Visual Learning Style

Of the three learning styles commonly encountered in the classroom environment, the style instructors are most commonly teaching towards is the visual learning style; this is especially true in higher grades. Unlike auditory or kinesthetic learning, the visual learning style relies on seeing information, whether it is written in a book, displayed on a map, or projected on a screen. Teachers that rely heavily on reading assignments, worksheets, or other traditional curricular elements are often appealing only to those students that rely on the visual learning style. Some of the most common instructional techniques allow students with this learning style to succeed.

Visual Learners

Students who rely on the visual learning style often work to visualize content in their minds; when studying for a test, for example, many admit to being able to see exactly where the answer is on the page, using this to come up with the correct response. Visual learners often follow along in a textbook, or train themselves to keep their eyes on an illustration or map; such practices can enable them to focus on the lesson being provided. Instructors should take care to reduce distractions for visual learners. By seating them away from windows or at the front of the classroom, they cannot be distracted by what they see going on outside or what the person in front of them is doing. Color-coding notes, writing notes in margins of books, or highlighting pertinent information are also successful tactics that visual learners can incorporate to increase the likelihood of their success.