iLEAP Academia

Here is  an important  piece  of information  for you - all individuals  as learners  fall into three  different learner  categories - Visual,  auditory and  kinesthetic. There are two more to that list - gustatory and olfactory. Your  audience   will be  a mix of all these  kinds  of learners,  so when you communicate during a presentation, remember that  there must be  something that  captures the  interest of  each  of these.

Visual learners make up about 40 percent of any group. Such individuals learn through seeing. So include pictures, graphs, diagrams that will hold their attention and help them retain information. Telling people that throwing garbage can be harmful  to the  environment  will become  an effective message if you include  pictures  of the earth getting  clogged, graphic  representations  of  disasters caused  by dumping  of garbage  etc.

Auditory learners on the other hand learn through listening. They represent about 20 to 30 percent of the group. They are quick to take in powerful words and stories. Citing examples of what you say with stress, analogies, statistics will drive the message home to such people. They are also influenced by your pitch, volume and tone.

Kinesthetic learners learn through tactile representation-moving touching etc. They need activities to keep them engaged. Note taking might help them to assimilate information. Touching and feeling an actual product works better for them than images displayed.
So when you plan your presentation, remember to include something for everyone. Not  only  will it  add variety  and  diversity  it  is also  catering  to the  different  learning styles and  keeps  everyone  in the  audience  satisfied.

Summary:

• What type of audience are you prepared for? Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic? How will you tune your presentation to each type? Given the audience a little of each will help.

Reflection Time

You have to present a five minute talk as part of an enrichment session for the freshers at your work place. The topic you have been asked to speak on is “Working in Teams - Dos and Don’ts”. Knowing that your audience will have all three kinds of learners, how are you going to reach out to all of them?

• Think of two ways that can appeal to people who are visual. What choice of words will you use to get through to them?
• Two ways of appealing to people who are auditory. Again what  choice  of  words  will you use to  gain their  attention?
• Kinesthetic people understand through activities. What quick activity can you consider in which to engage them?

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