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Now In: Resource Center | Information | 3 Primary Learning Modalities Every Person Uses

3 Primary Learning Modalities Every Person Uses

Learning modalities are the ways in which we physically take in, process and remember information.

Learning modalities include:

Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic

All people start out as kinesthetic learners. Babies explore the world through touching and tasting their world. Children typically become more visual and auditory learners as they grow older and throughout their school years – learning by what we see and hear in addition to what we are physically able to touch.

"Children enter kindergarten as kinesthetic and tactual learners, moving and touching everything as they learn. By second or third grade, some students have become visual learners. During the late elementary years some students, primarily females, become auditory learners. Yet, many adults, especially males, maintain kinesthetic and tactual strengths throughout their lives."
- Teaching Secondary Students Through Their Individual Learning Styles, Rita Stafford and Kenneth J. Dunn; Allyn and Bacon, 1993

Even as we learn to utilize multiple learning modalities in our daily lives, most people favor one predominant, or preferred, learning modality. However, struggling students typically rely more heavily on one single learning modality. Therefore, teachers must communicate to those students in their preferred modality in order to conduct successful classroom instruction.

Visual (65% of adults):

Visual learners need to read, see, watch and observe information – their eyes are the key to learning.

Visual learners prefer pictures, graphs, charts, and diagrams to make sense of information. Visual learners prefer to read the text themselves, rather than have it read out loud to them. Visual learners spend time reading information, examining pictures, illustrating ideas and taking notes. And visual learners benefit from assignment notebooks, to-do lists and calendars.

Teachers that are visual learners tend to present information using visual aids such as overheads, computer presentations, or printed handouts. Visual teachers typically rely heavily on white boards, posters, bulletin boards, written schedules, and printed materials.

Visual students typically learn very well from visual teachers. If a visual student’s needs are not being met, for instance from a highly auditory teacher who prefers to lecture, the student may spend time doodling on their paper, writing on their desk, staring off into space and appearing to not pay attention.

Auditory (30% of adults):

Auditory learners need to hear information – their ears are the key to learning.

Auditory learners prefer sound and verbalization, even if it is listening to themselves talk out loud. Auditory learners often use talking aloud to work through problems verbally. Auditory learners excel when a traditional auditory teaching approach such as lecturing is used. Auditory learners benefit from reading information and directions out loud, varying voice tone and voice inflection, and assignments requiring speeches and other oral presentations.

Teachers that are auditory learners may lecture, sing and engage students in auditory repetition. Auditory teachers rely heavily on lecture and utilize music, integrate listening centers into the curriculum, and provide students with auditory devices such as toobaloos so they can hear their own voices as they read or think.

Auditory students typically relate very well to auditory teachers. If a student’s auditory needs are not being met, for instance from a visual teacher who prefers students to read quietly, the student may spend time talking or singing to herself, humming or engaging in other “noisy” activities.

Kinesthetic (5% of adults):

Kinesthetic learners need to interact with information – their hands and bodies are the key to learning.

Kinesthetic learners prefer doing, touching and direct involvement. Kinesthetic learners have a difficult time sitting still for long periods of time. Kinesthetic learners enjoy exploring the concepts and information they need to learn.

Teachers that are kinesthetic learners have students acting things out and their bodies moving. Kinesthetic teachers use lots of movement in the classroom allowing students to move about, play games, write on the whiteboards, participate in reader’s theaters, and take frequent breaks for unstructured physical activity. Kinesthetic teachers may also incorporate Brain Gym or other simple physical exercises to stimulate brain activity.

Kinesthetic students typically learn well with kinesthetic teachers. If a student’s kinesthetic needs are not being met, for instance from a teacher who prefers to teach solely with visual aids or classroom instruction, he may spend time fidgeting, drumming, bouncing, kicking or engaging in other physical movements.

Remember, although most adults are not kinesthetic learners, all young children start out as kinesthetic learners. As a result, a compelling argument can be made that there should be VERY limited use of worksheets in the pre-k and kindergarten classroom. There are simply too many more effective ways to teach children at this age.