Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator CRR: A64010)

Individuals absorb, process and acquire information in various ways from the environment. Some of the more commonly known Learning Styles are Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinaesthetic. An individual may have predominantly one style or a mix of different styles. Knowing about an individual’s learning style becomes even more significant when an individual is neurodiverse and may require additional supports to acquire information.

If we can recognize the pre-dominant learning styles of the individuals, we can adapt our teaching resources as well as teaching styles to suit them, thus helping the individual to learn better.

The VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinaesthetic) model of Learning Styles was theorized by Neil Fleming, a New Zealand-based teacher and educational expert, in 1987.
Sharing information on each of the 4 sensory modalities from the VARK Model website https://vark-learn.com/introduction-to-vark/the-vark-modalities/#

1) VISUAL: “The Visual preference includes the depiction of information in maps, diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies, and other devices, that people use to represent what could have been presented in words… It does NOT include still pictures or photographs of reality, movies, videos, or PowerPoint. It does include designs, white space, patterns, shapes, and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information”.

2) AURAL/AUDITORY: “The Aural mode describes a preference for information that is “heard or spoken.” Learners who have this as their main preference report that they learn best from lectures, group discussions, radio, email, using mobile phones, speaking and talking things through. Email is included here because; although it is text and could be included in the Read/write category (below), it is often chat-style with abbreviations, colloquial terms, slang, and non-formal language. The Aural preference includes talking out loud as well as talking to oneself.”

3) READ/WRITE: “The Read/write preference is for information displayed as words. …This preference emphasizes text-based input and output – reading and writing in all its forms but especially manuals, reports, essays, and assignments. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, diaries, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations and words, words, words…”

4) KINESTHETIC: “It includes demonstrations, simulations, and videos of “real” things, as well as case studies, practice, and applications. The key is the reality or concrete nature of the example. If it can be grasped, held, tasted, or felt it will probably be included. People with this preference learn from the experience of doing something and they value their own experiences and less so, the experiences of others.”

Besides these 4 Modalities, sometimes individuals also have multiple learning preferences. They are labelled as having a Multimodal Learning Style.

According to the VARK Model, there are two types of Multimodal Learning Styles—

a) Selective Multimodal: “There are those who are flexible in their communication preferences and who SWITCH from mode to mode depending on what they are working with. They are context-specific. They choose a single mode to suit the occasion or situation”.  They may have a preference for all four modalities equally, but choose to use one depending on their choice and context.

b) Integrative Multimodal: There are some individuals who take inputs/outputs from all their preferred modes and adopt an integrative approach to process the information. They may take more time to process the information, but their final output may be more in-depth. They are known to have an Integrative Multimodal Learning style.

The website https://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/ has a free questionnaire that provides a quick overview of the type of Learning Style you may have. Its quite effective. Do try it!
Today’s blog provided a brief overview of the VARK model of Learning Styles. The next blog will look at how each type of Learning Style can be supported with activities specific to it.



RESOURCES:
https://vark-learn.com/
https://vark-learn.com/introduction-to-vark/the-vark-modalities/#
https://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/


***************

Author Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal

Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal is a Registered Special Educator (CRR: A64010), a Psychologist and an Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner (UNESCO-CID). She is an Avaz Certified Educator and Certified in Dyslexia Teacher Training. She is also an art educator for children with additional needs.

“Flowers in a Vase”
Acrylic Painting on Watercolour Paper
Kabir Vernal