VARK

a guide to learning styles

What is VARK? Preference for learning One’s preference for taking information into the brain

and communicating them “outside” Can be used to help you develop additional, effective

strategies for learning

1. Take in information2. Study information for effective learning3. Study for performing well on an examination

(Give out information)

Acronym VARK?

V – Visual A – Aural R – Read / Write K – Kinesthetic

MM - Multimodal

John Silverio’s VARK

(V) Visual – 4 (A) Aural – 4 (R) Read / Write – 10 (K) Kinesthetic - 4

V – Visual Preference Includes depiction of information in:

Maps Spider diagrams Charts Graphs All the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies Does not include movies, videos, or PowerPoint Does include designs, white space, patterns,

shapes, and different formats that are used to highlight and convey information

A - Aural / Auditory Preference Information that is “heard or spoken” Learn best from

lectures tutorials tapes group discussion email using mobile phones web chat talking things through

Talking out loud as well as talking to yourself Often people with this preference want to sort out

things by speaking, rather than sorting things out and then speaking

R – Read / Write Preference Information displayed in words Many academics have a strong preference for this

modality Emphasizes text-based input and output – reading and

writing in all forms People who prefer this modality are addicted to

PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, dictionaries, quotations, and words, words, words

K- Kinesthetic Preference “Perpetual preference related to the use of

experience and practice (simulated or real)” Connected to reality through

Personal experiences Examples Practice or simulation

Includes demonstrations, simulations, videos, case studies, practice and applications

MM – Multimodal Preferences Life is multimodal Seldom instances where one mode is used, or is

sufficient, so we have a four-part VARK profile Those who prefer many modes almost equally are

of two types Context specific who choose a single mode to

suit the occasion or situation Others who are not satisfied until they have had

input (or output) in all of their preferred modes. They take longer to gather information

from each mode and, as a result, they have a deeper and broader understanding