Welcome back!
To start this one off let’s remember a time that you tried to teach someone that just couldn’t do what you asked. It didn’t matter how many times you told them, they either do it wrong or forget completely. This doesn’t necessarily have to be in the workplace. I am certain everyone at some point has encountered this whether it be with children, school, sports, or even yourself. The majority of these events result from trying to learn in a way that does not best fit the individual. We are going to cover the three main types of learning and what to focus on for each type to get the best results.
Auditory
I want to start with auditory learning as I feel this one is the most expected of people. There are several bosses that believe everyone on their team should be able to do a task after being told what to do. If you go about training this way, you are only setting yourself up to have to fix mistakes later. While auditory learners can be the easiest to teach, there are ways to make it even more efficient.
One on one meetings
Recordings
Vocal presentations
Acronyms
These are some ways that are the most effective for people who learn by hearing. They can also repeat stuff back to themselves for better memory retention. It is best to have training sessions recorded so it can be played back when needed.
Visual
Next on the list are our visual learners. These types thrive in the workplace just by watching. Here are some ways that can help visual learners.
Powerpoint Presentations
Graphs/Charts
Training Videos
Study Guides
Other points to add would be that visual learners tend to need to be towards the front in the classroom. The less distractions that can divert eyes the better. Their workspace and surroundings should be organized and clean. It can be overwhelming for visual learners if there is a lot of clutter while trying to work.
Kinesthetic
This section will cover the people who enjoy getting their hands dirty. They are quick to try out task while training since they learn the best while doing it. These types of learners will be some of your best note takers since they can create their own notes and diagrams. There are ways to turn your typical visual or audible trainings into more engaging sessions for kinesthetic learners.
Role Playing
Walking Meetings
Note Taking
Self-Demonstrations
The more you can think of that would make a training event more hands-on and interactive will help kinesthetic learners retain the information. This method of learning is common for people who have ADHD.
Takeaway
We all know that there is not enough time in the day to customize all classes or trainings to best fit every individual and match their learning style. Some people even have multiple styles. However, what we can do is design lessons in ways that incorporate all three styles. This raises your chances of having a successful lesson significantly. It will also help keep everyone engaged and focused. If you are only speaking and nothing more a good portion of the room will not benefit from it or possibly spread disengagement to their peers. Do not be afraid to be creative and turn meetings into something other than the typical office Microsoft Teams or Zoom meeting.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” - Benjamin Franklin
Thanks for sharing!