Visual Learners

by Ayesha Mirza

In my last post, I mentioned a few dominant qualities in auditory learners. Now is the time to explore another category; visual learners. 

As the name suggests, visual learners understand and retain things better when they see them instead of hearing them. They tend to store snapshots of people and places in their minds. Such learners remember pictures better than words, colors better than black and white print, maps better than spoken directions, flow charts better than description, and faces better than names. Such people try to 'picture' everything they read or hear. They, therefore, have a strong imagination. Much of what they remember is in the form of images. Their brain organizes information and ideas in the form of pictures. However, translating concepts into words can be challenging. So they might need help communicating their ideas and knowledge to others, and it is more complex to fathom why others can't understand things they can 'see' so clearly. Despite this, they are also often fast talkers and often interrupt other speakers. They often use words and phrases related to vision like 'try to picture that,' 'I can't see why,' 'envision it,' 'from my perspective,' etc. Such learners love to draw and doodle. They also possess an incredible sense of direction and space and are apt with maps. Therefore, while some are habitual to taking the wrong exits on highways, visual learners remember precisely which street to enter and which turn to take. In short, they make reliable travel companions.

If you have some or all of these qualities, read on to figure out what works best for you as a student. Generally speaking, visual learners can benefit from anything and everything that appeals to their imagination and sense of sight like;

• drawing flowcharts and diagrams,
• using highlighters of different colors while reading long and tedious paragraphs,
• using three or more colored pens while writing, 
• giving a lot of headings,
• using numbering and bullets with a particular focus on layout,
• using a timeline to remember historical facts,
• creating word-picture associations to remember names 
• making charts and flashcards, and displaying them in your study area,
• finding colorful picture books or websites related to your syllabus,
• using a whiteboard to draw, write and doodle,
• creating mind maps

Now you are aware of two types of learners. Do you fit into any of the two categories? If yes, you can change your study habits according to your learning style until you find out what works best for you. If not, chances are that you are a kinesthetic learner, a category we will look into in my next post.