When we engage in learning something new or different, each person does so using one of the below styles, or a combination of styles:
- Auditory – These learners prefer to hear information and respond best to spoken instructions. They also like to repeat instructions out loud.
- Visual– These learners find seeing what they need to learn is the most beneficial in the form of action they can watch.
- Kinesthetic– These are very tactile; they need to get the feel for something. It’s all about doing and sensing what they need to learn.
You will notice that when our instructors teach, we make a point to first explain the technique, then demonstrate the movement, followed by the full technique, after which we break off and practice the technique. This sequence allows us to provide each person with the instruction they need.
To facilitate learning for everyone, there are a few things that will help: first, be respectful of others as they may learn differently than you do. For example, if you are a Kinesthetic Learner do not break off and start practicing as the instruction is continuing as it will distract others who are still taking the information in. Secondly, keep side conversations to a minimum. This is distracting to those who need to hear the instructions to understand and very rude to the instructor. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, keep a notebook of what you learn. For all of us there are always new details to be discovered, and no matter how many times we have seen a technique we can get better and understand more. Write things down in a way you will remember them, not necessarily as the instructor says them
Once you discover what your base learning style is you can start to improve your learning, and by understanding what influences your you will also increase your retention and execution of what you have learned.