Your learning can be tailored to fit your style for best results

According to most experts, there are three main learning styles: auditory, tactile and visual. Most people are a combination of styles, but will typically lean more towards one than the others. It's helpful to figure out which one you are so that your learning can be tailored to fit your style for best results.

Listening to learn

The traditional form of teaching, where a teacher stands at the head of a classroom dictating notes to students, only suits a small number of people because it relies on the learner being an auditory learner – someone who absorbs information by hearing it.

About 30 per cent of the population are auditory learners – they learn best by listening and they're normally the people in class who like to talk the most or give presentations. The most effective method of learning if you fall into this category is to read out loud in order to absorb information. Make use of apps that have a record function and make the most of online videos or word association to help recall facts.

Watching to learn

Most people tend to fall into the visual learning category – meaning they learn best by seeing – either by reading or by watching a video or a demonstration. If this sounds like you then you're going to learn more from a textbook than by being talked at. Visual learners also need quiet in order to focus. One good tip for revising if you're this type of learner is to stick flashcards around the house and copy out information by hand to help it ‘stick'.

Experiencing to learn

Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners are fairly unusual. This type of learner finds it hard to sit still and focus for long stretches of time; they might find it hard to remember information unless they're moving around. People with this learning style do well at sports and hands-on jobs that require doing, rather than sitting around and discussing. If that sounds like it might be you, don't berate yourself for not being able to sit at a desk and study. Instead, think about learning on the go or while exercising. Incorporate field trips into your study plan and give yourself frequent breaks if faced with a textbook.

Once you've figured out what your predominant learning style is and have adapted your studying to suit, you'll hopefully find revising for those uni or TAFE courses a lot less stressful and learning a lot more fun.