When gearing up for the ACT, it’s essential to think about how your personal learning style impacts studying and retention. The ACT has a ton of subject matter, so students who adjust their prep to match their unique style often see their scores take a turn for the better.
In this article, we’ll break down the different types of learning styles and then provide specific ACT prep study tips for visual, auditory, and hands-on learners.
What’s My Learning Style?
Several models out there categorize the different ways people best absorb new information. A simple breakdown names three basic groups – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (hands-on).
Figuring out your learning style can be done by taking an online assessment or meeting with an academic coach at your school.
Visual Learner ACT Prep Tips
If you process information best when seeing visuals like graphs, timelines, diagrams, and the good old written word, chances are you’ve got a visual learning style.
Some prime study tips include using graphic organizers to map out concepts, hitting up online ACT prep question banks to familiarize with the exam format, reviewing video explanations to reinforce tough topics, and carefully going over both right and wrong answers on practice tests, underlining critical points.
Auditory Learner ACT Test Prep Strategies
For those who learn best by listening, key strategies include having study partners verbally quiz you on relevant test content. You can also dictate ACT flashcards into a voice recorder and play them back later. Listening to podcast episodes about effective standardized test-taking approaches helps too.
The old-school tip of explaining challenging ideas out loud to yourself or a friend is tried and true. Oh, and always fully comprehend passages before answering timed practice questions.
ACT Prep Ideas for Kinesthetic Learners
Those tactile, hands-on learners will prefer study techniques that involve touching and moving versus just observing. Using tangible flashcards to master vocab never goes out of style. Tracing charts, timelines formulas with your fingers as you review them also helps concepts stick. Small manipulatives can also solidify math concepts.
And we can’t forget to incorporate regular active study breaks to recharge mentally! Tactile learners also spread out practice materials around their workspace to move between physically versus being trapped at their desks.
Teaching relevant study content to peers is another killer active way to lock down the content.
Practical Tips for Customizing ACT Prep
Tweak Practice Test Review
After taking full-timed practice exams, intentionally put study techniques aligned to your learning style to work when reviewing the results. For instance, visual test takers may color code wrong answer explanations by subject matter while auditory learners can recite explanations aloud. See the difference? This customizes the uber-critical test review process for optimal understanding.
Craft Tailored Study Schedules
When building out ACT study schedules, design the actual prep activities themselves to play to your biggest learning style strengths. That way, you stay engaged in the content longer. Like kinesthetic learners should weave in more hands-on stuff like flashcards instead of just hitting the books. similarly, auditory folks could listen to some scholarly ACT podcasts and verbally recap the big takeaways afterward.
Find Outside Help If Needed
If trying to prep solo proves to be a bust no matter what you try, seek outside reinforcements! There are fabulous private tutors, test prep companies, and often academic advisors housed right within your school who can provide support.
Just be sure to communicate your specific learning style and preferences upfront when meeting with new people so lesson styles can be tailored accordingly from day one. Local libraries or community colleges can also connect you with learning assessments or ACT prep tutoring groups as well.
Along with aligning your studying to your learning style, having the right tools makes all the difference as well.
Here at Testing Timers, we offer a game-changing watch taking the stress out of ACT prep and test day. Our watches help pace and time practice tests so students enter the exam room confident in their knowledge and free from timing anxiety.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, ACT prep lands best when it syncs up with individual learning styles. Whether it’s visually representing stuff, verbally reinforcing what you learn out loud, or physically interacting with study materials.
Play to your natural way of absorbing new info to pump up your capabilities and score. For additional assistance, various tutoring services, prep books, academic advisors, and unique resources like a Testing Timer Watch.
With the right fit prep approach, you’re sure to see scores reflecting your full smart potential.
