to ask whether you know how you learn?

[shudup]

One popular theory, the VARK model, identifies four primary types of learners: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic.

I've been strongly academic because of books, but I have had this testing done on me in a couple of workplaces and I come out really weak on auditory (which is what most lecturing consists of) and very strongly kinesthetic.

I learned over the years, but didn't realise I was doing it until it was pointed out to me, that I would have to write what was being said and that was enough to get something into my head (writing was enough of kinesthesia). But hearing something? You might as well be talking to a hole in the wall for all that I absorbed.

Anyone else had this done?

But you have been very successful academically because you engaged with lectures by writing things down and using good revision techniques! These strategies help nearly everyone, not just particular reading/writing group people.

I always believed this was nonsense until we had DS2; he is 9 and watches all kinds of crap when he can get hold of youtube, but not kinder-egg-unwrapping nonsense, things like how to rebuild a certain kind of engine or how to rewire things. It is crackers but he can watch a video on how to build or fix something then work his way through it without a moments help.

He helped DH dismantle, fix and rebuild our lawn mower last summer and afterwards announced he'd watched it on YouTube. That was the moment I realised some people really do learn by seeing something done. I could give him 57 verbal instructions and the kittens inside his head would be whispering to him "ignore her, stand at the top of the stairs in your pants and sing Imagine Dragons quite loudly". If I give him a picture list on his bedroom wall he's up, dressed immaculately and feeding himself breakfast by 7.30am each day.