learning style survey - nfec

Learning Style Survey

There are a minimum of four aspects at play in most learning environments: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic; these four aspects are abbreviated as VARK for short.

This short survey will help you find out more about your own learning style.* Knowing your learning style can help make learning easier and more fun.

Of course, most people have a mixed learning style. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions in the survey. If you’re stuck between two choices, just pick the answer

that makes the most sense to you.

*Note: This quiz may not be valid for individuals with visual or auditory impairment or reading disabilities such as dyslexia.




QuestionsMapped to:

1. Which of the following would most likely persuade you to buy a new book?

2. The most effective way to learn about the history of a country would be to:

a. You talked to a bookseller to get his or her recommendations.

a. Travel to that country and see it for myself.

c. Read about the history of the country.

b. The cover looked appealing and was well-designed.

c. You read a positive review of the book.

d. You’re not likely to buy a book. You’d rather be doing something other than reading.

b. Talk to people who were born in that country and hear their stories.

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Example:

Enter Point Totals from this Page 10 10

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QuestionsMapped to:

1. Which of the following would most likely persuade you to buy a new book?

2. The most effective way to learn about the history of a country would be to:

3. You bought a new bed that requires assembly. You would be most likely to:

a. You talked to a bookseller to get his or her recommendations.

a. Travel to that country and see it for myself.

c. Read about the history of the country.

a. Carefully read the instructions and follow them step-by-step.

b. Attempt to figure out how to put it together on your own.

c. Watch a video about how to put it together first.

d. Call a friend and ask him or her to talk you through the process.

b. The cover looked appealing and was well-designed.

c. You read a positive review of the book.

d. You’re not likely to buy a book. You’d rather be doing something other than reading.

b. Talk to people who were born in that country and hear their stories.

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Enter Point Totals from this Page

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QuestionsMapped to:

4. You make a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier in the new year. Which of the following would you choose to get started?

5. You need to study for a test. Which of the following would be the most beneficial way to study?

a. Read a book about diet and nutrition.

a. Re-write your notes.

b. Talk through your goals and plans with a friend or family member.

b. Read over your notes.

d. Clean out the pantry, removing all your junk food, and re-stock with healthier choices.

d. Work with a study group to ask and answer questions.

c. Post pictures of how you might look if you ate a healthier diet.

c. Create charts or diagrams from which to study.

e. Write a detailed meal plan in your calendar.

e. Watch videos about the topic.

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QuestionsMapped to:

6. If you were going to make a budget, and stick to it, which of the following would help?

7. For fun, you want to pass secret messages with a friend. Which of the following sounds like the best method?

8. How are you most likely to spend your free time?

a. Writing down all of your income and expenses and putting them into a spreadsheet.

a. Write notes that you can fold up and pass to each other.

b. Talking to a financial planner about your finances and listening to his or her advice.

c. Utilizing a spending tracker on your phone to create a visual of your expenses.

b. Make up a secret language (like Pig Latin) to use when you speak to each other.

d. Using the envelope method: which means putting cash in different envelopes for each of your different expenses, so you will physically run out of cash if you exceed your budget.

c. Make up your own sign language.

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a. Join a book club, where you read and discuss books.

c. Paint or create art.

b. Join a sports team.

d. Go to a museum.

e. Read a good book.


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QuestionsMapped to:

9. You need to have dental surgery. How would you want your dentist to explain the problem and the planned procedure?

10. Which of the following would you prefer to do?

a. Give you a pamphlet to read about the issue and the surgery.

d. Just explain the surgery procedure to me.

b. Explain the issue to you by showing you a plastic model of the mouth.

c. Show you your x-rays and explain what they mean and why you need surgery

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11. If you want to know how to spell a word, would you . . .

a. Listen to a podcast.

a. Say it and spell it out loud to check if it sounds right.

b. Write it down to see if it looks right.

b. Read a book.

c. Look it up in the dictionary.

c. Flip through a beautifully designed magazine.

d. Trace the letters in the air to see if it seems right.

d. Solve a puzzle.


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QuestionsMapped to:

12. What would you most likely remember when meeting a new person?

13. What could you do to help yourself focus during a lecture?

a. Use a fidget spinner or similar activity.

d. Take notes.

b. Read the instruction manual.

b. Ask myself (or the professor) questions about the topic.

c. Explore its features and see if you can figure it out on your own.

c. Picture what the professor is talking about – or even sketch it while I listen.

e. It’s pretty easy and natural for me to focus during a lecture – I tend to remember what I hear.

a. Get the salesperson or a friend or family member to show you and talk you through it.

d. Watch a video about a particular feature.

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a. The person’s face or what they were wearing.

b. What you talked about.

c. Where you were and what you were doing when you met the person

d. I would only remember details if I wrote them down.

14. You have a new phone. What’s the best way for you to learn about how it works?


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QuestionsMapped to:

15. Someone tells you he or she is lost and asks you for help. How would you help the person find the way?

16. If you were learning how to file your taxes, which of the following would be the most beneficial for you?

17. If you are reading a poem, which of the following would you most prefer as a way to understand and remember the poem?

a. Tell the person to follow you, so you can show how to get to the destination.

a. Reading a pamphlet of information about how to do taxes.

a. Read it out loud, or hear it read out loud.

b. Read it to yourself and take notes.

c. Talking through the instructions with a friend or family member.

d. Watching a video that showed you how to do your taxes.

b. Diving in and trying to figure it out by yourself.

c. Tell the person which streets to take and which ways to turn.

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b. Describe the landmarks the person will see along the way.

d. Show the person a map on your phone.

e. Write down detailed directions for the person.

c. Choose an image or metaphor in the poem and draw a picture of it.

d. Choose an image or metaphor in the poem and act it out in a skit.


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QuestionsMapped to:

18. Your supervisor or teacher is going to provide you with some feedback. What type of feedback would you prefer?

19. You want to buy a car. What would be the most enjoyable process that could help you make a decision about which car to buy?

20. Which of the following would help you learn when in a classroom setting? (Select all that apply).

a. Read and compare online reviews.

d. Go to a dealership and test drive cars.

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b. To read the feedback.

a. To see the feedback formatted into a graph or chart.

d. To have the teacher talk you through the feedback.

c. To experience what the teacher is talking about by going through a simulated activity or role play with the teacher.

b. Looking at pictures of the cars you are considering. After all, you want to make sure it looks good.

c. Talk to friends who are knowledgeable about cars and get their recommendations.

a. Reading assignments

b. Worksheets

e. Demonstrations

c. Small group discussions

f. Multimedia presentations

d. Lectures

g. Hands-on activities or practice sessions


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Add up the totals from each column from all previous pages to calculate your grand total scores for each column.

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Grand Total Points



Learning Styles Mostly “V”s - Visual Learners

Visual learners learn by seeing. For this type of learner , a picture is truly worth a thousand words. Choosing images that remind you of what you want to remember can help strengthen your understanding. For example, if you’re listening to someone explain a topic or give a lecture, you’ll find yourself trying to picture what they’re talking about. You may ask teachers for visual examples – or find images and diagrams on your own – to aid in the learning process. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of multimedia resources. And even if you’re not a good artist, drawing a picture (even a stick figure) or a diagram can help you understand and remember what you’re learning.

Mostly “A”s - Auditory

Auditory learners are sometimes called verbal learners. They learn by listening and talking. To understand and remember a complex idea, it often helps to have someone explain it to you. You can check your own understanding by explaining or reciting back what you have just learned – whether silently or out loud. You will benefit from study or discussion groups where you will have the chance to talk, ask questions, and listen to other people.. You can also record yourself, listen to recordings of others, or read materials; and you will want to choose a seat that makes listening easy.

Mostly “R”s - Reading/Writing Learners

If you learn by reading and writing, you’re in luck, because most of our education system is set up for reading and writing. Don’t forget to use reading and writing to help yourself learn practical skills too. For example, if you want to learn how to use a new computer program, try looking up the instructions and then writing down each of the steps as you complete them. Similarly, if you want to learn how to do your taxes, cook, or even drive, you can start by reading a book, and finish by journaling about your process.



Mostly “K”s - Kinesthetic

Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. You learn best when you’re active or doing a hands-on activity. Some types of education are particularly suited to kinesthetic learners. For example, you might like to learn hands-on skills like cooking or carpentry, and if you’re learning a new computer program, you’ll probably want to jump right in and explore the program, figuring it out as you go. However, you can put your kinesthetic strengths into practice when you’re doing more traditional types of learning. For example, you can make up little skits, or come up with motions to represent new vocabulary or ideas. And if you’re reading or listening to a lecture, it’s a good idea to take handwritten notes. Just the physical act of moving your hands can help you remember what you’re writing.

Combination Learning Styles (Multimodal)

As you may imagine, most people learn through a combination of styles. Many people are flexible learners who learn in different ways depending on what they are learning. After all, it’s probably easiest to learn to play basketball kinesthetically (by playing it), but taking notes, creating diagrams, and testing yourself would be far more beneficial when studying for a biology quiz. Most people also benefit from learning about the same topic in multiple ways. Videos tap into our hunger for both auditory and visual learning and, even when we learn by doing an activity, we are more likely to remember what we learned if we talk or write about it afterwards.

Clearly, it’s great to know your learning style because this knowledge helps you to try out new ways of learning and discover what works best for you. Just don’t let your learning style box you in; try new things and be open to the various tactics suggested in the quiz responses.

learning style survey - nfec

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