Tactile Learners

If you are a tactile learner, you learn by touching and doing. You understand and remember things through physical movement. You are a “hands-on” learner who prefers to touch, move, build, or draw what you learn, and you tend to learn better when some type of physical activity is involved. You need to be active and take frequent breaks, you often speak with your hands and with gestures, and you may have difficulty sitting still.


As a tactile learner, you like to take things apart and put things together, and you tend to find reasons to tinker or move around when you become bored. You may be very well coordinated and have good athletic ability. You can easily remember things that were done, but might have difficulty remembering what you saw or heard in the process. You often communicate by touching, and you appreciate physically
expressed forms of encouragement, such as a pat on the back.


Does this hit the nail on the head? If so, read on, because here are some things that tactile learners like you can do to learn better:

• Participate in activities that involve touching, building, moving, or drawing.
   

• Use lots of hands-on activities like art projects, taking walks, or acting out stories.
   

• It’s OK to chew gum, walk around, or rock in a chair while reading or studying.
   

• Use flashcards and arrange them in groups to show relationships between ideas.
   

• Trace words with your finger to learn spelling (finger spelling).
   

• Take frequent breaks during reading or studying periods (frequent, but not long).
   

• It’s OK to tap a pencil, shake your foot, or hold on to something while learning.
   

• Use a computer to reinforce learning through the sense of touch.
   

• Remember that you learn best by doing, not just by reading, seeing, or hearing.

As you can see, people learn in different ways. And, there are many different things you can do to help yourself along the way. Now it’s up to you to play it smart and use these tips in class and when you’re studying at home. You should also make sure that your parents know about your learning style, so tell them about this exercise you did today.


Remember, knowing HOW you learn will make it easier for you to learn and remember new information for the rest of your life.