Have you ever noticed that some people remember things they have seen better, while others remember things they have heard better? This reflects their dominant memory type, either visual or auditory. Keep reading to better understand the difference between the two and how to identify which learning style is right for you.
What is visual learning?
Visual learning is a mode of learning that draws on the use of visual aids, such as images, graphics, videos, and animations to facilitate understanding of abstract concepts and retention of information. The visual style is used in many contexts, including education, professional training and personal development.
What are the visual learning tools?
Several visual modalities can enrich your learning experience as a teacher or learner. They allow you to represent complex information clearly and concisely, facilitate the synthesis and memorization of information and stimulate interactivity with the learning content.
- Diagrams: help organize information logically, identify trends and patterns, and highlight key points.
- Concept maps: mental representations that focus on the logical structuring of information. The most general concepts are placed at the top of the map, while more specific concepts are placed at the bottom. To create a mind map, you can use software such as Mind Meister, MindManager, Cmap Tools, Miro or Inspiration.
- Educational videos: educational videos are a powerful tool in visual learning, as they combine visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements to present information dynamically and engagingly. Educational videos can be used to:
- Explain complex concepts;
- Illustrate practical procedures;
- Provide real-life examples.
- Virtual tours: modern teaching method that allows learners to visit places in virtual reality to better understand and interact with the learning context.
What are visual people like?
In reality, there is not a 100% visual or auditory profile, but rather preferences for a mode of communication. This comes down to the personality of the learner and the environment in which they have developed. Visual people tend to use eye contact as the primary mode of information processing.
Here are some characteristics of this type of person:
- They have a strong preference for pictures, graphs, charts and diagrams to understand information;
- They tend to remember images and colours more easily than words or sounds;
- They are often drawn to visual aesthetics and have a great appreciation for art, photography and design;
- They have a great capacity to imagine complex visual scenes and to mentally represent objects and situations;
- They may have difficulty understanding abstract concepts or complex verbal instructions unless they are associated with visual images;
- They often have a great ability to spot visual details and errors in visual data;
- Etc.
What is auditory learning?
Auditory learning is a learning process that focuses on listening and understanding auditory information. This can include recognizing sounds, understanding speech, understanding intonations and nuances of language, and being able to discern subtle differences between sounds. People with a preference for auditory learning may learn more easily by listening to information rather than reading or watching it.
What are the auditory learning tools?
- Audiobooks: audio recordings of books that allow people to listen to them rather than read them.
- Podcasts: audio programs broadcast on the Internet that deal with various subjects and that can be listened to at any time.
- Recorded lectures: audio recordings that may include lectures, seminars or courses.
- Speech recognition software: this is software that allows users to practise recognizing and understanding words and phrases by listening to a synthetic voice or a human voice.
- Online auditory games: online games that focus on sound recognition and can help people improve their hearing ability.
How are people with hearing loss?
- They have an excellent auditory memory and can easily recall sounds, voices and songs;
- They can perceive the delicate variations in tone, intonation and emphasis that are important for understanding a speech;
- They are often musically talented;
- They may have difficulty concentrating in noisy environments;
- They have an expressive voice;
- Etc.
Functioning of the human brain in visual and auditory people
Visual or auditory people use the right brain mostly, as it is the seat of creativity, imagination and emotions. The left brain is used more for logical reasoning, mathematics, task planning and goal setting.
How do I know if I have a visual or auditory memory?
To find out if you have a visual or auditory memory, you can do some simple exercises. If you remember things you’ve seen better, like pictures or diagrams, you probably have a visual memory. Try to visualize things in your mind so you can remember them later.
If you remember things better when you hear them, such as conversations or songs, you probably have an auditory memory. Try repeating aloud what you want to remember, or listen to recordings of what you want to remember. It is also possible to have a mixed memory, where you use both types of information to remember things. There are several tests online to find out if you are a visual person or an auditory person.
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What are the different learning styles?
According to the channels of perception (sight, hearing and touch), we can distinguish 3 learning styles:
- Visual learning: learning by observing;
- Auditory learning: learning by listening;
- Kinesthetic learning: learning by doing.
Discover your learning style
With more than 20 years of experience in developing assessment tools and psychometric tests, HRID offers you the Learning ID-Agility which allows you to identify your learning style and maximize the conditions that will facilitate the acquisition of skills and knowledge. Other multidisciplinary tests are available on the platform to measure your personal and cognitive abilities.