Which Learning Style Suits Me Best (VARK Model)?

The VARK model

The Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic (VARK) model is the four modalities of learning prescribed in a study by Fleming and Mills (1992). The model is used to outline strategies for students to maximize their engagement in education through understanding individual learning preferences.

“Understanding your learning style helps you to study smarter, not harder.”

Understanding your learning style opens doors of opportunities to study smarter (not harder!) to use maximise your productivity. Being able to identify which learning style suits you best will definitely benefit you in the long run, whether you’re studying for high school classes or working on a university project. Although all of the VARK learning styles can be used to learn, the challenge is finding which one(s) work best for you to tailor your learning to maximise your time!

Take note of which answer suits you best and find out which VARK learning style suits you best!

Q1) I prefer to study new information by...

1. Creating arrows, diagrams and other visualizations of information hierarchy
2. Hearing information presented vocally or reading out written works
3. Taking notes and scanning written information
4. Active hands-on learning (instructional training, lab experiments, etc.)

Q2) If I’m not sure whether a word is spelled ‘dependent’ or ‘dependant’, I would...

1. Visualize the word in your mind and choose the best way it looks
2. Sound them out in your mind or spell both versions out loud
3. Look it up in the dictionary
4. Write both versions down and examine them

Q3) When choosing a career or area of study, it’s important for me to...

1. Working with designs, maps, or charts organization
2. Collaborating with others through discussion
3. Using words well in written communications
4. Applying knowledge and theories in real-life situations

Q4) When using the Internet to learn more about a topic, I look for...

1. Captivating design and visual features
2. Audio channels you can listen to (ie. podcasts)
3. Written descriptions, lists and explanations
4. Videos showing how to do or make things (ie. Youtube tutorial videos)

Q5) Before I start a new project, I prepare myself by...

1. Creating a diagram to show the project stages with charts of benefits and costs
2. Asking for opportunity to discuss the project with someone who has done it before
3. Finding a report or blog or article describing the main features of the project
4. Research examples where the project has been used and distributed successfully

Results

If you got mostly As… you’re a Visual learner!

By the options you selected, you are most likely to be visually imaginative, but not necessarily into learning from photos/videos. You process information best when receiving them as a robust whole rather than bits of parts. It’s also most likely for you to be a holistic learner who receives positive educational outcomes when analyzing charts and diagrams.

Study tips:

• Mindmaps are your best friend! Use colour, doodles, and visual cues to help you retain information. Check out online mindmap websites such as Mindmup.com.

• Use a whiteboard to brainstorm ideas and take notes in a visual manner - you can take pictures and save them to revise later!

If you got mostly Bs… you’re an Aural learner!

It looks like your strengths rely on absorbing information through hearing! This learning style may encourage you not to take notes during class to maintain your undivided auditory attention, which is a more valuable way for you to learn new things. You might benefit from listening to audio descriptions and reciting rhymes to help you memorize content.

Study tips:

• You might get distracted by background noise during your study time, so curate a quiet and serene study environment for yourself.
• A fun way to get your friends & family involved in your learning is to ask them to quiz you - this tip is especially useful when learning languages!

If you got mostly Cs… you have the Read/Write learning style!

Words, words, more words… you’re totally a Reading/Writing learner! You demonstrate a strong learning preference for written information — reading and writing in all its forms. You are especially happy to work with manuals, reports, essays and easily absorb content in completing written assignments.

Study tips:

• Figure out whether taking notes by hand in a notebook or online in a document is the best way to study for you and stick with it!
• Create a note-taking system using symbols and shorthand can be a great way to make your notes unique and most effective for later revision

If you got mostly Ds… you have the Kinesthetic learning style!!

Based on the options you chose, your strengths lie more in studying actively through physical experiments and practices. As a kinesthetic learner, your learning is connected to physical experiences; you often engage all of your senses (sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing). You’re most likely to learn from your own experiences - you value them more than explanation or demonstration from an external source.

Study tips:

• When learning about more theoretical or abstract concepts, try incorporating as many case-studies or real life examples as you can!
• Get a friend involved in your studying! After you finish studying/revising a topic, ask if you can give them a short 2 minute summary of what you just learned.

You now have a better idea about which learning style is best for you! Remember, this quiz is by no means definitive, and you should conduct your own research into each learning style to confirm which one is right for you. If you find your answers random, there’s a possibility for you to not stand out with one learning preference only — in that case, your learning style could be multimodal!