Visual Learning Style Essentials: 5 Visual Learner Study Tips

• Are you easily distracted by the atmosphere and moving environment around you?
• Would you call yourself imaginative?
• Are your workbooks and papers covered in scribbles and small drawings?

If yes, chances are you’re a visual learner.

What is a Visual Learner? 

People with a visual learning style engage with the world around them first and foremost with their eyes. 

Visual learners are what we call “spatially aware” – they remember and take in information mainly through their eyes, storing away thoughts based on what it looks like.

They pay attention to colours, lines, designs, patterns and spatial parameters. Elements of the traditional classroom suit them to a tee, such as the use of whiteboards, smartboards, educational videos and worksheets.

Since visual learners are intimately aware of their spatial surroundings, they tend to make great artists, architects and designers.

Common Visual Learner Characteristics

Although visual learners are spatially aware, this does not mean that they have a photographic memory. They aren’t able to simply look at a whiteboard full of information and remember it easily. Visual learners are not cameras.

The main strength of visual learners is their imagination. In fact, it’s one of the easiest ways to spot a visual learner – by the imaginative mind they possess. That, in and of itself, is the visual part – a visual learner, naturally, would be a visual thinker.

Here are some other indications that someone may have a visual learning style

• an ability to recall seemingly obscure faces and landmarks,
• books teeming with colours,
• sketches and annotations, and
• immaculately tidy and organised workspaces.

5 Learning Strategies for Visual Learners

The most effective study strategies for a visual learning style will engage their sense of sight. Some of the best examples include: 

1. Colour Coding

Often, visual learners will come to class with a pencil case full of different coloured pencils, pens, and highlighters. They will often use rulers or sticky notes, and are quite pedantic about the set up of their workbooks.

Those 4-colour biro pens and multi-packs of highlighters are your best friend. Organising different topics or ideas with different colours is an excellent way for visual learners to subconsciously form connections between content and commit it to memory.

2. Mind Maps, Graphics and Diagrams

Visual learners will also connect really well with making graphs, diagrams, or flow charts, and will often use mind maps for planning. When studying, they’ll often draw up posters, make illustrated flashcards, or construct a ginormous cheat sheet with all the formulas and different worked examples (often in different colours).

Similarly, by reorganising content into mind maps, connections between different materials can be seen much more easily.

3. Educational Videos 

While technology comes with its own set of challenges for students, it can also be very beneficial for their learning. One such example are educational videos – YouTube is a gold mine for visual learners! You can find a video on just about anything these days, including educational animations and infographics. The visual dimension of videos can hammer a piece of information home much more quickly and effectively than a wordy textbook for learners that rely on using their eyes.

4. Organise Your Notes 

It may sound like a no-brainer, but this is particularly important for visual learners. Remembering that visual cues are these individuals’ primary means of interacting with the world, an organised workspace translates to an organised mind ready to learn. 

Use colours and stickers, switch up the size and style of your titles, or add little doodles to make your notes more visually pleasing.

5. Use Flashcards

Flashcards are a great way for visual learners to study more effectively. 

To create flashcards, you can write down key concepts, vocabulary words, or important facts on index cards, along with a corresponding image or picture. The use of images allows visual learners to associate the information with a visual cue, making it easier to remember.

How Tutoring Can Help Visual Learners 

Is your child a visual learner who struggles with traditional classroom teaching methods? Don’t worry, they’re not alone! Many students find it difficult to understand concepts without visual aids. That’s where tutoring comes in.

With the help of a tutor, visual learners can receive personalised attention and support tailored to their unique learning style. Our Academic Personal Trainers not only tutor and mentor, but use visual aids, such as diagrams, charts, and videos, to explain concepts in a way that will make sense to your student.

Contact us for more information on how to improve your child’s academic performance!