Different people have different learning styles. A person who is an introvert may learn in a different way from somebody who is dyslexic, has ADHD or has another way of operating.
Some people learn by doing. They gather information by throwing themselves into doing a certain activity. They may then aim to make sense of what they have learned and apply it when tackling a piece of work.
Some people learn by getting the big picture. They gather information through reading, studying success or other methods. They may then make a model to make sense of the information and follow it to achieve success.
Different people have different learning styles but some basic rules often apply. These include the following:
The learner learns what they want to learn and sets a positive goal:
The learner follows their preferred learning style:
The learner may then apply the learning to achieve their picture of success.
Much has been written about how people may learn in visual, audio or kinaesthetic – feeling – ways. Some may learn through logic processes or by writing. Some may prefer to learn in solitary or social ways.
Looking at your own life, what do you think may be your learning style? Looking back, can you think of something you set out to learn? What was your motivation for wanting to learn it?
What were the steps you then took to do your best to learn it? If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Different People Are
Intelligent In Different Ways
Howard Gardner popularised the concept of multiple intelligences with his 1983 book Frames of Mind. This challenged the academic establishment by expanding the kinds of intelligence measured by schools.
Howard showed how people may also have visual, musical, interpersonal or other intelligences. Since then he has expanded these to cover the following intelligences: spatial, linguistic, logical, musical, kinaesthetic, naturalist, existential and intrapersonal.
His treatise was somewhat academic, as were the names he coined. He also later confessed to being provocative by calling these different approaches intelligences rather than styles.
Thomas Armstrong built on Howard’s work with his book 7 Kinds Of Smart and called the different intelligences ‘Smarts’. The book provided practical ways that parents and educators could enable people to find and build on their intelligences.
The concept of multiple intelligences has since moved into mainstream education. Sometimes this has been used to help individuals to develop. Sometimes it has become a tick box approach that is applied in a mechanical rather than individual way.
Some people have also added to the various intelligences. These include specialist intelligence to describe a person being good at a specific craft, skill or other activity. Existential intelligence signifies a person being good at dealing with life experiences or exploring spiritual issues.
Here is a brief overview of the various intelligences. These start by giving some of the original themes followed by the terms that Thomas used. People sometimes combine several of these qualities to perform well in their life or work.
People Smart
Such a person may be good at working with people. For example, they enjoy building relationships, encouraging others and social interaction.
They have strong empathy skills. Sometimes they sense what is going to happen in a group, for example, before it actually happens. They can also be good at organising people and coordinating the strengths in a team.
The best way to help them learn may be through conversations, role-plays, simulation and other activities involving people. People smart corresponds to what Howard Gardner called Interpersonal intelligence.
Body Smart
They may be good at controlling their body movements, dancing, sports and managing materials successfully. They express themselves through movement – sometimes finding it difficult to sit still – and often have good hand-eye coordination.
The best way to help them learn is anything involved with movement or activities that evoke feelings. Such people have a strong muscle memory, being able to call on lessons they have integrated into their bodies. Body smart corresponds to Kinaesthetic Intelligence.
Picture Smart
They may be good at working with pictures, images, drawing, colours, art, imagining or other forms of visual organisation. They often need to create or find visual images that enable them to retain information.
The best way to help them learn is by using these media. Picture smart corresponds to Spatial intelligence.
Logic Smart
They may be good at elements of reasoning, gathering information and numbers. They enjoy thinking conceptually, seeing patterns and making connections.
The best way to help them to learn may be inviting them to solve problems – particularly in their areas of greatest interest – collect data, do experiments and present the information. Logic smart to what Howard Gardner called Logical-Mathematical intelligence.
Word Smart
They may be good at working with words, conversations, writing and languages. They enjoy speaking, storytelling, explaining, using humour and teaching.
The best way to help them learn may be inviting them to use these skills through writing, presenting, speaking new languages and other verbal media. Word smart corresponds to Linguistic intelligence.
Music Smart
They may be good at creating and appreciating music. They also often think in sounds, patterns and ‘rhythms’. Some are sensitive to even the smallest sounds – which can be either helpful or distracting.
The best way to help them to learn is through music and, for example, helping them to see rhythms – patterns – in other areas of learning. Music smart corresponds to Musical-Rhythmic intelligence.
Specialist Smart
They may have strengths in specific activities and area of expertise. Such people are able to quickly see patterns and the strategies required to achieve success.
They may operate in special areas of expertise that are not yet recognised in the mainstream. Bearing this in mind, they may have the ability to do pioneering work in such fields.
Nature Smart
They are good at seeing rhythms in nature and have a feeling for living things. Here is a superb definition from Kathy Koch of what is called Naturalist intelligence.
Nature-smart children think in patterns and are usually able to compare and contrast easily … (They) usually enjoy collecting things according to shape, design, and texture … Children who are nature smart love to be outside.
They may get dirty during every recess because they dig in dirt and pick up every rock and acorn … Attention is probably heightened when lessons have to do with animals, rocks, mountains, lakes, planets, and other things of nature.
Self Smart
Such people have a good understanding of themselves. They clarify their inner feelings, strengths and weaknesses. They tend to think deeply about topics and can sometimes be quiet. They may feel uncomfortable being ‘graded’ by others, because it involves outside judgements about their own views.
They learn best by focusing on topics related to their own lives and experiences. Such people often prefer to work alone. They like being given time and space to explore their own insights.
Self smart corresponds to what is called Intrapersonal intelligence. Thomas has written:
Intrapersonal children tend to be loners. Although they may seem very isolated and cut off from the world, they in fact take in a great deal of what they observe, and possess rich inner lives.
They like going their own way – doing things in their own time. Fiercely independent, they can be very hard to deal with, if forced to learn in a specific way imposed from without.
They need to be given choices about their learning. ‘Do you want to do a project on birds, or on dinosaurs? Do you want to study the problems on page 14, or page 16?’
They do best with independent study, individualized projects and self-paced materials such as computer software programs.
Ask them about their interests – they may be slow to warm up to you, but once trust has been established, they will share with you some of their hopes and fears, some of their dreams and visions.
Provide them with opportunities to be alone with themselves; give them the tools they require to carry out their self-chosen learning activities, and make sure they have enough time to work at their own pace.
Life Smart
This relates to people who are existential smart. Throughout history individuals have asked questions such as:
“Who am I? What do I want to do in my life? Why do I want to do it? How can I make it happen? When do I want to begin?”
People with existential intelligence gather knowledge and, in some cases, wisdom to explore and find answers to these questions. They may also focus on the more spiritual aspects of existence and our purpose on the planet.
Building On Your
Own Learning Style
Let’s return to your own life and work. Imagine that you have managed to describe some aspects of your preferred learning style. How can you build on this in the future?
Looking ahead, can you think of something you would like to learn? As mentioned earlier, however, it can be important:
To make sure you really want to learn it and to set a positive goal;
To follow your preferred learning style;
To then, when appropriate, apply the learning and work to achieve your picture of success.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to focus on something you want to learn in the future. It then invites you to complete the following sentences.
Leave a Reply