Do you often find yourself scrawling random words on your pad during History class? Do you habitually zero in on mindless scribbles on the whiteboard during long meetings? Do you prefer written guides than spoken directions? If your answer is yes to all these questions, chances are you are a visual learner.
Sixty-three percent of the population processes information more effectively with the help of visual cues. However, in an education system that operates through verbal instruction 80% of the time, the learning capacity of visual learners is not often maximized to its full potential.
Luckily, there are different strategies to accommodate the needs of individuals with this learning style. We rounded up nine ways to enhance the way you absorb valuable information while capitalizing on your strengths as a visual learner:
Keep It Clean
The tousled sheets on your bed or the unkempt papers on your desk can actually affect your capacity to absorb every little piece of information when you’re studying.
A visual learner performs best in a tidy environment. Research shows that visual nuances, such as unorganized surroundings, drain your mental resources, resulting in reduced concentration.
A neat space for learning will aid in enhancing your mental performance, paving the way for a more in-depth understanding of your lessons. Your mental grip will be strengthened when there is less physical clutter fighting for your attention.
Make a List
Oral delivery can often cause confusion and memory lapse to strong visual learners. Without perceptible cues, certain people find it hard to hold on to information.
If you’re a visual learner, do not rely on mental notes to get you through the day. Make a daily to-do list to keep tabs on your tasks. Do not underestimate the power of written reminders. This simple method will provide you with a comprehensible blueprint to navigate your day.
Capitalize on Images
Why are wines draped with bottle neckers, taxi cabs with poster ads, cities with street art? Because visuals are everything. It is the easiest route to grab attention and send your message across. Why is that?
Studies suggest that the human brain processes visual data 60,000 faster than text. So, to better understand what you’re studying, incorporate visual representations. When you have to read a science textbook or wordy research, try to associate vivid images with written terms.
If you’re having a hard time remembering names, dates, or even concepts, link them to anything you can mentally grasp—symbols, pictures, scenarios. This makes it easier for your brain to store information. So, next time you struggle to memorize a history lesson, try this simple trick and see how your test scores improve over time.
Soak up on Moving Pictures
Watching videos is a visual treat, especially for visual learners. It taps both visual and auditory sensibilities, enriching one’s learning experience to great lengths.
To better comprehend concepts brought up in class, you can watch documentaries, explainer videos, and animated infographics on the internet to further your understanding of the topic.
These serve as visual supplements, reducing the level of difficulty you might experience when reading text-heavy materials or listening to verbal discussions. Vox, TedEd, and The School of Life are just a few of today’s best educational channels you can run to for entertaining and informative audio-visual content.
Write It Down… Again
Rewriting your sloppy notes can easily boost the process of information-retention. The frequency of seeing written words and illustrated concepts will increase your brain’s chances of storing them.
Aside from that, research proves that handwriting has positive effects on your mental performance as it helps engage the brain’s motor performance. The hand movements orchestrated when writing taps brain regions in charge of memory, thinking, and language.
Make It Vibrant
Colors are not only aesthetic elements but also important learning components for a visual learner.
People with this learning style often involve themselves in creative pursuits such as painting, drawing, graphic design, and photography. This is why the element of color plays a huge role in how visual learners navigate the world.
You can actually incorporate your love for colors in the way you study. You can use varied hues of highlights when digesting reading materials. You can also assign different colors to different key areas of the subject you are trying to tackle. This allows you to characterize and distinguish one body of data from the other.
Make a Connection
A concept map allows you to effectively conceptualize and create complex concepts. Simply letting ideas bounce back and forth in your head without putting it on paper is not always a productive activity. But creating a concept map will help make your idea come alive.
Making one is a way of brainstorming but in a more visual manner. Not only do you get to squeeze out numerous ideas from your mind, but you also get to identify their relationships with one another. This simplified approach towards complicated ideas is also a big help in getting rid of distractions.
Just like how our physical body naturally operates, breaking down information into little pieces makes it easier for the brain to digest them. So, don’t think twice about simplifying how you absorb knowledge.
If you want to thrive in your studies, career, and life in general, the secret is to know how to capitalize on your strengths. You simply have to realize your potential and then turn it into power.
