The acronym VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/write, and Kinesthetic sensory modalities that are used for learning information. Fleming and Mills (1992) suggested four categories that seemed to reflect the experiences of the students and teachers. Although there is some overlap between categories, they are defined as follows. [For a detailed description of the initial construction and limitations of VARK, and for other works on learning styles, see the bibliography and the seminal article.]

Visual (V):

This preference includes the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices, that instructors use to represent what could have been presented in words. It could have been called Graphic (G) as that better explains what it covers. It does NOT include movies, videos or PowerPoint. It does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information.

 

To reach your goals, VISUAL learners need to create a vision board that contains images that evoke passion, excitement and stimulate you.  Goals without  a tangible visual concept often are not achieved.

Aural / Auditory (A):

This perceptual mode describes a preference for information that is “heard or spoken.” Students with this modality report that they learn best from lectures, tutorials, tapes, group discussion, email, using mobile phones, speaking, web chat and talking things through. It includes talking out loud as well as talking to yourself. Often people with this prefernce want to sort things out by speaking, rather than sorting things out and then speaking.

 

Aural learners can often associate their goals with a particular song, sound or voice.  Relating these sounds to the goals set can be a recurring reminder and stimulator to achieving them.

Read/write (R):

This preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many academics have a strong preference for this modality. This preference emphasises text-based input and output – reading and writing in all its forms. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, filofaxes, dictionaries, thesauri,quotations and words, words, words…

 

Many people appear to some as ‘well organised’.  Whilst they may be well organised, they may also fall into the category of READ/WRITE learners.  Read/ write learners are list makers.  They list their goals with dates set to achieve them by.  Often these people write ‘to do’ lists for the ‘to do’ lists.  For health & fitness goals, the lists may be extensive as many variables come into play when dealing with human emotions, habits and desires.

Kinesthetic (K):

By definition, this modality refers to the “perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice (simulated or real).” Although such an experience may invoke other modalities, the key is that people who prefer this mode are connected to reality, “either through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation” [See Fleming & Mills, 1992, pp. 140-141]. It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of “real” things, as well as case studies, practice and applications.

 

KINESTHETIC learners need to physically experience their goals.  Sounds strange but the best way for them to achieve their goals is to be in the setting and be able to visualise themselves there on their own terms.  For example, they may travel to a dream destination but not be at their goal weight.  When at the destination, they can visualise their next trip to this dream spot.  In this vivid visualisation, they will be their goal weight, wearing the dress or eating the meal they so desire.

What about Mixtures? Multimodals (MM):

Life is multimodal. There are seldom instances where one mode is used, or is sufficient, so we have a four-part VARK profile. That is why the VARK questionnaire gives you four scores. Those who prefer many modes almost equally are of two types. There are those who are context specific who choose a single mode to suit the occasion or situation. There are others who are not satisfied until they have had input (or output) in all of their preferred modes. They take longer to gather information from each mode and, as a result, they often have a deeper and broader understanding.

 

MULTIMODAL learners will have the most feedback to achieve their goals.  They will visualise, set up vision boards, they will associate sounds to their goals and may also create ‘to do’ lists and experience the goals in part.  They may only mix two modalities or all four.

Katrina is one of our star clients.  She has been on her weight loss journey now since the beginning of December last year (2010).  She has lost an outstanding amount of weight and has achieved all but one of her short term goals.  Recently, Katrina revisited her long term goals in one of her sessions with Magic.  
Pictured are a couple of items from her vision board.

Katrina, what would you see yourself wearing  when you reach your weight loss goals?

 I really want a body-type similar to Marilyn Monroe.  I’ll never be stick thin but I would like that curvy figure.  I really want to be able to wear a fitted dress.  I’ve always pictured something like Jessica Rabbit’s dress.  To top it off, I want to wear some wedge heeled shoes to compliment my dress.

Where is your dream holiday spot?  

I have always wanted to board a plane and go to Germany.

Are there any other new goals that you want to achieve?

Yes,  I want to go into a crowded restaurant and walk between the tables.  At the moment that is not a comfortable situation for me.  So I will wear my Jessica Rabbit dress, red shoes and go to a crowded restaurant in Germany.

Is there anything else you want to share with our blog readers?

Yes.  I am setting my sights on public speaking about my weight battle.  I can picture the crowd looking at me.  I will be confident and the crowd will be hanging on my every word.

For a while, my body was trying to sabotage me recently.  I lost focus  and felt as though I was wandering around in the wilderness with no clear direction.  Now that I have readdressed my goals, the path is clear now.  I look forward to more weight loss success.

Anyone can use these tools.  My goal for May next year is to take my kids to the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix (2012).  I have set my phone to play this sound & video every time I log onto You tube.

Enjoy:  

Formula 1 Monaco GP 2011 Highlights

Light it up Blue Campaign:

To raise Autism Awareness, many landmarks will be lit up in a blue hue this weekend.  If you are able to light your office up, please do so  and shine a light on Autism Awareness.

Autism Facts:

• 100,000+  Australian children are directly affected by Autism.
• People with ASD need a lot more assistance to interact with other people and understand what to do
• Each working day, 10 Australian families find out their child has Autism.
• Autism is a life-long clinical disorder that can be profoundly disabling especially when untreated.
• Treatment in the form of autism-specific intensive early intervention can significantly improve outcomes for children with autism, but in Australia such treatment is often difficult or impossible to access.
• One in 100 children are being diagnosed according to current statistical data
• In some areas (including regional areas) some towns are recording diagnosis of one in 25 children being on the Autism Spectrum.
• Adults are now being diagnosed later in life and this can have a serious impact on their family and work lives. However, many adults do not receive diagnosis and this can be a prime cause of marital breakdown, suicide, depression and crime.

Autism Terms Explained:

The term Autism Spectrum Disorder is used because there is great variation from person to person depending on the severity and combination of each area of impairment. Autism Spectrum Disorder may also coexist with other conditions or disorders, including intellectual disability, speech and language disorders, anxiety and depression (especially in adolescents and adults), epilepsy, attention disorders, Tourette Syndrome and Down Syndrome.

Autism

In Autism the impairments in the social and communication areas are severe and sustained and clearly present before the age of three years. The child is often anxious, has poor attention and motivation, responds unusually to many different stimuli and is observed as being ‘different’ from other children. Speech is delayed, or largely absent. A strong reliance on routine is apparent, and the child can have a range of ritualistic behaviours such as toe walking, hand flapping and finger gazing. The child/adult with autism may also be intellectually disabled. Sometimes, clinicians will refer to Classic Autism or Kanner Autism. This is because they believe the child or adult fits the early descriptions of Autism published by Dr Leo Kanner in the 1940’s.

High Functioning Autism

High Functioning Autism is a loosely used term (not defined in the diagnostic criteria) to describe a child or adult who meets the criteria for a diagnosis of Autism, but is not as severely affected as the more classically autistic person.

Asperger Syndrome

In Asperger Syndrome there are severe and sustained social impairments, but impairments are not as severe in the language and communication area. Speech usually develops within the normal age range, but the ability to communicate effectively (known as language pragmatics) is impaired. The impairments seem more subtle in the very young child, and become more apparent as the child reaches pre school and school age. The Asperger person is usually in the normal intelligence range.

PDD-NOS

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is the diagnosis given for children who present withsome of the characteristics of either Autism or Asperger Syndrome, but not severe enough for a diagnosis of either of these conditions. In the ICD 10 and previous editions of the DSM this diagnosis was referred to as Atypical Autism.

Most important of all

Irrespective of the diagnosis or where they fit on the spectrum, each child or adult diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is developmentally delayed, has significant difficulties participating in day-to-day life and requires sensitive understanding and specialist support and intervention.

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