Unit 3: Learning Styles

We all have a preferred way of learning. We need to understand there is not one right way to learn; there are many ways to approach learning. When we understand our own learning style and the preferred style of our learners, we are more effective in our tutoring. However, it is important to use a variety of learning styles in lesson planning to help learners gain skills in thinking and problem solving.

A lot of research has been done on learning styles in the last decade or so. As a result, there are a variety of ways of categorizing and naming learning styles and the subject can seem quite complex. This manual will use the two most common learning style theories: Auditory/Visual/Kinesthetic and Right/Left Brain Dominance.

If you have tutors interested in this topic, you could arrange for them to read some of the resources listed for further study.

Culture can also affect the way in which a learner processes and uses the information. Understanding cultural differences and Aboriginal ways of learning will therefore help your tutors be more effective.