Tips for Visual Learners

Clues to Style

• Needs to be able to see the information
• Difficulty following spoken directions (prefers written directions)
• Strong sense of color
• May be easily distracted by sounds
• Trouble following lectures
• Misunderstands or misinterprets spoken material
• Tends to think in images or pictures (even visualizes notes or outlines)
• Artistic talent in the visual arts
• Often have vivid imaginations
• Needs something to watch so may tend to stare
• Often quiet or not lengthy talkers
• Becomes impatient or drifts away when extensive listening required
• Learns by seeing and watching demonstrations
• Tends to conform to classroom standards (such as sitting quietly, writing neatly, organizing materials)
• Effective in written communication, symbol manipulation, etc.

Study Tip Suggestions

• Take lecture notes
• Underline, highlight, or circle printed material
• Borrow others' notes, compare to own
• Draw pictures in notes to illustrate ideas
• Use a variety of colors-in pens, highlighters, note cards, etc. for different categories or concepts
• After reading, review notes or underlined material to reinforce learning
• Write it out!
• Use outlines, pictures, graphs, charts and diagrams
• Use a plastic cover with erasable markers to label diagrams over and over, or to test yourself writing answers to questions
• Visualize spelling of words or facts to be memorized
• Test yourself by visualizing main ideas or questions and write the details or answers
• Read black and white text and convert information into pictures, maps, diagrams, sketches, lists, etc.
• Make mind maps to look at spatial relationships
• Rewrite or redraw things from memory
• Look at professors and others when they talk to help you focus and to pick up on body language
• Make and use flashcards for studying (vocabulary, formulas, condensed notes, etc.)
• Use computers to organize material and to create graphs, tables, charts
• Study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances
• Make your study area visually appealing