As a teacher and homeschool mom, it’s important that I know how best to teach each of my individual students so that they learn best.

There are many different personality types and styles of learning and I want to utilize best methods to teach my kids so they are most successful.

Five Languages of Learning

There are at least five main ways that people express their learning language, with one way usually being more predominant than others.

1. Visual (Spatial):

Visual learners benefit when they have an image or cue to help them process information. They may need to map things out in order to completely understand their thoughts.

Characteristics of visual learners include: 

• A good spatial and directional sense
• Can easily visualize objects, plans, and outcomes
• Are good at using maps and rarely get lost

2. Aural (Auditory-Music):

This is a very unique type of learning and is classified by those who primarily respond to sound. Many people who are aural learners are also musicians, and learn the information better when it’s presented through the medium of a song or a clever rhyme.

Characteristics include:

• Listens to music in the background while learning or working
• Has a good sense of pitch or rhythm
• Often hears songs, jingles, and themes in their head without prompts

3. Verbal (Linguistic):

Verbal learners are successful when they receive instruction verbally or through writing, and excel with both. These learners usually pursue careers in public speaking, writing, journalism, and debate. You may be a verbal learner if you need to read content aloud in order to learn something or if you prefer to have someone speak the information to you so you can process it.

Characteristics include:

• Enjoys reading and writing
• Likes tongue twisters and rhymes
• Has a large vocabulary and enjoys learning new words

4. Physical (Kinesthetic):

The people who learn physically are the people who like to get their hands dirty. Physical learners are very animated and are always moving. If you don’t learn something until you do it, or are constantly in motion while you speak, you might be a physical learner.

Other characteristics include:

• Appreciation for the physical world around them
• Enjoys sports, exercise, and other outdoor activities
• Tends to use and pick up on body language

5. Logical (Mathematical):

Many logical thinkers end up being engineers, mathematicians, or pursuing the sciences. This is because of their unique way of learning. These individuals want to understand the reason behind everything and enjoy games like chess and doing brainteasers. Logical learners tend to prefer making organized lists while studying and extracting key points from the material.

Logical learner characteristics also include:

• Create procedures for future use
• Classify and group information together to gain a better understanding
• Planning and ranking agendas and itineraries

Which learning language do you speak best?

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