Your Language Learning Style Explained In Detail

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Some people seem to be natural language learners. They can pick up a new language just by listening to it and speaking it as much as possible. Others find that they need to approach language learning in a more structured way, using books, grammar rules, and drills. In other words, they all have a different learning style.

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When it comes to learning a language, there are no rules. The best thing you can do is to ask yourself a simple question, one that teachers at traditional language schools rarely ask: How do I learn best?

Are you the type of person who needs to see something in order to understand it, or do you prefer to hear an explanation? Perhaps you need to physically try something out in order to really get it?

We all have different ways of learning, and this is especially true when it comes to learning languages. In this article, we’ll take a look at three different ways in which people learn languages.

  • Auditory learners, who learn best when they hear information;
  • Visual learners, who prefer to see information on the page or the screen;
  • Kinesthetic learners, who need to physically experience information.

Auditory

Are you the kind of student who records important lectures, prefers audiobooks to traditional reading, or likes to ask teachers to repeat important concepts? Then you can rest assured you belong among auditory learners.

Auditory learners are people who learn best by hearing information. When they’re studying a new language, they need to hear the words and the grammar rules in order to understand them.

If you’re an auditory learner, you might find that listening to audio lessons or podcasts is the best way for you to learn a new language. You might also find it helpful to read out loud or to recite words and phrases aloud.

This is exactly what Sonia, a client from Mexico City, found out about herself when studying German.

“Every time I sat down to study for a test, I just felt stupid. How was it possible that, after reading a grammar rule for the fourth time, I wasn’t able to remember it a couple of minutes later?

I was telling this to a friend of mine who was in the same class, when she said: ‘Why don’t you read the rules aloud and send them to me in a voice note? It might be useful for both of us’.

That did the trick. The next day, when I had to do one of those typical fill-in-the-gaps activities, I remembered my own voice saying the words out loud:

There are three different ways of saying you in German: du (singular, informal); ihr (plural, informal); and sie (singular or plural, formal).

There was something about the spoken words that was memorable for me. It just stuck in my mind. Once I realized I learned better by listening, I was able to capitalize on my natural abilities and make progress much faster. Now, when a classmate asks me whether I want to meet for a study session, I always make sure we listen to podcasts, YouTube videos, and record the whole meeting”.

Visual

Have you ever been praised for the tidiness of your notes? Do you use different colors to highlight main concepts, supporting ideas and relevant examples? Then you’re most definitely a visual learner.

Visual learners are people who learn best by seeing the information. No matter how great you are at explaining things, they need to be able to visualize the words, the grammar rules and the examples in order to fully internalize what they’re trying to learn.

If you’re a visual learner, you might find that reading texts, watching videos or looking at pictures is the best way for you to learn a new language. You might also find it helpful to create mind maps or to use flashcards.

This is exactly what Ahmed, a client from Cairo, Egypt found out about himself when studying English.

“I was never a great fan of reading, but I thought that, in order to learn a new language, I needed to force myself to do it. So that’s what I did. I would sit down for an hour every day and read a chapter of a book. But, no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t focus. I felt tired and frustrated. After a few weeks, I was so discouraged that I was ready to give up.

That’s when a friend of mine suggested I try using visual aids. He said: ‘Why don’t you find a comic book in English or watch an English movie with subtitles? You might actually enjoy it and, at the same time, learn something new’. I decided to give it a try. And he was right!

I started reading comics and watching movies, and I found myself enjoying the experience and retaining more information than I ever had before. Now, when I want to learn a new word, I look it up in the dictionary and then find a picture that represents it. That way, the next time I come across the word, I’ll be able to remember its meaning more easily”.

Kinesthetic

Do you often find yourself tapping your foot or fidgeting with a pen when you’re trying to concentrate? Do you need to move around in order to feel motivated? Then you’re most likely a kinesthetic learner.

Kinesthetic learners are people who learn best by doing. They need to be actively engaged in the learning process in order to fully internalize the information.

If you’re a kinesthetic learner, you might find that participating in conversations, doing role-plays or writing in a foreign language are the best way for you to learn. You might also find it helpful to take physical notes or to use props when studying. In other words, you need to interact with concepts and information in such a way that your body –not only your brain– is involved in the experience.

This is what happened with John, a Spanish learner from Chicago.

“I have always been a very active person. I need to be constantly moving in order to focus. But for a very long time, I saw this trait not as a style, but as a defect, a flaw that I was supposed to overcome. It never occurred to me that there were different ways of learning and that all of them were valid.

When I started to learn Spanish, I would sit down for hours and try to memorize grammar rules and vocabulary lists. Needless to say, it didn’t work very well. I was so frustrated that I decided to give up. It was only when I started taking classes with a tutor who used a more interactive approach that I finally began to make progress.

My tutor would have me stand up and walk around the room while we went over grammar rules. She would also have me act out situations in which I would need to use the new vocabulary. It sounds silly, but it worked! I was finally able to learn and retain the information. And, on top of that, I had a lot of fun doing it”.

So, which kind of learner are you?

All three of the learning styles we’ve discussed in this article are perfectly valid and can be successful in helping you learn a new language.

The most important thing is to find out which one works best for you and to use that style as your foundation when studying. However, it’s also important to be flexible and try different methods in order to see what works best for you in each situation.

After all, language learning is a dynamic process, and you never know when you might need to change your approach. Who knows? You might even surprise yourself and find that you’re not the same kind of learner you thought you were.

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At Lovlan, we work with experienced tutors who specialize in personalized learning.  If you’re looking for a customized and effective way to learn languages –one that will encourage you to try different approaches to learning–, don’t hesitate to explore our website , and find your best match!