Educators have known for a long time that people learn in different ways. That is why teachers present information in various forms. For example, as well as explaining a new language, language teachers often provide other learning experiences such as books, charts, videos, audio cassettes, songs, debates and group work. In this way, all students in a class have an opportunity to learn in the way that best suits them.

In the last 50 years or so, researchers have been studying learners in an attempt to identify all the possible learning styles that humans use.① They have found that we can very roughly divide people into three groups — those who learn best through seeing, those who learn best through listening and those who learn best through moving, doing or touching.

Some research has identified eight distinct learning styles, and researchers have made up tests to find out which of these learning styles best suits different people. These tests show that, although most people have one dominant style of learning, they are also able to use other learning styles effectively. Some people even seem to have many different learning styles.

The advantage of knowing what kind of learner you are is that you can then study in the way that best suits your learning style.