[Overview] [Table Of Contents] [Previous Section] [Next Section]

Summary of Chapter 5 - Adapt with the Memletic Styles

Each of us learns using preferred learning styles. This chapter helps you discover your stronger and secondary learning styles, and the range of styles available to you. It also provides you with strategies for improving your learning by using your dominant styles and developing your secondary styles. These strategies help you adapt Memletics to suit your preferences, while challenging you to increase the range of styles you can use. The result is you can apply your new-found abilities to many more varied goals.

Memletics recognizes that each person prefers different learning styles and techniques. Learning styles group common ways that people learn. Everyone has a mix of learning styles. Some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in different circumstances. There is no right mix. Nor are your styles fixed. You can develop ability in less dominate styles, as well as further develop styles that you already use well.

Using multiple learning styles and “multiple intelligences” for learning is a relatively new approach. This approach is one that educators have only recently started to recognize. Traditional schooling used (and continues to use) mainly linguistic and logical teaching methods. It also uses a limited range of learning and teaching techniques. Many schools still rely on classroom and book-based teaching, much repetition, and pressured exams for reinforcement and review. A result is that we often label those who use these learning styles and techniques as “bright.” Those who use less favored learning styles often find themselves in lower classes, with various not-so-complimentary labels and sometimes lower quality teaching. This can create positive and negative spirals that reinforce the belief that one is “smart” or “dumb.”

By recognizing and understanding your own learning styles, you can use techniques better suited to you. This improves the speed and quality of your learning.

In this chapter, we first look at the basis of learning styles and their influence on learning. Following that, I have an exercise for you. The exercise is a questionnaire to help you discover your preferred Memletic styles.

We then look at each of the Memletic Styles in turn. In summary, these are:

• Visual. You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
• Aural. You prefer using sound and music.
• Verbal. You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
• Physical. You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
• Logical. You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
• Social. You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
• Solitary. You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

Lastly, we look at how you can improve your learning by using learning styles. One obvious way is to use more of your dominant learning styles. An interesting feature of learning styles is that you can also improve your learning performance by using styles you do not often use. If you are a mainly visual person, then you can make a lesson more memorable by using some aural content in your visualizations. If you like to use logic, then use some physical learning techniques occasionally.

Why Styles? Understand the basis of learning styles

Your learning styles have more influence than you may realize. Your preferred styles guide the way you learn. They also change the way you internally represent experiences, the way you recall information, and even the words you choose. We explore more of these features in this chapter.

Research shows us that each learning style uses different parts of the brain. By involving more of the brain during learning, we remember more of what we learn. Researchers using brain-imaging technologies have been able to find out the key areas of the brain responsible for each learning style. Refer to the “Brain Regions” diagram and read the following overview:

• Visual. The occipital lobes at the back of the brain manage the visual sense. Both the occipital and parietal lobes manage spatial orientation.
• Aural. The temporal lobes handle aural content. The right temporal lobe is especially important for music.
• Verbal. The temporal and frontal lobes, especially two specialized areas called Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas (in the left hemisphere of these two lobes).
• Physical. The cerebellum and the motor cortex (at the back of the frontal lobe) handle much of our physical movement.
• Logical. The parietal lobes, especially the left side, drive our logical thinking.
• Social. The frontal and temporal lobes handle much of our social activities. The limbic system (not shown apart from the hippocampus) also influences both the social and solitary styles. The limbic system has a lot to do with emotions, moods and aggression.
• Solitary. The frontal and parietal lobes, and the limbic system, are also active with this style.

I’ve based the Memletic Styles on two brain models you may have heard about. The first is “Multiple Intelligences” by Howard Gardner. I’ve broadened his model and made it more applicable to learning. You may know the other model as “VAK,” or the Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic model. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) books also describe this model as “modality preferences.”

You may have also heard about the “left brain / right brain” model. In this model, the “left brain” is more logical, calculating and knowing, whereas the right brain focuses on emotions, feelings, and the visual sense. Recent research shows the brain is more complex than that simple model allows. Some activities are more commonly on the left or right sides, such as language on the left and music on the right. However, most of our brain’s functions are a rich interplay between both the hemispheres.

Profile yourself—use the Memletic Styles questionnaire

Before we look at the various learning styles, let’s discover what learning styles you prefer. In the following questionnaire, you first estimate your learning styles. You then answer seventy questions about how you interact with the world. Following that, you complete a scoring sheet that then gives you a score for each learning style. Lastly, you graph your results and compare against your estimate.

The outcome from the questionnaire is a personalized Memletic Styles graph similar to the one on the right.

You can write in the book (or take a photocopy if the book belongs to someone else) or use the spreadsheet from the website The spreadsheet has the benefit that it calculates your scores and graphs them for you.

You will find this questionnaire valuable. Doing this questionnaire helps you better understand your own learning styles. It also makes the following descriptions more relevant to you.

Do the pre-test graph

Before you start the questionnaire, fill out the blank graph on the right. Review the basic descriptions at the start of the chapter if you like.

For each axis, estimate on a rating of zero to twenty how often you use that particular learning style. Score zero if hardly ever, twenty if you use that style often. Draw in the score on each style axis (the lines starting from the centre), then join the dots like in the example Memletic Styles graph above.

Answer the questions

Answer each question by circling one of the numbers on the right. You could also write zero, one or two directly into the scoring sheet further below, or print out a sheet from the spreadsheet on the website If you enter your scores into the score sheet while you answer the questions, hide the bottom of the score sheet so you don’t see the styles for each column.

The scale is as follows:

0. The description sounds nothing like you.

1. The description sounds partly like you.

2. The description sounds exactly like you.

Take as long as you like. Afterwards we rate your answers. Remember there are no right or wrong answers. Usually the first response that comes into your mind when you read the question is a good answer.

Questions

Score your responses

Now that you have completed the questions, use the score sheet further below to assign your answers to the correct styles.

In the shaded box for each question, write in your score from the questions above – zero, one or two.
Once you have filled out all the boxes, add up each column and write the totals at the bottom of each column.
Finally, add the totals of each style from the two columns and write your overall totals in the bottom box

Graph and analyze

Lastly, graph your scores on the blank Memletic Styles graph on the right. As you may have done above before answering the questions, draw in the score on each axis, then join the dots.

The graph shows which styles you use more often, against those you use less often. You might also like to compare your graph back to your estimate of your learning styles. Look at the differences and try to understand them.

Keep your results in mind and continue to the next section, where I give you some more information on each of the learning styles.

Note: The full scoring sheet is included in the full version of the manual.

The Visual Style—images, colors and spatial relationships

If you use the visual style, you typically excel at using images, pictures, colors, and maps to structure information and communicate with others. You can easily visualize objects, plans and outcomes in your mind’s eye. You also have a good spatial sense, which gives you a good sense of direction. You can easily find your way around using maps, and you rarely get lost. When you walk out of an elevator, you instinctively know which way to turn.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the visual style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the visual style.
• Common phrases that visual style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a visual style.
• Comments on the use of visualization by those who don’t use a visual style all that much.

The Aural Style—sound and music

If you use the aural style, you like to work with sound and music. You have a good sense of pitch and rhythm, and you typically can sing, play a musical instrument, or identify the sounds of different instruments.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the aural style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the aural style.
• Common phrases that aural style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using an aural style.

The Verbal Style—spoken and written words

The verbal style involves both the written and spoken word. If you use this style, you find it easy to express yourself, both written and verbally. You love reading, and typically also write.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the verbal style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the verbal style.
• Common phrases that verbal style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a verbal style.

The Physical Style—touch and sensations

If the physical style is more like you, it’s likely that you use your body and sense of touch to learn and understand the world around you. It’s pretty likely that you like sports and exercise, and other physical activities such as gardening.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the physical style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the physical style.
• Common phrases that physical style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a physical style.

The Logical Style—mathematics, reasoning and logic

If you use the logical style, you typical excel at using your brain for logical and mathematical reasoning. You can recognize patterns easily, as well as connections and relationships between seemingly meaningless content. This also leads you to categories and group information in order to help you learn or understand it.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the logical style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the logical style.
• Common phrases that logical style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a logical style.

The Social Style—communication and groups, synergy

If you have a strong social style, you generally communicate well with people, both verbally and non-verbally. People listen to you or come to you for advice, and you are typically sensitive to their motivations, feelings or moods.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the social style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the social style.
• Common phrases that social style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a social style.

The Solitary Style—private, introspective and independent

If you have a solitary style, you are typically more private, introspective and independent. You are able to concentrate well – focusing your thoughts and feelings on the topic at hand. You are aware of your own thinking, and may actually analyze the different ways in which you do think and feel.

Content in the book includes:

• Further description of the solitary style traits.
• Typical pursuits that make use of the solitary style.
• Common phrases that solitary style people use.
• Detailed discussion of which exploration and memorization techniques work well with those using a solitary style.

Expand your use of styles

There are two reasons why the learning styles are a key part of the Memletics. They help you:

• Identify and use your current preferences: They help you identify your own learning preferences and strengths. This then allows you to adapt the learning process and the learning techniques to suit your particular strengths.
• Expand your range of styles. They provide a basis for you to start expanding your use of other styles. Focus some time on further developing those styles which you otherwise don’t use that often.

Content in the book includes:

• A discussion on how styles improve your learning performance.
• How to avoid falling into the “learning styles trap” that others have.
• How to strengthen your use of your dominant styles
• How to improve your use of your secondary styles, and why.

Chapter summary

In this chapter you first discovered your learning style preferences using the style questionnaire. This helped you identify you dominant and secondary styles.

You then read about each of the styles—the visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social and solitary styles. For each style, you saw common traits, occupations and phrases. You then discovered how you can adapt Memletics to suit your personal learning styles.

Lastly, we considered how you can expand your learning styles. You can improve how you use your dominant styles, as well as develop your secondary styles. Both of these increase how well you can use your learning styles to improve your learning performance.

In the next chapter we examine the last part of Memletics, the Memletic Approach. You will learn how to target your goal, plan your path, manage the journey and remember to enjoy the goal.

[Overview] [Table Of Contents] [Previous Section] [Next Section]