people invent so many new methods, I guess 20 years ago no one heard about speed reading or mind maps! I hope it will be still evolving and that someday learning will be as easy as possible :)
ReplyDeleteI guess visual learning works best in my example. Even during lectures I like when the lecturer writes something on the blackboard- be it mathematical formulas, graphs or quotations. I really regret that our schools lack in learning how to learn. Many students have difficulties because they haven't found the best way to memorize information. If they do so, they can save huge amount of time spend for trying and trying again.
ReplyDeleteMy advice? Repeat, repeat and repeat. Systematically, if it’s possible;) Most of technics are overdid and were prepared to earn money. But if I have problems with learning, I’m trying to use associations. I connect thing to learn with something I know well. Sometimes it’s very helpful! But in learning it’s important to understand, not to learn by heart.
ReplyDeleteVery important is systematic in our process of education. Taking knowledge in small amounts and repeat it from time to time allows to preserve it on a long time. In school in Poland nobody teach how to learn, what are the learning techniques. I think it is very bad because many students have a problem with learning. For me, the best method of learning is visual methods, do a lot of graphs, tables and pictures and then remembering their. That method often allows to understand a lot of difficult things.
ReplyDeleteI think that one way of learning is proper for all types of learners. It is very easy and not original but very effective.
ReplyDeleteThis way is just to learn systematically and read books, to be interested in what we learn. I think that nobody invented the better method of learning. Why we have to wheel and deal with some innovative methods- effectiveness of systematically learning is confirmed thru the ages.
I could never comprehend how someone could use mind maps. It took me almost two hours to make one about some historical fact (it was an exercise at high school). First I needed to actually learn about it to make the mind map, but regardless: it takes a lot of time, requires paper that is blank, pure white and you need a lot of colour pens or arcane note about notation. Why bother? But I like mnemonics, but almost never use them consciously. For example I would not make some long acronym and juggle the letters to make them a word that means anything. But I like "Smart physicists don't fail". S P D F. Letters assigned to atomic orbitals. One time I actually made song about particles to group them properly and know their basic properties. But it was thing of a moment. Now I don't even remember that song. Just facts from subatomic physics.
ReplyDeleteAs of any other methods of improving learning abilities: I don't need them. I already read very fast, have no real problem with concepts and arcane nomenclature. My memory is also good enough for what I do and I don't need to train it.
But main reason is that I don't waste time on things that I don't need to. With proper time management you don't have to worry about lack of time to read, memorize and process information. During this week I probably read about 500 pages and remember good deal of that. I think this is something anyone can apply and use.
Everyone has their own way of learning. And each of the possible ways is certainly good, but not for everyone. Personally, I'm fast learner listening. So often when I learn from my friend, she usually reads, and I listen. when I learn alone, I try to remember the many things visually. But I think the best way is not learn the material by heart, because soon we forget everything. We should try to understand things that we need to learn. Because, when we learn by heart, knowledge will go in vain.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of ways of learning and everyday people are creating new ways to make learning easier. For some people it's a pleasure to learn and the knowledge comes to them very quicly but for some it's very hard to learn anything. Lately people started making money on people for whom learning is complicated. For those who have problems with learning there is a lot of paid courses which shows how to learn. But in my opinion you don't have to attend any courses. It's just commitment and desire for learning can bring you satisfying results. The best way for me is learing louldy outside the house in daylight during the sunny day.
ReplyDeleteFor me the best way to learning is a slowly reading the tekst or book,I do not like devised methods of learning, I make a note of the text and to teach them, I use only underscore.
ReplyDeleteWell, i haven't tried any of these methods, but i think that i don't need them. I have blessing of easy learning, but i have also one curse about it - it's pretty difficult for me to start and continue learning, i don't have motivation. I don't think that exist any method which could solve this problem.
ReplyDeleteAlso i use 2 things to help me with learning, but they're working in 'biological' way. One is coffee, which help me with lack of energy and make my mind fresh. The second - cigarettes. Nicotine is keeping me calm and help me with focusing on learning.
I'm the mix of visaul and auditory learner. The best way to learn for me is revising. I used to learn in the night in my last class of High School. And now I need total silence and I have to be focused on what I'm reading. What's more, I can't learn in the bed. I have to sit to the table. I think it is the matter of habit. Lately, the most popular place to study is BUW. In my opinion it's a bad idea. There are a lot of friends, who disturb you. At least, it doesn't work for me.
ReplyDeleteI think that I'm rather visual larner, although a very slow one. I don't have any special technique for learning, I'm just reading next books and texts and I'm doing it very slowly - it irritates me that I can't read faster, but on the other hand usually after one, such slow, reading I remember quite a lot. If I learn something hard or something not from my discipline (like awful statistics last year) I often read it for a couple of times and then, sooner or later (rather later) I get it.
ReplyDeleteAdvices... I think that everyone should know yourself and know what can be the best way to learn. I'm only visual and learn when writting and drawing tables and chars. This way I don't need perfect silence to learn.
ReplyDeleteIn my case it's all about the associations. When I have something hard to memorize I associate this with something that sounds or looks similar. Then I picture completely irrational, ridiculous, senseless situation with these two things (one that I have to learn and one that is alike) and when I have to remind this thing I just picture this situation in my head and that's how I do it. I heard that this is good way to learn because we memorize things that are totally ridiculous more that random ones.
ReplyDeleteI think I am learning by visual. I must see what I am thinking, talking and learning about. But the beter way to learn for me is learning by visual and listening my favourite music. The best way of learning for me is go out to the bus, sit there, turn on my fav music and start learning
ReplyDeleteI'm learning only by visual! I have to draw and write everything I have to learn about. It takes a lot of time but it stays in my mind very long. I would like to have an ability to be an auditory learner, because it saves time and is more practical. Well, I really hope that I will pass all my exams with my learning method :)
ReplyDelete