Following a discussion of learning styles with some colleagues I thought it might be interesting to briefly look at the different styles with regard to learning languages. Most researchers agree on the four basic learning styles being: Visual (seeing), Auditory (hearing), Kinaesthetic (moving), and Tactile (touching). You can find more information here and throughout the Internet.
I’m a kinaesthetic learner and find it easiest to learn by doing. Once someone has explained something, I need to have a go at it otherwise it will go in one ear and out the other. I can simulate this by performing the activity in my head if I can’t try it properly, which I find very useful. It works well for me in language classes as you usually have to use the structures you’ve just learnt right away. It also means that doing a lot of grammar exercises over and over benefits me greatly, if only they weren’t so boring!
So, here are some quizzes to help you work out your learning style. What are your own tendencies and how do they help or hinder you when learning a language?
That’s interesting. It’s similar to the idea of multiple intelligences. http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Multiple%20Intelligences%20Explained
Jack…
Thanks for the post. My wife and I are trying a few accelerated learning ideas to learn a foreign language. We just began but it’s fun….