A framework I have found helpful to understand and accept myself and understand and communicate more effectively with others is a classification system that identifies how each of us learns and processes the world around us, how we organize, make decisions, and think creatively. 

Dawna Markova, whose ideas I’m summarizing and whose books I’ve listed below, identified six unique patterns of thinking. Each of us has a natural preference for one of these six. The more we recognize our pattern, the more we can use it effectively; and the more we understand others thinking patterns, the more we can maximize relationships.

The theory of Learning Styles is based generally on the concept that there are three perceptual pathways to learning: visual (sight), kinesthetic (body, sensation, motion), and auditory (sound)—you’ve probably heard of these and three states of consciousness: conscious, subconscious and unconscious. Every person experiences each of these states of consciousness and each is linked to one of the three perceptual pathways through which we are obtaining the information.

By identifying which pathway is identified with each state of consciousness, you can identify your learning style. 

To categorize your learning style notice the order in which you process  information. Dawna Markova keeps it simple and uses the first letter of the sense so V for visual, A for auditory and K for kinesthetic.

Visual refers to images, external or internal.

Auditory refers to using ones sense of hearing internally and externally.

Kinesthetic refers to bodily sensations and moving.

Markova found that each person leads with one modality most of the time. This is the modality that you can use for a long while without becoming tired, it’s where you’re most comfortable. This is your conscious modality or your front channel. In your subconscious modality or middle channel, you can process in a multidimensional way bringing all modalities to bear.  The middle channel is the way you connect all three channels. In your unconscious modality or back channel, your experience is deep, powerful and compelling. Your ability to discriminate is less in this channel and you’re more creative and sensitive. This is the channel where you’re a little awkward, and where you may feel stuck or frozen, blank out or go silent.

Let’s put these two things together- our levels of consciousness and the channel in which we receive the information – to understand your unique learning style, remembering that how we use them is fluid and  dynamic, we move from one to the other, first one is capturing our attention, then another.

First, to determine your conscious modality or front channel, think about what you can do for the longest time or what do you do to relax. Is it reading or looking at a computer screen? Or exercising or moving? Or listening to music? You favor certain verbs according to which modality is in the front, e.g., I can see that (how does that look?) or I hear you (how does that sound?) or Do you get the feel of that (how does that grab you?)?

To discover your unconscious modality, ask yourself: What stimuli do I find the hardest to ignore? To what sorts of stimuli am I the most sensitive? Where am I a little awkward? What am I doing, hearing or seeing when I just seem to zone out? You aren’t necessarily unaware of the modality you use for unconscious processing; you’re simply aware of it differently.

Your subconscious modality, or middle channel, is the one that is left. It is the bridge between the front and back channels. Activating the subconscious modality helps information transfer between conscious and unconscious. I’ll use myself as an example. I’m a VKA. In order to talk coherently (A) about an idea (V internal image), I need to have the feel of the idea (K).

Using Learning Styles to Improve Communication and Relationships

People with any set of learning styles can communicate successfully.  Knowing what learning styles are involved simply facilitates engagement with each other. We tend to communicate most easily with those who process information the same way we do. Yet those with different styles may interest and stimulate us more. The greater the learning style differences, the more good communication skills help, especially in close relationships or when difficulties emerge.

Two people with the same learning styles (VAK/VAK) will likely communicate well. Yet a matched-learning style romance can easily lose its sizzle because the partners process information in such similar ways, yet remain too comfortable to motivate change.

When only conscious modalities match (AVK/AKV), people may harmonize well on the surface, sharing activities and beliefs, but need more effort to create resonance on a deep level.  Perhaps the AVK will take the lead when visual communication is needed, while the AKV will step forward when kinesthetic challenges arise.

When only unconscious modalities match (VAK/AVK), people may touch each other in a very deep, sacred way- yet have some difficulties getting from the front and middle channel to the back channel where they more readily align. 

Using Your Style to Help you Learn

Use your front-middle-back sequence to learn easily.  Indeed, you may be able to identify your learning pattern by thinking about the sequence in which you would prefer to receive new information.  VAKs often prefer to read directions, hear an explanation, then try a physical task.  KVAs, in contrast, would rather experiment with the task, read the directions and then hear instructions or discuss the task. If auditory is your unconscious modality, prepare for a lecture by reading or doing something related. During the talk, do something that activates your more conscious modalities (sketching, taking notes, knitting, pacing the back of the room). This keeps the words from putting you to sleep, and lets you filter and prioritize the information coming in so your unconscious doesn’t get overwhelmed trying to process everything. Activating your subconscious modality helps bridge between conscious and unconscious modalities, improving your memory and understanding.  If visual is your back channel, you may want to read something out loud or get a podcast or cd, or play music or work out while you read.  Your own experimentation will be the best guide. 

References:

The Open Mind: Exploring the 6 Patterns of Natural Intelligence, by Dawna Markova, 1996
The Art of the Possible: A Compassionate Approach to Understanding the Way People Think, Learn and Communicate by Dawna Markova, 1991
How Your Child is Smart: A Life-Changing Approach to Learning, by Dawna Markova and Anne Powell, 1992
Learning Unlimited: Using Homework to Engage Your Child's Natural Style of Intelligence, by Dawna Markova and Anne Powell, 1998
Think-Ability, by Dawna Markova and Professional Thinking Partners, 2002