Individuals have different ways of learning, each have their own style and technique. Some may prefer writing, while others prefer reading aloud. Others may learn best by observing. The styles overlap, mix to some degree and sometimes we find a dominant or preferred style emerge for certain individuals.
The main ways of learning can be summarized here:
- Linguistic learner: If a linguistic learner wanted to tackle a new skill, their best method of learning would be to read about it, then listen to an audio recording and take notes on it. Finally, concretizing it would require speaking about it and, possibly, writing about it extensively. Not surprisingly, some of the best teachers and professors are linguistic learners. The nature of the profession is such.
- The Naturalist: The naturalist loves experiences, loves observing the world around them, and captures the best information or knowledge through experimentation.
- The musical or rhythmic learner: is one who learns using melody or rhythm. This would be like a musician learning how to play by listening to a piece of music or a drummer who hears beats in his head and on the street from arbitrary sources before putting it together in the studio. But it can also be a person who learns best while humming, whistling, toe-tapping, tapping their pencil on the desk, wiggling, or listening to music in the background. For this person, music isn’t a distraction but instead actually helps the learning process.
- The Kinesthetic Learner: These people are also scientific in nature and must interact with objects to learn about them (or learn about them in the best way possible). Some of the most common kinesthetic-based jobs are those in the arts, manufacturing or creative fields like physical therapy, dancing, acting, farming, carpentry, surgery, and jewelry-making. None of these careers could be done without “hands-on experience.” Many of these jobs, with rare exception, are also trade professions that require an apprenticeship or shadowing.
- The Visual or Spatial Learner: An example of this type of learner would be a person who becomes a computer engineer or programmer. Almost everything having to do with computers is conceptual and so it relies on graphical or visual representations of components that can’t be seen. Coders, programers are examples of such learners.
- The Logical or Mathematical Learner: The logical or mathematical learner must classify or categorize things. They also tend to understand relationships or patterns, numbers and equations, better than others. These are obviously engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and other technical professions.
- The Interpersonal Learner: The interpersonal learner is someone who learns by relating to others. Often, these people share stories, work best in teams, and compare their ideas to the ideas of others. In a sense, others help them think of new ideas of their own. They are often naturally good leaders as well as team players. You often see these people in various fields of psychology or social sciences.
- The Intrapersonal Learner: The intrapersonal, as opposed to interpersonal, learner is someone who works and learns best when they are alone. They set individual goals that are challenging, but not impossible. They are also motivated by internal forces, rather than external ones. They are often introverted individuals, but not always. These people often enter creative fields, become entrepreneurs, and sometimes small business owners. But, they are usually in fields or industries that allow them to work without direct supervision.
Everyone has their own innate style, but that can also change over time and can be altered as well per requirement.
