Chapter 5

Learning Styles

We all learn through a combination of different learning styles, and over time, we develop our own preferred way of learning. Some of us are visual learners, some of us are auditory learners, and others may prefer a kinesthetic or physical approach to learning. No one style is better than another.

Many people adapt a particular learning style depending on the actual learning situation. How we go about processing information is dictated by this learning style. As a presenter, you need to keep in mind that not all people learn in the same way. Each of the members in your audience may have a different learning style than you do; you need to take these different learning styles into consideration. Although some participants in your audience may prefer to see lots of visual aids, other participants may prefer to just sit back and listen to your presentation. Some participants love to take notes. Others may hate to take notes.

Once you understand your own learning style, you will be able to better prepare your presentations. Since, in most cases, you do not know which preferred learning style your audience uses, you need to consider using as many learning styles during the delivery of your presentation as is feasible.

In this chapter, I discuss the seven most common learning styles:

Seven Learning Styles

Let’s take a look at the characteristics of each of these and how to best incorporate each learning style during your presentations.

VISUAL OR SPATIAL

Those who are visual learners prefer to learn by looking at photographs, pictures, videos, charts, graphs, maps, and so on. As a student, I always learned better by watching and observing. I am clearly a visual learner and need to visually see things. I needed to have someone show me a diagram or picture for me to fully understand what was being taught. I did not learn well if the teacher just spoke and did not write notes on the blackboard while presenting. I needed to “see” what was being taught and could not rely just on what was being said. If you ask me to remember a list of items and only list them verbally for me, I usually cannot remember the entire list. On the other hand, if you visually show me that same list and allow me to read it as you read it aloud, I generally can remember the entire list.

If you are attending a workshop or seminar and are a visual learner, you prefer to see the outline of the program before the program begins. You like using color and hope that the workshop provides a handout or workbook so that you can visually follow along with the presenter. As a presenter, you like including many types of images in your presentations.

Characteristics of Visual Learners

• Are very good at spelling because they can visualize the words
• Generally forget names easily
• Prefer to study in quiet settings because noises distract them
• Like to use color
• Understand charts and diagrams better than most people
• Like to use mind maps
• Prefer to see pictures or illustrations instead of text
• Are better at visualizing ideas and concepts

What You Can Provide Visual Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide an agenda of what you will be presenting to them.
• Show them a visual or create a visual of what you are saying.
• Provide them with a means to take notes, such as a handout or workbook.
• Use a variety of visual aids.
• Use a lot of color during your presentation.
• When providing a workshop, use poster boards or flip chart pages you can display.
• Include videos (that you have written permission to use) in your presentation.

AUDITORY OR AURAL

Those who learn best by hearing things, who like to work with sound and music, and who have a good sense of pitch and rhythm are probably auditory learners. They typically can carry a tune when singing, probably play a musical instrument, and like to hum or sing music.

My oldest son, Michael, is an auditory learner. Michael, now married with three children, has an amazing ability to listen to a movie or play and recall details with uncanny accuracy. When Michael was a student, I remember helping him study for school quizzes and tests. He would have me read material to him and then quiz him later. He needed to listen and hear me describe the materials in the chapter he was studying. Michael was not a visual learner and did not like to read.

Characteristics of Auditory Learners

• Like to read out loud to themselves so they can hear what they are reading
• Prefer to take oral tests instead of written tests
• Remember names easily
• Enjoy listening to music
• Are generally slow readers and prefer to listen to audiobooks
• Learn foreign languages easily by listening to audio recordings
• Follow spoken directions well
• Work well in study groups where ideas are shared verbally
• Are very willing to speak up in class
• Explain things well to other people

What You Can Provide Auditory Learners during Your Presentations

• Include time for group discussions as part of your presentation.
• Provide a recording of your presentation.
• Use videos during your presentation.
• Use audio recordings during your presentation.
• Allow them to record your presentation.

VERBAL OR LINGUISTIC

Verbal or linguistic learners rely on the written and spoken word to learn. Verbal learners usually need to talk things out and repeat things to themselves.

Characteristics of Verbal Learners

• Need to talk it out
• Need to hear themselves talk
• Love to participate in brainstorming sessions
• Express themselves well
• Learn best when taught using spoken word or written materials
• Prefer math word problems to solving equations
• Typically enjoy written projects
• Like debates
• Are usually good at journalism

What You Can Provide Verbal Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide them with reading activities.
• Provide them with writing activities.
• Include activities based on language reasoning.
• If applicable, include math word problems.
• Include tongue twisters, rhymes, and limericks.
• Provide a pneumonic or acronym for remembering material.
• Offer role-playing exercises.

PHYSICAL OR KINESTHETIC

Kinesthetic learners lean best by doing things. They need to experience the activity directly. Kinesthetic learners are not afraid to get their hands dirty. They are more inclined to use gestures and body language. When you present to these learners, you want to use very descriptive gestures such that you help paint a picture in the audience’s mind. They learn best by role-playing and physically simulating a given situation.

Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learners

• Do not mind getting up and dancing
• Prefer to “jump in” as soon as possible
• Prefer to participate in hands-on activities
• Like to physically touch objects such a props
• Like to role-play
• Like to simulate situations
• Love using flash cards

What You Can Provide Kinesthetic Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide them with reading activities.
• Provide them with activities that involve touch, action, and movement.
• Include verbal descriptions of the physical feelings (e.g., “I felt the wind blow through my hair as I sped down the road”).
• Ask them to write things out, such as making lists.
• Ask them to draw or illustrate using drawings.
• Use breathing and relaxation exercises.
• Use role-playing exercises.
• Use demonstration techniques.

LOGICAL OR MATHEMATICAL

Logical learners use their brains for logical and mathematical reasoning. Logical learners recognize patterns easily and are able to group and classify information as needed to better understand it.

Characteristics of Logical Learners

• Easily recognize patterns
• Work well with numbers
• Can perform complex calculations
• Can easily do math in their heads
• Work through problems systematically
• Set goals and dates and track their progress
• Like creating agendas, itineraries, and to-do lists
• Support their points with examples or statistics
• Like working out strategies and using simulations
• Look for logical associations between items.

What You Can Provide Logical Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide games or thinking activities during your program.
• Include lists.
• Include key points in your presentation.
• Use system diagrams to show how things fit together.
• Be very organized.
• Recommend solutions that are methodical.

SOCIAL OR INTERPERSONAL

Social learners communicate very well with people. They are usually looked at people to seek advice from. They listen well and make a point to understand others. They make good mentors.

Characteristics of Social Learners

• Typically stay around after class to talk with others
• Prefer social activities instead of being alone
• Like attending sports activities
• Listen well
• Take the time to understand people
• Enjoy mentoring others

What You Can Provide Social Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide activities that require people to work together.
• Include role-playing opportunities.
• Provide opportunities for participants to share their thinking and approach with others.
• Agree to disagree.
• Use mind maps and diagrams.

SOLITARY OR INTRAPERSONAL

Solitary learners are very introspective people. They like working alone and being independent. Solitary people like to spend time alone and tend to stay away from crowds. They like being in remote places and like to feel independent. They know what they want.

Characteristics of Solitary Learners

• Like working alone and being independent
• Usually avoid crowds
• Like attending self-help seminars and workshops
• Have read all the self-help books
• Prefer to work on problems by going somewhere quiet to work
• Tend to spend too much time trying to solve the problem
• Like making plans
• Like setting goals
• Know what they want to do with their lives
• Feel a need to always know their direction in life
• Always request time to think things over
• Like to think about things that will get back to people

What You Can Provide Solitary Learners during Your Presentations

• Provide activities that require people to work together.
• Allow these types of people to work alone when you can.
• Allow time for participants to make their own personal lists before asking them to share.
• Provide role-play exercises for your participants.

MIXED LEARNING STYLES

As a presenter, you will now always know what the preferred learning style will be of the people in your audience. The makeup of your audience will be a mixture and variety of learning styles; your challenge as a presenter is to design and deliver your presentation to reach all of these leaner types at the same time. You must think about how you will be presenting your material and try to use as many learning styles as you can at the same time.

PRESENTATION ENVIRONMENT

As varied as each of these learners are, they also have their own preferences regarding the presentation environment. Several environmental factors also influence your audiences and need to be considered. Following are some tips and advice to factor into your presentation and workshops when designing and developing your presentations.

Formal versus Informal Setting

A formal setting may include a classroom, an auditorium, or even a table. An informal setting would be the floor, couch, or outside on a blanket. I remember when I was in college, one of my professors held his classes outside. We were asked to bring a blanket and sunglasses so we would be comfortable. At first we all thought this was strange, but soon we looked forward to this class each week. None of the students ever skipped this class, and we did actually learn a lot.

Noise versus Quiet

Some people cannot learn or study in complete silence. Others are the opposite and cannot learn or study when there are too many distractions. Noise can be calming to some and an annoyance to others. I am the type of person who could not study unless I had some kind of background noise, such as music playing, while I was studying. My wife, on the other hand, prefers total quiet and is easily distracted by sounds and conversations.

Temperature

The temperature of the room you speak and present in has a huge impact on the learning process. If participants are too cold or too hot, they will have a difficult time staying focused on what you are saying. It is better to have a room on the cooler side than one that is too warm. If a room is too warm, people have a tendency to drift asleep. In a cooler room, some people will be very comfortable and those who are cool can easily put on a jacket or sweater (assuming they remembered to bring one with them).

Several years ago I was hired to provide a series of workshops for a client in six major cities around the United States. One of the cities was Chicago. The two-day program was being held at my client’s Chicago office during the third week in October. Their company was one of several companies that rented space in this large office building. When I arrived at their office in the morning, it was 35 degrees outside. The temperature of the conference room I was scheduled to use over the next two days was 53 degrees. This was very cold for anyone to work in for two days. I knew that some large office buildings turn their heat off during the weekend to save money and that the heat is usually turned back on first thing Monday morning. I initially assumed this was the case. I asked if there was any way we could turn the heat back on. The person put in charge to help me set up for my program told me he could not do anything about the heat since the heat in the entire building was not turned on until November 1. The owner of the building did this to save money, and seeing that most of the office tenants were sales companies, they usually were not in the building every day anyway. Myself, along with the 16 participants in my sales presentations class, had to suffer with this cold room for two days and there was nothing I or anyone there could do about it.

I had a similar situation where I was speaking to more than 1,000 people in a large college auditorium that was very, very warm. The air-conditioning was broken or being worked on, and we had to sit in a room that was about 85 degrees. As a presenter, you may be faced with similar situations. You need to be able to adapt your delivery style to allow for these extreme temperature conditions.

Bright versus Dim Lighting

The lighting in the room you present in can make it difficult for your audience. The room should be bright enough for people to see you but not so bright that it is distracting to your audience.

Comfort of the Seats

There is nothing worse than to have to sit in an uncomfortable chair or seat for a long time. Also, people cannot sit still for long periods of time without feeling the need to stand up and stretch. Be sure to take short breaks to allow people to move around. I never speak for more than 45 minutes without allowing my audience to take a stretch break. Some people’s bladders will also appreciate you allowing them to take a break to stop at the rest room.

MYERS-BRIGGS

Many studies have looked at how best to account for the various learning styles in teaching and presentations. As discussed in the previous section, we now understand that each of us has a preferred learning style. As a presenter, you do not know what learning style each of the participants who attend your program prefers. This means that as a presenter it is your responsibility to use a variety of learning techniques during your presentations to ensure that you engage all the participants.

When you present on a topic you are passionate about, it is easy to forget how the information you present is being received. You can get so caught up in trying to cover all the planned content that you sometimes forget to deliver this information using a variety of presentation styles. The preferred learning style of individual participants in your audience will greatly influence how much information each person retains. In order to better understand learning styles, you should take a look at Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katherine Cooks Briggs. An individual’s personality profile is identified along four dimensions:

• Orientation to life (Extroverted/Introverted)
• Perception (Sensing/Intuitive)
• Decision Making (Thinking/Feeling)
• Attitude toward the outside world (Judgment/Perception)

People are said to belong to 1 of 16 categories, based on their preferences along each of these dimensions. An introverted, sensing, feeling, and judging person would then be categorized as having an ISFJ personality. An extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging person would be categorized as having an ENTJ personality, and so on.

What does this mean for you as a presenter? You cannot be expected to develop a different presentation style for each personality type; however, you should strive to use and incorporate a variety of learning styles during your presentations. It is your responsibility to take this into consideration when developing your presentation. The presenter who does this effectively will be better received by the entire audience.