Learning Styles Inventory TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER Answer the questions to the best of your ability. Mark a YES or NO response. I prefer watching a video to reading. ‘When I sing along with my CDs or the radio, [know the words to the songs. Thave athletic ability. can picture the setting of story Iam reading, 1 2 3. 4 5. study bercer with music in the background. 6. Tenjoy hands-on learning. 7. Ta rather play sports than watch someone play them. 8, Reading aloud helps me remember. 9. prefer watching someone perform a skill or a task before I actualy try i. 10. Teolor-coordinate my clothes. 11. mgood rhymingand rapping 12, Use phrases like: “I've gor a handle on is,” “I'm up againse the wall,” or “I have a feeling that..." 13, Inced to look at something several times before I understand it. 14, Iprefer having instructors give oral directions than written ones. 15. Thave difficulty being stil for long periods of time 16, Luse phrases like “I see what you're saying.” “That looks good,” or “That's clear to me.” 17. 1'm good at figuring out how something works 18, Tean understand a taped lecture 19, It’s easy for me to replay seenes from movies in my head 20, enjoy studying forcign languages. 21, Lwould rather conduct my own science experiment than watch someone else do it. 22. Iwould rather paine a house than a picture. 23. Lenjoy studying in groups. 24, [prefer to have written directions to someone's home. 25. Lean look at an object and remember it when I close my eyes. 26. Lhave musical ability 27. When I study new vocabulary, writing the words several times helps me learn 28, Ican imagine myself doing something before I actually do it. 29. Luse phrases like “That rings a bell” “hear you.” or “That sounds good.” 30. enjoy building chings and working with tools Academic Success Services TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER 7688 | [email protected] aleScoring Your Inventory Tally your responses by adding up only the YES answers. Put the number of the question in the appropriate box. For example, if you answered questions number 9 with a yes, write 9 in the VISUAL box. Ifyou answered number 11 with ayes, write number 1 in the AUDITORY box. If you answered number 7 with a yes, write 7 in the KINESTHETIC box. Add up the number of questions in cach box and write a total for each one. This will determine your preferred learning style. Don’t worry if dominant mode doesn’t emerge. You're a versatile learner! Use the knowledge you gain to create excellent study tools, the ones that are right for you. Chart your answers below. Visual Style: Questions 1, 4, 9, 10, 13, 16, 19, 24, 25, 28 Auditory Style: Questions 2, 5,8, 11, 14, 18, 20, 23, 26,29 Kinesthetic Style: Questions 3, 6,7, 12, 15, 17, 21, 22, 27, 30 Visual Auditory Kinesthetic 14 10% ti] 25 8 11 20 |6 77 15 19-24 2528 26 29°18 14 21222730. Total: © Toral: © Total: © ‘The highest score indicates your preferred learning style. If you have a high score in more than onc area, you're using additional modalities. Remember that there are no wrong answers to this inventory. Everyone is an individual and has her own style of learning. Characteristics of Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Modes * Visual learners need to see information. If your preferred style is visual, you have strong. visualization skills and can remember objects, shapes, and pictures. You learn by reading, and by watching films, videos, and demonstrations. You can see pictures in your mind. * Auditory learners need to hear information. If your preferred style is auditory, you have a “good car” and can hear differences in tones and hythm. Reading out loud will be beneficial You can remember what you hear in alecture. + Kinesthetic learners need to be physically active and doing things. If your preferred style is kinesthetic, you are a hands-on learner. You have good coordination and learn by doing. You «generally have an active approach to learning Academic Success Services TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER 7688 | [email protected] -2-Using Multi-Sensory Learning ‘Now that you know your learning style(s), you have an idea of the important role your senses play in the Icarning process. ‘The best strategy is to combine modalities whenever possible. Incorporate visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning into your study plan. Using combinations will strengthen your ability to retain information. Be creative. Add your own ideas. Here are some strategies: Visual learners: Create mind maps, flow charts, and diagrams using bright colors. Put them where you can view shem frequently. Practice building your visual memory. + Rewrite your notes using different colors Auditory learners: + After you read a page in your textbook, summarize the information out loud in your own words Tape your instructor's lecture, and if you are a commuter, listen to the tape on the way home, cither in your car, or on the bus or subway. Discuss the material that you have becn learning with a friend or study group. Kinesthetic learners + Useyour hands. Cut up charts and diagrams. Create flash cards and move them around with large, sweeping movements. + Walk and talk the information, Recite as you move. + Typeona computer keyboard. You are using your muscle memory. Developing Your Style: Combining Visual, Auditory, & Kinesthetic Modes Additional ways you can use multi-sensory learning: + Use background music (no lyries to distract you) when you study. Choose a piece of musi for a particular subject. Every time you study thar subject, play the music. You are ereating an association for your subconscious mind. You may be surprised to discover how much of the information you remember when you play the music by itself. You are combining Visual and Auditory modes. * Use rap or rhyme to memorize information. To add Kinesthetic to this Auditory mode, walk, dance, or clap when you sing Academic Success Services TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER 7688 | [email protected]+ Ifyou are athletically inclined, dribble a basketball while you recite information, You are combining Auditory and Kinesthetic modes. + Study with a partner or ina group. Discuss the information. Hold up flash cards diagrams, hierarchies, and mind maps to test cach other. This combines Visual and Auditory modes. + Putyourselfin the picture, You can do this with a subject like history; participate ina battle or a significant meeting such as the signing of che Declaration of Independence. Ask yourself how you feel, This combines Visual and Kinesthetic modes. + Make up your own strategies. Incorporate multi-sensory learning into your studies. Additional Strategies: + Ifyou arc learning a new vocabulary word or math formula, write it in the air using large, sweeping movements. Close your cyes and sec it in your mind's eye. Say the words out loud. ‘You are combining V, A, and K modes. + Use the sense of smell, One student created olfactory (smell) associations by using scented pencils for studying. He used a grape pencil for one subject and a chocolate one for another. ‘When taking an exam, he used the appropriate pencil to help him recall information, He combined V and K and added an additional sensory mode. + Use - by 7-inch flash cards to self-quiz. Use different and bright colors for each side. Lay them ona desk or table. Move them around and put them in different places as you study, or create a game with them. Place them into different categories in a hierarchical fashion such as “don’t know,” “review,” and “need to study more.” + Create your own auditory notes using a tape recorder. My Personal Learning Style Plan: Choose forthe suggestions listed above 4-5 techniques you will ry this quarter as you study for classes, List them here as an action plan detailing bow you will incorporate multi-sensory learning into your study time. will tr listening to a music, create some rhyme or even clap, sing and walk whenever i study. Other than that, i would like to make a storyline for some subject and put a reminder like, ‘pay attention’ to my weakest part of some topic. After that, i will saying it out loud and at the same time try dribble any doodle that can help me remember the topics. After all, i hope all of this method will help me improve my studies. Excerpted fiom: Leonard, Enid. College Success Simplified, 2005 Academic Success Services TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER 7688 | [email protected] -4-