| People have different styles of communication and | | | | style during conversations; change your style as |
| learning: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Individuals | | | | appropriate to express yourself best. |
| unconsciously select and use one of the three styles | | | | Example of a dance teacher coaching a student: |
| more frequently than the other two. Visual people | | | | Visual: |
| understand best the things that they see; auditory | | | | Student: "I've been watching in the mirror, and I look |
| people understand best the things that they hear; | | | | off balance." |
| kinesthetic people understand best the things that | | | | Teacher: "Look in the mirror and repeat it slowly-let's |
| they touch, sense, feel or do. | | | | watch for the transition." |
| By listening to word choices during conversations, | | | | Auditory: |
| you can talk to others in their favorite communication | | | | Student: "I'm off the beat. Can you count these |
| style. This makes for better understanding between | | | | steps?" |
| people, and helps conversations go more smoothly. It | | | | Teacher: "Let's repeat this at a slow tempo. On |
| also makes you appear more caring, especially in | | | | count one, step across; on two, step out; on three, |
| business communications over the phone, which lack | | | | step forward." |
| the benefit of in-person contact. It is also particularly | | | | Kinesthetic: |
| important when coaching students in any subject. | | | | Student: "This movement feels off. What am I doing |
| Listen to word choices for cues about a person's | | | | wrong?" |
| communication style. | | | | Teacher: "Let's repeat this a few times in slow |
| Visual words: see, picture, imagine, looks, and other | | | | motion. Notice how your weight shifts from your |
| sight-related words. | | | | right to your left foot. Feel the weight transfer on |
| Auditory words: hear, listen, talk, voice, sound, and | | | | the soles of your feet." |
| other sound-related words. | | | | Benefits of better communication |
| Kinesthetic words: sense, feel, stretch, grasp, and | | | | Being aware of your own communication style helps |
| other action words. | | | | you recognize why you choose the words that you |
| Here are answers to the question "Can we meet for | | | | do; being aware of other people's preferences helps |
| lunch tomorrow, or is Friday better?" | | | | you connect with them during conversations. Benefits |
| Visual: "Tomorrow looks good to me." | | | | of good communication include good first impressions |
| Auditory: "Tomorrow sounds good to me." | | | | when meeting new people, more amiable |
| Kinesthetic: "Tomorrow works for me." | | | | conversations, clear understanding between people, |
| Although most people favor one of the three styles, | | | | and better results in teaching and learning. Visual, |
| people also pepper their conversations with words | | | | auditory and kinesthetic word choices make for |
| from the other styles, depending on what they are | | | | better understanding between friends and business |
| discussing. Be flexible in adjusting your communication | | | | associates. |