How do you coach to different learning styles?

Learning styles, such as Neil Fleming's VARK model (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic), represent how individuals process information. Visual learners prefer diagrams and images, aural learners favor listening and discussions, read/write learners thrive on written materials, and kinesthetic learners learn best through hands-on experiences. For instance, teaching photosynthesis might involve visual aids, discussions, written explanations, and hands-on experiments to accommodate various learning styles.

Imagine you're a coach working with a team of professionals in a corporate setting. You notice that one team member, Sarah, often asks detailed questions during discussions, prefers taking extensive notes during meetings, and frequently shares written summaries of her findings with the team. She seems most comfortable when reading and writing. In this scenario, you can infer that Sarah's learning style leans toward the Read/Write category, as she prefers text-based methods for processing and retaining information.

I believe that's the most difficult part regarding this topic. Identifying the learning style of the audience plays an essential role. I realized this in my early years of the career. The same speech combined with demonstration was received completely different by my audience. Some people preferred images, some preferred to read the slides and some people in my team asked different questions about the topic to learn more. Even though at the time I didn't know the VARK technique, I could some how identify the different learning types. It's good method to listen to questions and observe body language of the person to understand their learning styles. Of course, VARK questionnaire is also good method to practice.

Let's say you're coaching a team of employees on a new project management software. You've identified that one team member, Vanessa, is a visual learner. During your coaching session with Vanessa, you use visual aids like flowcharts and diagrams to explain the software's workflow. This helps her grasp the concepts more effectively. On the other hand, another team member, Keith, is a kinesthetic learner. For Keith, you create interactive simulations where he can practice using the software in a hands-on way. This approach caters to each team member's learning style, making the coaching more productive for both.

Balancing different learning styles in coaching is crucial for effective skill development. For instance, in a software development team, visual learners benefit from diagrams, aural learners thrive in discussions, read/write learners need written resources, and kinesthetic learners learn by doing. By mixing coaching methods and materials that cater to these styles, you create a holistic learning environment that fosters growth and engagement among team members. It's essential to adapt your coaching style to individual needs and the specific learning context.

The documentations that I prepare are usually read by the team of 10-20 people. As each of them has their own learning style, I try to balance it in my BA documentation. How? I don't only use words to describe what is needed to be developed by the technical team, but rather use formulas, graphics, visual items, charts and most importantly, relevant diagrams to feed the different learning styles and making it easier for everybody to understand. In addition to that, in the demonstration sessions I try to visually show the MVP of the feature/product while I am presenting it.

To improve your coaching to different learning styles: Collect Feedback: Gather feedback from coachees via surveys or interviews to understand their preferences and needs. Evaluate Results: Use performance metrics or tests to assess coaching outcomes objectively. Self-Reflection: Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a coach, focusing on adapting to diverse learning styles. Continuous Learning: Pursue courses or workshops to acquire new coaching techniques and insights. This ongoing process enhances coaching effectiveness and benefits coachees with diverse learning styles.

In my experience, the best method to improve my coaching was thorough getting the feedback from others and self-reflection. I usually have a separate Q&A session at the end of each presentation. Moreover, I ask my audience about how did they understand everything and if anyone would like to give feedback. Other than that, the self-reflection is very helpful method to evaluate one's coaching skills. I try to benefit from it as much as I can.

Acho que um dos melhores estilos de aprendizagem é tentar replicar/ensinar o que se aprendeu para outras pessoas, pois assim se assimila mais fácil e rapidamente o que se aprendeu. Outro ponto é usar exemplos práticos do dia a dia em referência ao que se aprendeu, pois é possível ver a aderência da teoria com a prática