Learning Styles

Language Characteristics
Enjoys talking about personal experiences.  Is good at teaching activities, explaining movement.  Likes to tell stories.  Uses hand motions to help find his/her words.

Visual Characteristics
Is “eye shy” – cannot maintain eye contact.  Can take in the “whole” of something with a glance.  Organizes by making piles. Is rarely aware of visual images.  May have messy handwriting with unique style.

Physical Characteristics
Interacts most easily with others by doing something together or making physical contact.  Is constantly moving, doing.  Has huge amounts of physical energy.  Is usually well-coordinated, natural athlete.  Likes competitive sports.  Likes to touch and be touched.

Learning Strengths and Challenges
Learns physical skills easily.  Learns easily with hands-on or experiential approaches.  Can learn well from discussions about relative subjects.  Can have difficulty with reading, writing and spelling.

“Spaces Out”
With many things to look at or questions about what s/he sees.

Typical Trouble
Can get hyperactive, has difficulty sitting still, fidgets.

Frustrations
Has difficulty finding positive outlets for physical energy.

Natural Gifts
Is great “doer” – loves to take action, get things done.  Wants what s/he does to be useful to others.

Language Characteristics
Interacts with others by talking.  Has extensive vocabulary.  Speaks with lots of feeling and rhythm.  Likes to tell others what to do. (Natural Leaders)

Visual Characteristics
Is “eye shy” – cannot maintain eye contact.  Sees whole picture.  Makes simple drawings.   Has messy hand writing with unique style.

Physical Characteristics
Has pent up energy right below the surface.   Enjoys sports – good coaches, athletes.  May be tentative about a touch at first.

Learning Strengths and Challenges
Learns easily through discussions and lectures.  Learns well with hands on approach.  Can have difficulty with reading, writing and spelling.  Can learn to speak languages by ear.

“Spaces Out”
With many things to look at, or questions about what s/he sees.

Typical Trouble
Interrupts others.  Can be sarcastic, fresh, kids around too much, hurts others with his/her words.

Frustrations
Has difficulty feeling satisfied when trying to make visions into reality.

Natural Gifts
Is visionary thinker – has many great ideas.   Wants to inspire others.

Language Characteristics
Interacts with others easily by talking.  Has an extensive vocabulary.  Speaks logically about facts, ideas, concepts.  Likes talking with adults and older children.

Visual Characteristics
Makes steady eye contact – may blink, flutter, twitch.  Can pay attention to “big picture” and details at the same time.  Can turn images around in the mind.  Has hard to read handwriting.

Physical Characteristics
May have sketchy sense of body.  May be awkward, easily frustrated by physical activities.  Prefers free form activities to competitive sports.  Shy about touch, private about feelings.

Learning Strengths and Challenges
Learns easily through discussion and lecture.  Learns well through reading.  Has difficulty with hands-on learning activities, sports.  Can learn languages by ear or reading.

“Spaces Out”
With touch, questions about how s/he feels. 
Typical Trouble Interrupts others.   Monopolizes conversations.  Asks many “Why?” questions.

Frustrations
Has difficulty putting feelings into words.  Has difficulty learning physical skill without words or visuals to follow.

Natural Gifts
Is great communicator – loves to exchange ideas.  Wants to help.

Language Characteristics
Speaks with feeling and emphasis.  Loves to tell stories, explain, persuade others.  Talks out loud to sort ideas and make decisions.   Uses fillers like “um”, “like”, etc.  Likes to convince people with words.

Visual Characteristics
Connects with others most easily with eye contact.  Shows what s/he feels on his/her face.  Keeps organized with lists, notes.  Likes visual order.  Has neat, legible handwriting.

Physical Characteristics
Can sit still for long periods. may be awkward, easily frustrated by physical activities.  Has sketchy sense of body.  Needs to close eyes to feel sensations.  Is shy about touch, private about feelings.  Prefers free-form activities (running, swimming) to competitive sports.

Learning Strengths and Challenges
Is avid reader – learns to read easily.  Learns well by reading and talking about, or teaching others.  Writes, spells, proofreads well.  Has difficulty with hands-on learning activities, structured physical skill lessons.

“Spaces Out”
With touch, questions about what s/he wants to do or how s/he feels.

Typical Trouble
Shows off.  Can be overly helpful to make a good impression.

Frustrations
Has difficulty making time estimates.

Natural Gifts
Is great teacher – loves to show and tell.   Wants to illuminate.

Language Characteristics
Speaks from personal experience in a circling way.  Must use hands or move to speak. May take a long time to find words, with long pauses between them.  Speaks rarely in groups.

Visual Characteristics
Connects most easily with others with eye contact.  Feels what s/he sees.  Keeps organized with lists, notes.  Needs visual order to think clearly.  Has neat, legible handwriting.

Physical Characteristics
Has pent up energy right below the surface.   Learns sports easily, good athlete.  Can tell what s/he feels in body easily with eyes open.   May be tentative about touch. Likes organized, competitive sports.  May confuse others’ feelings and sensations with his/her own.

Learning Strengths and Challenges
Can be a good reader if taught by sight.   Learns easily by watching and then doing, without words and taking notes.  Writes, spells and proofreads well.  Has difficulty with oral reading and reports, concentrating in lectures or participating in discussions.

“Spaces Out”
With long verbal explanations, questions about what s/he thinks or what s/he heard.

Typical Trouble
Can be a whiner and complainer.  Can go along with the crowd too much.

Frustrations
Has difficulty thinking for self.

Natural Gifts
Is great partner, works well with others.  Wants to create networks between people, make connections.