The Most Common Learning Styles & How to Use Them in Your Life

When you are young, and a student in grade school, high school or university, getting good grades is the bane of your existence. You spent nights up late studying, making flashcards, reading your notes, and hoping you did enough to secure a good grade on the final exam.

Now that you’re older, hopefully you don’t have to deal with the stress of studying and exams, but I want to talk about something that may still help you, nonetheless: unique learning styles. Specifically, the seven most popular learning styles. Most experts agree that there are seven different learning styles: visual (spatial), aural (auditory and musical), verbal (linguistic), physical (kinesthetic), logical (mathematical), social (interpersonal), and solitary (intrapersonal). Each individual varies in their preference of each of these different learning styles and techniques. Usually, people have a mix of learning styles, although it is common that there is one that is most dominant. The most common learning styles are visual and aural. Here is how to use each one in your own life, and identify which one you most closely relate to. Visual Learning Style If you are a visual learner, then you prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding to solve problems and navigate your way in the world. If you were a big fan of picture books growing up, and find that you are naturally drawn to visual displays, then you may primarily be a visual learner. In addition, if you work in a highly aesthetically-driven field, such as architecture, graphic design, and even contracting, then you may be a visual learner. To maximize your visual learning preference, make sure you take in information visually. If you have an exam to study for, or a report to prepare, take in information in a visual format, with lots of graphs, charts, and graphics. Aural Learning Style If you are an aural learner, you prefer using sound and music to grow and learn. Aural learners may be more musically inclined – so if you consider yourself to be a “music head,” enjoy going to concerts, and pride yourself on being the first to discover new music among your group of friends, then those are indicators that you may be an aural learner, or at least a highly musical person. Aural learners are also able to easily recall spoken word and phrases, which means they make great actors, performers, orators and politicians. To maximize your aural learning preference, try to take in information audibly as much as possible. Opt for audio books over written books, and turn to podcasts to take in new information. you were a big fan of picture books growing up, and find that you are naturally drawn to visual displays, then you may primarily be a visual learner. In addition, if you work in a highly aesthetically-driven field, such as architecture, graphic design, and even contracting, then you may be a visual learner. So the next time you find yourself in a high-pressure scenario, maybe before a big presentation or an important exam that you found on the ucsb final exam schedule, turn to these tactics to maximize your chance of success.