Learning Styles are God's Speaking Styles

As an educator for 15 years, I have learned a lot about learning styles--or more accurately, I have been forced into professional development sessions where the topic is learning styles. A learning style is the preferred method of absorbing, processing and retaining information. The first time I heard about learning styles, with an eye-roll and a sigh, I thought it was a bunch of hog-wash. The more I learned about it, however, the more merit I found in learning styles. It made me realize why I can't focus on a speaker's words unless I am taking notes or doodling. It made me realize why I hated listening to directions, and I just wanted someone to hand it to me so I could read it myself. It's because I'm a visual learner--processing auditory information has always been difficult for me.

Depending on which list you look at, there are several categories into which learning styles can be broken down. The easiest is to break it down into three categories: visual, auditory and kinesthetic.

• Visual: using pictures, words, images and reading as a primary source of gathering information.
• Auditory: learning through hearing, listening and music
• Kinesthetic/Tactile: learning by doing, feeling and experiencing

These three primary learning styles were first brought into popular education models by Walter Burke Barbe in the late 1970's. It is said that a student's preferred learning style will have a significant influence on both his/her learning and behavior. Teachers, therefore, should match learning strategies with the student's preferred learning style in order to increase comprehension and motivation. The shift in education over the past few decades to accommodate students in their preferred learning styles has been profound. Most modern high school students would be able to readily tell you their preferred learning style. If you would like to figure out your learning style, you can take this Learning Style Assessment.

Digging a little bit deeper, a more comprehensive list will divide out these three primary learning styles into more specific categories:

• Visual/spatial: using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
• Verbal/linguistic: using words, both in speech and writing.
• Auditory/musical: using sound and music.
• Logical/mathematical: using logic, reasoning and systems.
• Kinesthetic/Tactile: using your body, hands and sense of touch.
• Interpersonal: preference is to learn in groups or with other people.
• Intrapersonal: preference is to work alone and use self-study.

I'm sure that you can identify with at least one of these learning styles as you were reading them. Our learning style makes us even more unique individuals, especially when learning styles are combined with one another--no two people learn the exact same way. I am a visual learner, but I'm also verbal and logical. One afternoon as I was praying, and God revealed to me something amazing--He speaks to us in our learning styles!

I have never been one to "hear God's voice." I've never heard an audible voice from heaven come down and talk to me. For a large portion of my life, I thought this was how God spoke. Everyone always talked about "hearing God's voice," and I didn't hear Him in this manner, so I thought God just didn't speak to me.

When God showed me that He can speak in more ways than a voice, it was an absolute revelation. Most of the time, God shows me pictures. As I try to understand the picture, He reveals to me what He wants me to understand. This matches perfectly with my visual learning style and verbal strengths. For an example of how God shows me pictures and then unravels them, read Mashed Potatoes or Dancing with Jesus. He's shown me red carpets, boats on the lake, tile flooring, purple irises, horse on the beach, and many more pictures--all of which, once unraveled, the picture was exactly what God wanted to tell me.

So let's look at the learning styles and how God might speak to you using your specific learning style.

• Visual/spatial: look for God to give you visions and pictures. Look for God in things you see, then ask God to show you meaning in what you see.
• Verbal/linguistic: God will speak to you through the reading of His Word, through the words of other people, through blogs, sermons and other written media.
• Auditory/musical: God speaks to you through worship and music. You will literally hear His voice--probably even audibly.
• Logical/mathematical: God will speak to you through science, through the perfectness of His creation, through numbers and logic.
• Kinesthetic: You will experience God through feeling and touching. This is the goose-bumps you feel when you're in His presence. You will get "impressions" and feelings that you need to say or do something. You probably have said, "I feel like God is saying..."
• Interpersonal: As an extrovert, you will feel refreshed, both emotionally and spiritually by spending time with other like-minded Christians. You will enjoy talking and sharing your experiences with others.
• Intrapersonal: As in introvert, you will get more from the Word of God by reading and studying on your own. Spending time with God alone will make you feel recharged and ready to face your battles with the Lord on your side.

Why would we ever want to limit our omniscient, omnipotent God by putting Him in a box when it comes to His voice? If He can breathe the world into existence, He can speak to anyone in any way He wants, whether it's a burning bush or a still, quiet voice.