VARK^® In Action:
Practical Applications Beyond The Classroom

VARK was initially developed to help students improve their study practices in educational settings. However, its applications extend far beyond the classroom.

This article introduces the many and varied ways that people have found VARK helpful. We’ll first explore how VARK is used in education before delving into its applications in the workplace, including examples from the medical field. VARK is mainly about learning, but also about communication – particularly when we are trying to communicate about new or complex information, so we’ll also cover some ideas focused on communication and interpersonal skills. And lastly, when thinking about where VARK can be used, we shouldn’t forget daily life, so we’ll look at some ideas about how VARK is relevant at home and when doing leisure activities.

Using VARK in academic settings

Here are some of the important ways that VARK supports learning in education:

Classroom teaching

Teachers use VARK to diversify their teaching methods and assessment approaches. In this way, they can improve engagement and retention, but also give students experience using a variety of VARK modalities so that they can better understand what works best for them.

Study skills and learning support

VARK is effective in getting students started on their metacognitive journey. After finding out their learning preference, students can use the VARK Helpsheets to leverage their preferred learning style to study more effectively.
VARK is useful when designing learning plans for students who are facing academic challenges. One of the original key ideas behind VARK was “I’m different, not dumb” – suggesting that anyone can improve their learning by better focusing their efforts on learning strategies that work best for them. Not everyone learns the same way! Understanding this concept can be highly motivational for those who have been struggling in their studies.

Exam preparation

Students focus their personalized study plans around VARK strategies, to improve their motivation and ability to revise and retain information before exams. Traditional study techniques, such as note-making and using flashcards, can be optimized by incorporating preferred VARK modalities, rather than just only written words. For example, Visual learners can include diagrams and drawings in their notes and on their flashcards, Aural learners can practice using their notes and flashcards out loud with another Aural learner, and Kinesthetic learners can include examples and real-life applications.

Curriculum design and assessment design

Course creators can use VARK to ensure that their materials appeal to a wide range of learners, integrating activities that suit all four learning styles. Using a variety of VARK modalities when designing assessment tasks increases students’ chances of demonstrating their true understanding and ensures that they can use their knowledge in a variety of ways – just as they would in the real world.
Example assessment tasks for each VARK modality:

• Visual: Draw a diagram, create a flow chart, design an infographic, create a graph.
• Aural: Give a presentation, participate in a debate or discussion, record a podcast, complete listening comprehension tasks.
• Read/write: Write an essay or report, complete a reading comprehension quiz, create a study guide, write a journal.
• Kinesthetic: Demonstrate a skill, build a model or prototype, describe or analyze real-world applications or case studies, role-play a situation.

Remote or online learning

In online learning environments, where engagement can be challenging, VARK-based resources can offer multiple ways to engage students with course content. It is important to understand that the goal isn’t to match content to the learning styles of each student, but rather to provide variety, to keep things interesting, and to give students experience with many ways of actively learning the material.

Motivation can often be an issue when students are distanced from their teachers and peers. VARK modalities can help maintain contact and engagement by creating a sense of connection.

In the workplace

VARK is useful not only in more traditional learning situations such as training, but also in interpersonal and team situations, and in undertaking specific workplace tasks.

Training

VARK helps trainers create a more inclusive environment by offering materials in multiple formats, ensuring trainees with different learning styles will find the material engaging and absorb the information effectively. This is relevant in all types of training: sales, leadership, vocational, military, emergency response training…

New employee onboarding

HR departments use VARK to design orientation sessions that accommodate new hires’ diverse learning preferences, streamlining the onboarding process.

Personal and professional development programs

Coaches and mentors use VARK to personalize self-improvement plans based on an individual’s preferred way of learning, making personal growth more attainable.

Sales

A focus on VARK helps salespeople engage with individual customers. Being able to pick up on clues about the customer’s learning preference enables salespeople to provide more targeted information.

Workshops and seminars

Facilitators design activities that cater to all VARK preferences, increasing the likelihood that attendees will engage with and retain the presented information.

Group project work

Understanding the different learning preferences of team members facilitates delegating tasks more effectively and ensuring collaboration so that groups run smoothly. Ensuring that team members understand the different learning preferences within the team helps people make space for different ways of doing things and value the different approaches and strengths offered by team members.

Team building

VARK is great in team-building situations – not only does discussing each other’s different learning preferences function as an icebreaker, helping team members get to know each other better, but it also encourages a better understanding of differences and strengths within the group.

For more information about using VARK in the workplace, see our previous newsletter.

Medical field applications

VARK is making a significant impact in healthcare. Whether improving patient education or enhancing medical training, VARK has shown its value in a wide range of scenarios where effective communication and learning are crucial.

Medical school, residency, and nursing training

VARK principles help instructors design courses that engage future doctors, nurses, or other healthcare professionals, making complex concepts more digestible by presenting them in multiple formats.

Nurses use VARK to guide their training in procedures like administering injections or handling medical equipment, by using material appropriate for Visual, Aural, Read/write, and Kinesthetic learners.

Surgeons in training benefit from VARK by watching videos, listening to explanations, reading step-by-step instructions, or practicing techniques, depending on their preferred method of learning.

Patient communication

An understanding of VARK helps medical staff gather relevant information from patients more effectively by tailoring their communication to each patient’s preferred way of understanding and sharing information.

Medical staff use VARK to adapt explanations of diagnoses, treatments, or medication regimens, improving comprehension and compliance.

VARK helps organizers design support group sessions that resonate with participants by including different forms of learning—verbal discussions, written resources, or interactive exercises.

Therapists consider VARK learning styles when providing guidance on exercises or recovery plans, improving adherence and recovery outcomes.

Medical professionals use VARK to adapt how they explain treatment plans to families, offering written materials, diagrams, demonstrations, or verbal explanations.

Health Workshops or Seminars

Health educators use VARK to create more engaging workshops, offering a mix of presentations, handouts, and hands-on activities (e.g., for nutrition, fitness, or disease prevention).

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

A good understanding of VARK can contribute to more effective communication and interpersonal skills, which can be applied in educational, workplace, and personal settings. Here are a range of interpersonal situations where VARK is relevant:

Conflict Resolution

Tailoring conflict resolution strategies based on the involved individuals’ learning styles can make communication more effective. Some people may respond better to verbal discussions (Aural), while others might need aids like diagrams (Visual) or notes (Read/write) to clarify the situation, and concrete examples will be helpful for those with a Kinesthetic preference.

Public Speaking

Presenting orally isn’t just about speaking! Other VARK modalities can be introduced by incorporating Visual aids (diagrams and illustrations), written notes (e.g. PowerPoint presentations, handouts), and real-world examples and photos (Kinesthetic). Using a variety of modalities helps keep the presentation interesting and engaging. When preparing for their presentation, most people will benefit by practicing their speech, but preparation methods can also be tailored to specific learning styles. For example, Visual learners might draw a diagram to use as notes for their speech, Read/write learners might practice speaking from written notes, and Kinesthetic learners might incorporate examples from their own experience into their speech and role-play the speaking situation.

Collaboration

When working with others, understanding each other’s preferred way of processing information can help improve communication and collaboration. VARK preferences can be considered when assigning tasks – some may prefer tasks that are aligned with their VARK preference – and understanding each other’s preferences fosters an appreciation of the contributions that each person makes to the group.

Leadership

A good understanding of VARK helps leaders communicate effectively and connect well with others. With an understanding of how others learn and contribute, leaders can better understand others, and they can tailor their leadership style accordingly, to communicate more effectively and encourage the most from others. For example, some may thrive on verbal feedback, while others prefer written guidance or hands-on mentorship.

Negotiation Skills

Generally, people tend to find information that comes in their preferred VARK modality more convincing, and this can be used to good effect in a negotiation situation! For example, Aural learners will place more importance on what an expert tells them than on something that is written down, while for someone with a Read/write preference, the written word takes precedence – there is no point in telling them something that goes against what has been put in writing! Visual learners will be more convinced if you can situate your point in the bigger picture by providing a contextual diagram. And Kinesthetic learners will be more swayed by concrete, real-life examples than by big ideas.

It is important to keep in mind that most people who have a multimodal learning preference need to process information in all or most of their preferred modalities before they really feel they “get it”, so in many cases, the argument will be more convincing if it is approached from multiple (VARK) angles.

Decision Making

Making a good decision requires collecting and evaluating all the relevant information, and VARK can contribute to this process in two ways:

1. Considering the decision from different VARK angles can provide new perspectives on the issue.
   Particularly if you have a single VARK preference, it may be helpful to consider the decision with other VARK modalities in mind, as your single preference might contribute to a blind spot where you overlook vital information or place more importance on certain aspects than they warrant. For example, if you have a Kinesthetic preference, check whether you are getting bogged down with specific details or examples and could be missing the bigger picture, and conversely, if you have a Visual preference, you might be focusing on the bigger picture to such an extent that you’re overlooking real-world situations that contradict your vision. If you have an Aural preference, you might be placing undue importance on what someone you regard as an expert has told you – take the time to check for other perspectives. If you have a Read/write preference, you might be focused on what is in writing and might be lacking the perspectives that can be gained from talking with others.
2. Once you have gathered all your information, use your VARK preference to organize and analyze it, so that you can come to the best decision.
   Draw a diagram showing the pros and cons of the different options (V), discuss or debate the options with others (A), write notes summarizing and evaluating the options (R), and/or think about how the options would work out in various real-world scenarios (K).

Applications in Daily Life

Here are just a few examples:

Working with Children

It can be frustrating when you find yourself repeatedly asking a child to do something, and the message clearly isn’t getting through. VARK gives you a toolbox of different techniques to try! If verbal instructions aren’t working, you could try a written list or checklist (R), a drawn list (using symbols or pictures instead of words) or illustration (V), or demonstrating or using examples (K).

Keep in mind that children under 12 years of age are still developing their capabilities and preferences, so it isn’t helpful to label them as having a particular VARK preference. They might seem to prefer a particular modality right now, but this is likely to be a developmental phase; using that modality might work well for the moment, but you (and they) should be prepared to adapt as they grow.

Hobbies

People learning new hobbies can use VARK to understand what method works best for them, whether through diagrams (Visual), video tutorials and demonstrations (Kinesthetic), written instructions (Read/write), podcasts (Aural), or hands-on practice (Kinesthetic), or just having a go (Kinesthetic).
For instance, for knitting, Read/write learners might prefer written patterns, while Kinesthetic learners benefit from video demonstrations.

Sport

Sport might initially seem to be a very Kinesthetic-focused activity, but there are ways that other VARK modalities contribute to better understanding: some might benefit from reading about exercises, discussing what they are doing with coaches or other players, or studying diagrams showing different plays or techniques.

Language Learning

When learning a new language, it is important to cover all aspects of using the language (listening, reading, writing, speaking), and sometimes you’ll need to practice skills that don’t match your VARK preference. In these situations, you can support your practice using your preferred modes as well: If you have a Read/write preference, you might write down new words that come up in your conversations. Or if you have a Kinesthetic preference, you might seek out videos where you can listen to the language spoken in everyday situations.

It is also helpful to regularly schedule language learning practice that does match your preferences, to keep up motivation. For example, if you have a Read/write preference and are feeling less engaged in your listening and speaking practice – keep up your motivation by interspersing your listening and speaking with time reading or learning grammar rules.

Board Games & Puzzle Solving

VARK is helpful when learning complex games. Using written instructions will work for some (Read/write), while others may benefit from diagrams (Visual), verbal explanations (Aural), demonstrations or videos (Kinesthetic), or just having a go (Kinesthetic).

Travel

For many people, planning their travel is just as enjoyable as the actual trip. When preparing, keep your VARK preference in mind. Maps are always of interest to those with a Visual preference and are vital when planning routes. Talking with others who have been where you are going is great for Aural learners who get a lot from expert opinions. Reading internet articles and travel books helps Read/write learners find all the details they are looking for. Videos and photos will be inspirational for those with a Kinesthetic preference.

Conclusion

VARK is much more than a tool for education—it’s a framework that enhances learning, communication, and understanding in countless contexts. From schools to workplaces, medical fields to everyday life, its adaptability makes it invaluable. Whether you’re trying to better connect with others, teach, or learn something new yourself, VARK offers a simple yet effective way to succeed. Explore its possibilities—you might be surprised how it transforms your approach to learning and communication.

Note:
VARK is free for individual use and for use within educational institutions for the purpose of helping students learn better. Any other use requires copyright approval – you can apply for this here: Copyright Permission Application.