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. 

Write, Write, and Keep Writing

Okay, so now you know that it is important to write and you agree to write. But, what to write about? It is an important question. Even the most successful writers have times when they don’t know what to write. We call such times a ‘writers’ block’. This inability to find what to write and where to begin can lead to negative feelings in learners and beginners.

This much said, I would move on to some handy ideas for you to get rid of this problem.

1. Keep a Daily Diary and make this diary your best friend. Write about your daily activities both interesting and boring. Share your thoughts and feelings with this trusted friend. Here are some things you might want to write about:

·        something or someone who made you laugh today,

·        things that make you angry,

·        your future goals,

·        the reason you couldn’t score well in today’s test,

·        why you like parrots more than canaries,

·         what you can gift your mother on her birthday.

There are endless things for you to write about. What matters is your determination to write.

2. Write on topics assigned to you. If you still are not able to choose what to write, you can take help from you teachers, parents or siblings. Ask them to give you a topic to write on. You can also search over the internet for topics to write on. Here are a few websites I find helpful: 
1.  http://www.ets.org/Media/Products/Criterion/topics/topics-6thgrade.htm Each of the topics given on this webpage has a description which makes it easy for learners to organize their essays.
2. http://thewritesource.com/writing_topics/ Here you’d find a lot of essay topics to choose from according to your interests, age and level.
3. http://www.essaytopicideas.com/ On this website, essay topics have been compiled under seven categories. Here you have the choice to suggest your own essay topics too.
3. Write letters to your friends. I have conducted this activity in my classrooms a few times. My students enjoy it a lot. Friends can set a goal of writing one or more letters to each other every week. They would then have to reply to each other’s letters.
4. Write comments and reviews. I’m not asking you to write perfectly crafted book reviews. Instead, write your comments about anything and everything you read. For instance, you could write about this very post that how helpful or not was it for you, and why? You might want to write a few sentences about a short story you read in a magazine. Or, you could write about your science lesson on ‘Eco Systems’ and say which part of the lesson you could understand well, and which portions of the lesson need more detail. You can also write about a diagram in your Geography book, or a quotation you read somewhere. The choices are limitless.

Now that you have the answer to you questions, you have every reason to begin your writing practice. Do no slack off. Take a pen, and start writing right now. And then, keep writing without stopping. You’d be surprised by the results. Good luck!

Photo courtesy: 

Image: hinnamsaisuy / FreeDigitalPhotos.net