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Learning styles may not always be backed by science, but understanding student preferences can still support effective teaching. Discover how educators can approach diverse ways of learning.
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Approved and verified accurate by the dean of the College of Education on Jan. 27, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
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The idea of learning styles for students was popularized when Neil Fleming published his VARK model in 1987.3 Despite the lack of scientific evidence to support this traditional approach to different learning styles,1 the idea behind it may be considered laudable, as it recommended taking a more personalized approach to education better support students. While there are now additional approaches to consider, teacher candidates may wish to familiarize themselves with the VARK model.
Education continues to promote learning styles as a way for teachers to support students and differentiate lessons. While there are multiple models related to learning styles, the VARK model is among the most widely used.
The VARK model stands for:
When you earn your education degree, you will examine the different ways your students interact with new information. One prevalent idea in education is that individual students have different learning styles that are associated with the way a student prefers to learn.
In recent years, the idea that learning styles are the best way to learn for a student has been debunked. In fact, there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that a person has a specific learning style.1 Furthermore, research discussed by the American Psychological Association (APA) has determined that a belief in learning styles may undermine education.2
Regardless, the idea of using different learning styles for students is still prevalent in education as a way to promote the idea that every student has their own learning preferences. Learning styles are not a prescription for teaching students and should not be considered set in stone, but they might help a teacher recognize the preferential way in which a student interacts with information.
Although the VARK model model has been a valuable tool for guiding educators in curriculum design for many years, it does have certain disadvantages.4 In addition to the lack of scientific evidence to support its validity,1 the VARK model may prompt educators to assume that all students fall neatly into one category and will remain in that category for their lifetime. In fact, people may prefer to learn in multiple different ways, and how they prefer to learn can change over time.
In addition, some research suggests that strictly adhering to the VARK model can be detrimental to education.2 Not only can it be counterproductive for educators, but students who believe they can only learn in one specific way may become resistant to engaging with learning materials in different ways.2 This can potentially negatively affect their academic progress.
That’s why some educators may be shifting toward more holistic learning methods and approaches. Consider the following approaches instead:
Sometimes, pedagogical approaches focus on improving a student’s weaknesses. In contrast, appreciative inquiry focuses on a student’s strengths. This holistic, strengths-based approach emphasizes collaboration (the student’s own participation in their education) and encourages teachers to focus on what works in a positive way.
The process of applying the appreciative inquiry approach can look like this:
Dr. Carol Dwek explains that there is a growth and a fixed mindset.5 A student with a fixed mindset might believe that no matter how hard they work at something, they will never become good at a particular skill. Fixed-mindset students may have been told that they aren’t smart, either overall or in a particular subject. As a result, they may simply scrape by, believing that putting effort into their work is pointless.
Interestingly, a fixed-mindset student may conversely have been told that they are smart. They may be a straight-A student in high school, and they might go to an elite college believing they’ll still get straight-As with the same amount of effort. If, however, their grades start dropping in a difficult college program, they may face a tremendous amount of self-doubt that discourages them from trying hard to master the curriculum.
In contrast, a student with a growth mindset believes that with hard work, they can master any skill or body of knowledge they wish. Growth mindset students are often those who have been told they are capable and could pursue any future career they would like if they put in the effort to achieve their goals. A student with a growth mindset might never have heard someone say they are either smart or not smart, but simply that their hard work will pay off.
Encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset can benefit them not only in every subject but also in all areas of life beyond education. With a growth mindset, a student can begin to tackle challenges to achieve goals rather than giving up because any given obstacle seems too insurmountable.
The following information goes into detail about the examples of learning styles with the VARK model, how to recognize these styles in learners and how to integrate the style into classwork. It is important to keep in mind that not all learners fit exactly into one category. There is often overlap in learner preference when it comes to style, especially across subject matter and activity.
Recognizing visual learners: The visual learners in your classroom like to see and observe the things that they are learning about. Visual learners like to use pictures, diagrams and written directions to access information.
This learning style has also been known as “spatial.” The students who are visual or spatial learners might draw, make lists or take notes in order to interact with and process information.
Supporting visual learners: Some of the more traditional styles of teaching already support visual learners, such as writing on whiteboards or projecting information onto a screen. Assignments could ask learners to make pictures or diagrams.
In addition, providing class notes or handouts that students can follow along with is a great way to integrate visual learning into your curriculum. Visual learners may have a tough time with lectures and could need more time to process information that they hear.
Recognizing auditory learners: The auditory learners in your class learn best by listening and relating information to sound. These are students who prefer listening to a lecture or a recording rather than reading. They may also be students who think out loud and speak through a concept in order to dive into it.
Your auditory learners are most likely your most vocal students in class. They may also be the ones who read out loud to themselves. Auditory learners may repeat what a teacher has said to process the directions.
Supporting auditory learners: Including a lot of time for discussion can support the auditory learners in your classroom. They want to hear what others have to say and share their own ideas in order to learn and process information. When you are giving a lecture, ask auditory learners to repeat what they have learned back to you.
Call and response or question-and-answer processes can also benefit auditory learners. In addition, auditory learners appreciate watching videos about a topic and listening to audiobooks or other recordings.
Recognizing reading/writing learners: This learning style for students is often confused with visual learning because reading/writing learners like to learn using the written word. This may seem like visual learning, but reading/writing preference learners can be discerned as those who express themselves through writing, as opposed to charts and diagrams.
They also enjoy reading articles and writing in diaries or journals. Your reading/writing learners may be experts with search engines and even old-school encyclopedias.
Supporting reading/writing learners: Most of the traditional educational system caters to this type of learner. The reading/writing learner learns by researching, reading books and writing. They will usually be content to write an essay or create a written project.
While these students may not be as vocal as auditory learners, they can express themselves well with the written word. Try to give the reading/writing learner time to write their answers and work through their thoughts on paper.
Recognizing kinesthetic learners: Kinesthetic or tactile learners learn by experiencing and doing. They like to use their hands and bodies as learning instruments, often acting out events and using their hands when they talk. A kinesthetic learner may seem wiggly in the classroom. Students who are particularly good athletes or dancers may be kinesthetic learners because they are adept at following the directions of a game or a dance using their body.
Supporting kinesthetic learners: Since kinesthetic learners learn through movement, teachers may ask them to act out scenes from a book or use movement in other ways during the learning process. For example, a kinesthetic learner can benefit by walking in place or pacing in a small area while trying to memorize facts.
Additionally, when learning can be associated with movement of some kind, such as teaching vocabulary using the total physical response method, kinesthetic learners may retain that information more readily. The kinesthetic learner who connects with something physically can use that information to understand more abstract and theoretical concepts.
You may recognize yourself in one or more of these of learning methods. In your own education degree coursework, you may find it easier to read diagrams and charts instead of listening to a lecture.
Or you might find that acting out a scene in the classroom makes more sense for you than researching what to do about a particular classroom management problem. As an educator, you can recognize your own learning preferences and be mindful to incorporate activities and opportunities so that all types of learners can feel comfortable and engaged.
