1.1 Preparing to Learn
Know Yourself: What is your Learning Style?
“Reading is a complex task. No single part of the brain can do all the work,” (Q. He)
Believe it or not, we don’t all learn the same way. In fact, reading is a new enough behavior for humans that there is no wiring in our brains specifically for reading. Each and every one of us make those neural connections differently.
This is a good reason to pay attention to your learning preferences. Being aware of your own learning preferences can help you to use strategies and tools for learning that will support what you naturally do. Of course, it’s still important to use strategies that “stretch” your brain a bit too – you never know when you might need those other strategies!
NOTE: Throughout this text, you will complete various Activities and In-Class Exercises. Here is your first In-Class Exercise.
Exercises
- Take the VARK Questionnaire (http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/), and record your learning style in your Literacy Journal.
- Then, look at the strategies for your specific learning style. Make some notes about what you think will be most effective for you as a reader.
There are LOADS of Learning Style Assessments out there, so if you are really interested in this, do a search for Learning Style Assessments for Adults and you will find many options. The important thing is to learn more about yourself so you can better support your own learning.
