The Three Main Types of Learning Styles
A learning style is the means by which a learner acquires information best. Learners makes use three major means to learn new information and experiences. However, according to the modality theory, one or two of these three learning styles is always dominant. This dominant style will define the best way for a learner to learn new information by sieving what has been learnt so far. This style might not always to be the same with some other task, the learner might prefer a specific style of learning for one task, and combines others learning styles for a different task.
Basically, our learning styles are forced upon us through life in these ways:
• In kindergarten to third grade, new information will be presented to us kinesthetically.
• In fourth grade to the eight grade, information will be visually presented to us.
• While in the ninth grades to college and in the business environment, information will be presented to us through auditory means, such as lectures most of the time. As we develop our personality and style every day, we also develop a primary learning style as well.
There are three main types of learning styles.
• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinesthetic
Visual Learning Style is the learning of new information through visual means. Learners will easily learn and understand new information or ideas whenever it is presented to them visually. Because seeing this new information will help them to visualize the new concepts that is being taught. Learners with this style will easily visualize, things, faces and places by using their imagination or photographic memory and they rarely get lost in new surroundings.
Auditory Learning Style is the learning of new information with what they have heard. Learners in this case will understand and best learn new idea presented to them in an auditory style. Hearing the new information and ideas will help these learners to easily internalize the concepts been taught. Auditory learners talk to themselves often and they might have difficulty with writing and reading tasks.
Kinesthetic Learning Style is the learning of new information through stimulation or movement. Learners in this case performs better while touching and moving around. This type of learner tends to lose concentration when there is little or no external motivation or stimulation when listening to lectures, they typically make use of colored high lighters and take their notes by drawing diagrams, pictures, or doodling.
A business manager should select a coaching style that can be picked up by any type of learner in other to deliver effective feedback on performance.
A business manager should select a coaching style that can be picked by any type of learner because there is no point in coaching a learner if at the end of the day nothing is learned. For the comfort of both the coach and the learner having the right coaching style will help the learner to quickly and easily internalize what is being taught, without losing concentration. An appropriate style will also save the coach or teacher the stress of going over material again, repeating what was taught before. It is recommended that the Business Manager should study closely the learners in order to efficiently teach them to the point of understanding and to deliver effective feedback on performance.