“I’m a visual learner.”
“I’m an auditory learner.”
You’ve probably heard something like this before, and you might even classify yourself as some type of ‘learner.’ The truth is, these labels are about as scientifically accurate as zodiac signs.
The VAK (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic) Learning Theory categorizes people based on how they process information best, but it doesn’t take the material into account. Whether you are learning about the hippo invasion in Colombia or the quadratic formula, there will always be a correlation between how the material is presented and how well you learn from it.
At least, that’s what the theory suggests.
In reality, how learning works is much more complicated.
Learning begins with absorption. This is where the ‘learning styles’ supposedly play a part. You start the process with seeing, reading, listening, or touching. When you sit down in a classroom, you absorb everything being taught. But that is not all there is to the process of learning.
Afterward, there is analysis. You find connections between what you just experienced and what you already know. This means that you could hear something during a lecture that makes you think back to a lesson you had in third grade. Other times, it’s when you’re assigned homework on the material you just saw, and you try to complete it without looking back.
The third stage is action; you finally apply the knowledge you learned. For example, the final test you have on a subject. A good score means that you’ve successfully learned the material.
Finally, you move onto adaptation. When faced with a challenge, you can use what you’ve learned to overcome it. This is when you move the things you learned from the classroom into the real world. The close analysis you had to do on Shakespeare in English class? Now you can use those skills to spot flaws or meanings in other people’s writing.
Surely, the very beginning of this cycle can influence the other steps like a row of dominos, right? While there’s little to no empirical evidence supporting this theory, the concept behind this myth isn’t completely misinformed.
When Ms. Nicole Scotto, a Bronx Science history teacher, was questioned on the topic, she agreed with the Learning Theory premise. “When I was a student, I knew that I had trouble processing information given to me verbally, and I would have to see the information written down or write it down myself,” Scotto said. When even teachers report learning better when matched with their learning style, how can the data say otherwise?
“I’d say I’m an auditory learner because I’ll associate sounds or other words with a topic or word to remember it,” said Brooke Islas ’28, “The material just didn’t match my learning style.” Many people relate, and it’s true that learning preferences exist, so it would make sense that when matched with your preferences you learn faster.
In addition to faster and better learning, categorizing people like this can give a sense of individuality and uniqueness, as well as an excuse whenever you get a poor test score.
While the label can give the same thrill as a Buzzfeed quiz, the false presumption does a lot more harm than good.
With this common misconception of learning styles, students may find themselves stuck in a lesson that doesn’t teach in the way they presumably learn. Or worse, they start blaming teachers for their lack of understanding.
“Related to the work I do as a social science research teacher, I have read several studies and systematic reviews of the evidence about VAK and the ‘matching theory,’ and these reviews have not found consistent and strong evidence in favor,” said Dr. Scott Savaiano, a Social Science Research teacher at Bronx Science. “These studies seem to indicate that learning results more from engagement with a lesson (and other factors) than from the simple fact that the format of the lesson ‘matches’ the personal learning preferences of students,” Savaiano said.
Even the experiments studying the theory were flawed from the beginning. There is no way to really define learning styles as different lessons call for different methods. If you had to learn how to nail something to a wall, you wouldn’t read a book about nailing things to walls, even if reading is how you think you process information best.
So, how can you actually maximize your learning? Engagement is shown to be the best strategy.
During boring lessons, it can often feel like you’re not doing anything. There may be so much information you don’t know what to take notes on, or the teacher may be just spewing information without actually engaging with the class. Teachers play a very important role in making the lesson appealing.
“I do actively take notes and pay attention in class, though I feel this is only really achievable due to my teachers. Most of my teachers make it very clear what we need to take notes on, by either bolding it in the slideshow, or giving sheets of paper with boxes left empty for us to write definitions in. I feel like if this wasn’t the case, and if loads of information was thrown at me and not all of it was important, I would not be able to keep up taking notes,” said Daniel Warren ’28.
Other times, lessons can feel boring because the student isn’t engaging.
Think about it. The teacher could be asking questions, showing models, and offering hands-on activities and it could still feel boring because the class isn’t participating. Then, the learning theory can be used as a weapon and a way to avoid accountability.
So to make the lessons easier, participating and actively taking notes can alleviate the boredom felt in certain classes, as well as speed up the learning process. Soon, you’ll find your test scores improving because of your active engagement.
Although, it’s important to note that some students can focus in class better than others, and it entirely depends on the person.
“I tend to have a lot of trouble paying attention in class. My mind tends to wander during lessons, or I tend to get distracted by something else, (I get distracted very easily) which makes it so I miss many of the notes I’m supposed to take in class,” said Erion Sela ’28. Learning is different for everyone, and what works for some, could be different for someone else.
Teachers should work to make lessons more engaging for students too.
“I try to vary my teaching methods as much as possible. In addition to my typical lesson which involves a combination of lecture, independent reading, and discussion, I also incorporate writing workshops and peer editing days, Socratic Seminars, debates, and research projects/papers. I ultimately want to give students the opportunity to express their knowledge in many different ways,” said Ms. Scotto. When varying lessons and methods of teaching, students find the material much more interesting, no matter what their “learning style” is.
“Even a “video” learner would be bored having to watch a video for 42 minutes,” Dr. Savaiano said.
Learning styles may be a false myth, but learning does differ for everyone. Instead of focusing on how you’re absorbing the material, pull your attention toward the lesson itself. Take notes. Pay attention. And if that doesn’t work, study at home.
The next time someone mentions they’re a “visual” or “auditory” learner, point out that there is no evidence in those labels. Then they can learn what makes a real learner.
Learning begins with absorption. This is where the ‘learning styles’ supposedly play a part. You start the process with seeing, reading, listening, or touching. When you sit down in a classroom, you absorb everything being taught. But that is not all there is to the process of learning.