Learning a new language can be a daunting task.
But what if I told you that the key to mastering a new language is understanding yourself better?
For many of us, the traditional classroom setting just doesn't work.
Everyone has a unique way of learning, a learning style that works best for them.
Some people learn best by reading and writing,
while others prefer to pick up information through audio or visual aids.
But, oddly, a lot of us have never even stopped to think about it...
That’s why, in this video, we'll explore the different learning styles
to help you figure out how you can use them to your advantage when learning a new language.
Studies show that most people fall into one of 3 main learning styles.
There are:
- Visual learners, those who best absorb information by seeing it,
- Auditory learners, which are people who learn faster from what they hear;
- And kinesthetic learners, which are tactile, hands-on learners.
Still not sure where you fit in?
Let’s take a closer look at what differentiates each learning style.
Once you know your unique learning style,
you can use that knowledge to learn a foreign language faster and more efficiently.
VISUAL LEARNERS
First up is the visual learner.
Visual learners are the most common type of learner, making up about 65% of the population.
These people learn best by seeing information in maps, diagrams, charts, graphs,
and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies, and other images
that people use to represent what could have been presented in words.
This style could also have been called graphic learning!
For part of this group, the written word tends to be their best stimulus.
We’re talking about a visual-based learning mode here still,
but this preference emphasizes text-based input and output –
reading and writing in all its forms but especially essays, manuals, and reports.
People who prefer this modality are usually the ones who love PowerPoint, the Internet,
lists, journals, dictionaries, thesauruses, quotations, and words, words, words…
(That’s me ;-))
According to some models, this particular kind of visual learner
fits into a 4th “semi-category”: the Read/Write learners.
If you're a visual learner, like me, here’s how you can make the most of your learning efforts:
· Use flashcards to learn new words.
· Use the International Phonetic Alphabet to help you learn pronunciation.
· Try to visualize things that you hear or things that are read to you.
· Write down key words, ideas, or instructions.
· Draw pictures to help explain new concepts and then explain the pictures.
· And color code things, like different categories of vocabulary or grammar tenses.
AUDITORY LEARNER
Next, we have the auditory learner.
These are people who learn best by hearing information.
Reading aloud or reciting important concepts are usually habits that might help them.
When an auditory learner is learning, they focus mainly on words and sounds.
These people often also tend to think in sequences,
and to decipher meaning through series and procedures
– similarly to how a string of words comes together to form a sentence.
If you’re an auditory learner, some resources you should prioritize are:
Podcasts, speeches,
verbal analogies, audiobooks,
songs, flashcards
(which you can listen to and repeat, or read aloud),
and a voice recorder...
You can use this to record yourself speaking or practicing vocabulary words,
and listen to the recording later.
Or, of course, you can use the MosaLingua app,
which has this exercise incorporated right into the learning path!
KINESTHETIC LEARNER
Finally, we have the kinesthetic learner.
These people tend to understand and remember things more easily
when the process involves physical interaction.
They can easily remember things they did,
but may have difficulty remembering what they saw or heard in the process.
Kinesthetic (also called tactile) learners are "hands-on" learners who prefer to touch,
move, build, or draw what they learn.
These people often speak with their hands, and might have difficulty sitting still.
They often communicate through touch, and they sometimes appreciate
physically expressed forms of encouragement, like a pat on the back.
If you're a kinesthetic learner,
try practicing speaking the language out loud and writing it down,
or even creating your own flashcards on post-it notes
and sticking them on objects all around your home.
Incorporate language learning into the activities you love,
so that you can associate the new ideas with concrete actions.
You can also act out stories that involve the vocabulary you’re learning.
And, if you’re a MosaLingua learner, take advantage of your app’s hands-free mode
and take your vocab review sessions on the go,
while you take a walk in your favorite park, for example.
I hope I’ve been able to give you an idea of how understanding your learning style
might be the key to making the language learning process even more enjoyable and effective.
So whether you're trying to learn a new language for personal or professional reasons,
take some time to discover your learning style and make it work for you!
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See you next time!