Most of us have spent the greater portion of our life up to this point on the planet learning. It may have been in the structured classroom setting of a university, or it may have been the wide open fields that come with being home schooled. No matter how we have come to where we are in our life, all of our previous experiences have been learning experiences. Learning is the process which combines action and reflection. There are many things that we can do in order to make ourselves  better learners.

The first thing to do is to have a good understanding of how you learn so that you can maximize your strengths, adapt existing strategies, and develop new techniques for yourself. One of the best ways to maximize this learning is by becoming aware of your learning style(s). Some individuals will have one dominant learning style, whereas others will have more than one area of strength. You may also find that you utilize one learning style in a particular setting while using a different one under other circumstances.

Becoming a piercer may not have the same types of learning curves that other careers have, however it is still learning-centric and most piercers take the full responsibility of learning their craft and trade on them- selves. In this article we are going to discuss one classification of learning styles, the VARK, that focuses on four specific styles in which students take in information; visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. Some students are visual learners, while others are auditory or kinesthetic learners. While students use all of their senses to take in information, they seem to have preferences in how they learn best. (Gilakjani, 2012) There are a great many resources available to read, videos to watch, podcasts to listen to, or even other piercers to shadow and learn hands-on from. Many of us will often gravitate to one of these learning styles over another, finding that it works better for us.

The VARK Questionnaire Scoring Chart

Use the following scoring chart to find the VARK category that each of your answers correspond to. Circle the letters that correspond to your answers e.g. If you answered b and c for question 3, circle V and R in the question 3 row.

It is important to remember that the results indicate a ‘rule of thumb’ and need not be rigidly applied. Remember that the questionnaire is not intended to ‘box’ respondents into a mindset that they have been ‘diagnosed’. Rather, it is designed to initiate discussion about, and reflection upon, learning preferences.

As students, we learn best by seeing the value and importance of the information we have been present- ed with. If we are not interested in the material presented, we will not want to learn it. Students learn in many different ways. Visual learners learn by viewing charts, graphs, and pictures. Auditory learners learn by listening to lectures and verbal explanations. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing and tactile practice. Students can prefer one, two, or three learning styles. (Gilakjani, 2012)

Learning styles may be defined in multiple ways, depending upon one’s perspective. Here are a few definitions of learning styles: Brown (2000) defines learning styles as the manner in which individuals perceive and process information in learning situations. He argues that learning style preference is one aspect of learning style, and refers to the choice of one learning situation or condition over another. Celcia-Murcia (2001) defines learning styles as the general approaches—for example, global or analyt- ic, auditory or visual—that students use in acquiring a new language or in learning any other subject. Learning style is sometimes defined as the characteristic cognitive, affective, social, and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact  with,  and  respond to the learning environment (MacKeracher, 2004). The remainder of this article will discuss the three main learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

For our purposes, we will be consolidating the visual/ reading and kinesthetic/writing portions of VARK.

Visual

Visual learners think in pictures and learn best with visual images. They depend on the instructor’s or facilitator’s non-verbal cues such as body language to help them with understanding and comprehension. Sometimes, visual learners favor sitting in the front of the classroom. They may also take descriptive notes about the material being presented.

Someone with a Visual learning style has a preference for seen or observed things, including pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, flip-chart, etc. These people will use phrases such as ‘show me,’ ‘let’s have a look at that,’ and will be best able to perform a new task after reading the instructions or watching someone else do it first. These are the people who will work from lists and written directions and instructions.

Visual learners will:

• Take detailed notes rather than get involved in discussions
• Tend to sit in the front so they can see clearly
• Benefit from illustrations and presentations, and especially those in color
• Make comments like:
  • “How do you see the situation?”
  • “What do you see stopping  you?”
  •  “Do you see what I am showing you?”

Auditory

These individuals discover information through lis- tening and interpreting information by the means of pitch, emphasis, and speed. Auditory learners gain knowledge from reading out loud in the classroom and may not have a full understanding of information that is written (Ldpride,n.d.).

Someone with an Auditory learning style has a preference for the transfer of information through listening; whether to the spoken word, of self or others, of sounds and noises. These people will use phrases such as ‘tell me,’ ‘let’s talk it over,’ and will be best able to perform a new task after listening to instructions from an expert. These are the people who are happy being given spoken instructions over the telephone, and can remember all the words to songs that they hear!

Auditory learners will:

• Enjoy discussions and talking things through and listening to others
• Acquire knowledge by reading aloud
• Hum and/or talk to themselves
• Make comments like:
  • “I hear you clearly.”
  • “I’m wanting you to listen.”
  • “This sounds good.”

Kinesthetic

Individuals that are kinesthetic learn best with an active “hands-on” approach. These learners favor interaction with the physical world. Most of the time kinesthetic learners have a difficult time staying on target and can become unfocused effortlessly.

Someone with a Kinesthetic learning style has a preference for physical experience – touching, feeling, holding, doing, and other practical hands-on experiences. These people will use phrases such as ‘let me try,’ ‘how do you feel,’ and will be best able to perform a new task by going ahead and trying it out, learning as they go. These are the people who like to experiment and never look at the instructions first!

Kinesthetic learners will:

• Need lots of breaks and will want to move around
• Speak with their hands and gestures
• Remember what was done, but have difficulty with what was said or seen
• Learn through doing activities
• Make comments like:
  • “How do you feel about this?”
  • “Let’s move forward together.”
  • “Are you in touch with what I am saying?”

Previous studies concerning visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles according to Dunn and

Dunn (1978) conclude that only 20-30% of school age children appear to be auditory learners, 40% are visual learners, and 30-40% are tactile/kinesthetic or visual/ tactile learners. Barbe and Milone (1981) stated that for grade school children the most frequent modality strengths are visual (30%) or mixed (30%), followed by auditory (25%), and then by kinesthetic (15%). Price, Dunn, and Sanders (1980) found that very young chil- dren are the most tactile/kinesthetic. They concluded that there is a gradual development of visual strengths through the elementary grades, and that only in fifth or sixth grade can most youngsters learn and retain information through the auditory sense. Carbo (1983), investigating the perceptual styles of readers, found that good readers prefer to learn through their visual and auditory senses, while poor readers have a stronger preference for tactile and kinesthetic learning.

One of the most significant issues in learning to learn is an individual taking the responsibility for their own acquisition of knowledge. The individuals should know what their own learning styles are and what characteristics this style has, and that they should thereby behave according to this style. In this way, the individual can acquire the constantly changing and increasing amount of information without need for the assistance of others. When the learner takes the responsibility of their own learning, they attribute meaning to the process of learning. They develop an understanding of their own form of learning style and become much more satisfied with the environment they interact with. Every opportunity for learning is a chance for them. It is in the learner’s hand to use different methods and develop learning styles to some extent (Coffield, 2004).

There are three particularly vital reasons that understanding and utilizing learning styles are import- ant. First of all, people’s learning styles will vary because everyone is naturally different from one another. Secondly, it offers the opportunity to teach by using a wide range of methods in an effective way. Sticking to just one model will create a monotonous learning environment, so not everyone will enjoy the lesson. In other words, learning and teaching will be just words and not rooted in reality. Thirdly, we can manage many things in education and communication if we really recognize the groups we are called (Felder, Silverman, 1988; Coffield et al., 2004).

Learning style has an important place in the lives of individuals. When the individual knows their learning style, they will integrate it in the process of learning so they will learn more easily, more quickly, and be more successful. Another advantage of the identification of learning style by the student is that it will help the student to become an effective problem solver. The more successful the individual is at solving the problems they face, the more control they will take over their own life (Biggs, 2001). It is important for individuals to receive education in areas suitable for their learning styles. A person educated in an area having no relationship to their learning style may lack confidence and they may be less successful; as a result, they may become frustrated.

Knowledge of learning style also provides information to the student as to why they have learned in a different way than others. It helps to control the process of learning. As a student gains an understanding of their learning style and becomes autonomous, they will take responsibility for their own education. This has to be part of the learning process to enable the individual to obtain knowledge, which constantly shifts and changes, without any help from others. Confidence in learning will consistently rise when learners know how to learn. Learning to learn and grasping knowledge in a suitable manner will lessen the need for an overbearing control by teachers. At this point, teachers guide the students. The students take responsibility for their learning, they are at the center of the process, and everything is under their control. They search answers to the problems and benefit from their unique performances and preferences in their learning styles. Those people will identify their aims, unlike those whose learning style preferences are not identified. They know what they want to learn and “how.” This awareness will change their perspectives on learning new things (Fidan, 1986).

It is very important to understand and explore each individual’s learning style. Analyzing one’s own particular learning style can be very helpful and beneficial to the student by aiding them in becoming more focused as an attentive learner, which ultimately will increase educational success. Discovering this learning style will allow the student to determine their own personal strengths and weaknesses and learn from them.

As piercers, we should be focused on perpetually improving our knowledge and craft. Understanding the most effective learning methods for us personally will help in this pursuit. As practitioners, understanding the different learning modalities will aid in our client interactions. Catering our aftercare speeches, placement explanations, and informational discussions to the learning styles of our clients will improve their grasp and understanding. Even though we don’t work in traditional classrooms, the dissemination of knowledge is a major component of our industry.

References

Barbe, W. B., & Milone, M. N. (1981). What we know about modality strengths. Educational Leadership, 38 (5), 378-380.

Biggs, J. (2001). Enhancing Learning: A Matter of Style or Approach? Perspectives on Thinking, Learning and Cognitive Styles, R. J. Sternberg, L. F. Zhang (Eds.). Mahwah, Lawrance Erlbaum Associates, N. J.

Carbo, M. (1983). Research in reading and learning style: Implications for exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 49, 486-494. Celce-Marcia, M. (2001). Teaching English as a second or foreign language, (3rd ed.). Dewey Publishing Services: NY.

Coffield, F. (2004). Learning Styles and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning. A Systematic and Critical Review. Learning and Skills Research Centre, London.

Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1978). Teaching Students through their Individual Learning Styles. A Practical Approach. Prentice Hall, Reston, VA.

Hyland, K. (1993). Culture and learning: a study of the learning style preferences of Japanese students. RELC Journal. Felder, R. M., & Silverman, L. K. (1988). Learning and teaching styles in engineering education. Eng.Educ.,78674-681. Fidan, N. (1986). Learning and Teaching at School, Concepts, Principles, Methods. Ankara: Publication.

Fleming, N.D. & Mills, C. (1992). Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection. To Improve the Academy, 11.

Giliakjani, Abbas Pourhossein. (2012) Visual, Auditory, kinesthetic Learning Styles and Their Impacts on English Language Teaching. Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran English Language Department, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.

MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Price, G. E., Dunn, R., & Sanders, W. (1980) Reading achievement and learning style characteristics. The Clearing House, 5.

Peyman, Hadi et al. (2014)“Using VARK Approach for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of First Year Medical Sciences Students: A Survey from Iran.” Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.

https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.aacc/files/tipsheets/

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http://vark-learn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-VARK-Questionnaire.pdf