Management Blog

VAK - Visual, Auditory & Kinesthetic Learning Stlyes

How Individuals Have Different Learning Styles

The VAK (or VARK or VACT) learning styles model and related VAK/VARK/VACT tests (and for that matter the Multiple Intelligences concepts) offer reasonably simple and accessible methods to understand and explain people's preferred ways to learn. Occasionally well-intentioned people will write that the use of such models and tests can be problematical. This is true of course of any tool if undue reliance is placed on the methodology, or if the results of tests are treated as absolute and exclusive of other styles and considerations in the overall mix of a person's personality and needs.

As with any methodology or tool, use VAK and other learning styles concepts with care. The concepts are an aid, not to be applied rigidly.

In addition to the VAK guide below, further VAK detail and VAK tests are available on the VAK tests page.

The explanation and understanding of Gardner's Seven Intelligences can be further illuminated and illustrated by looking at another classical intelligence and learning styles model, known as the Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic (or Kinaesthetic - either is correct) learning styles model or 'inventory', usually abbreviated to VAK. Alternatively the model is referred to as Visual-Auditory-Physical, or Visual-Auditory-Tactile/Kinesthetic. The VAK concept, theories and methods (initially also referred to as VAKT, for Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic-Tactile) were first developed by psychologists and teaching specialists such as Fernald, Keller, Orton, Gillingham, Stillman and Montessori, beginning in the 1920's.

The VAK multi-sensory approach to learning and teaching was originally concerned with the teaching of dyslexic children and other learners for whom conventional teaching methods were not effective. The early VAK specialists recognised that people learn in different ways: as a very simple example, a child who could not easily learn words and letters by reading (visually) might for instance learn more easily by tracing letter shapes with their finger (kinesthetic). The VAK theory is a favourite of the accelerated learning community, and continues to feature - although not nearly as strongly as it should do - in the teaching and education of young people. The Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic learning styles model does not overlay Gardner's multiple intelligences; rather the VAK model provides a different perspective for understanding and explaining a person's preferred or dominant thinking and learning style, and strengths. Gardner's theory is one way of looking at thinking styles; VAK is another.


Visual -           seeing and reading
Auditory -      listening and speaking
Kinesthetic  - touching and doing

Extract taken from Business balls

For more information visit the Call of the Wild website

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

Simon Sinek presents a simple but powerful model for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers -- and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts.

For more information on leadership development visit the Call of the Wild website

Call of the Wild Gain Quality Award & Endorsed Status From LMW

Call of the Wild is one of the first organisations in Wales to achieve the quality award and become an endorsed training provider with Leadership & Management Wales (LMW) , the Centre of Excellence for leadership and management skills in Wales.

 The Leadership & Management Quality Award represents the first definitive standard for training providers offering leadership and management development to companies and their employees. Those who gain the award become part of a select group of training providers who demonstrate best practice and maintain the highest standards.

 Call of the Wild was visited by LMW staff who carried out a rigorous quality evaluation of Call of the Wild’s operation. Their subsequent report was then reviewed by a quality board which decided if the organisation was of a sufficiently high standard to qualify for the award.

 

Leadership and Management Wales was formed to support businesses in developing their leadership and management development skills, enabling them to increase efficiency and help grow the economy in Wales through raising standards amongst training providers.

For more information click here

 

Your Personal Success Story

We often feel more responsible for our failures than our successes

Individuals are very modest and sometimes can't see that they have achieved many personal successes in their life. Remember you don't have to have made a million or become Prime Minster to be considered a success! Think positive and creat your own success in life by learnign and trying new things.

Also why not try listing your own personal success stories such as:-

I learned to walk| I learned to ride a bike| I learned to swim| I passed my exams| I learned to drive| I raised healthy children| I learned to read & write|I helped a friend with a problem|I scored a goal in football|I lost weight|I learnt a foreign language

You'll increase your feeling of self-worth and self-esteem significantly by undertaking this exercise.

If you believe you can, or if you believe you can't, you're right - what you think about comes true

For more information on advice and guidance courses visit the Call of the Wild website

The Causes of Customer/Client Dissatisfaction

Some of the most common causes of complaints may stem from the following issues:-

-    Delays an queues
-    Prices
-    Opening and closing times of facilities
-    In accurate/misleading information or lack of information
-    Advertised facilities or services not available
-    Services not delivered as agreed
-    Behaviour of other customers
-    Perceived rudeness or indifference of employees
-    Quality of facilities or services
-    Presentation of food and beverages
-    Standards not meeting expectations

It is estimated 90% of dissatisfied customers/clients do not make a complaint. Why?

Resolving Problems

(i) Know your organisations policies

Make sure that you are familiar with your organisation’s policies and procedures and that you aware of the limits of your authority

(ii) Don’t take complaints personally

You may not be responsible for the problem but you are a representative of your organisation

Remain Calm and in Control

Even if someone is shouting at you, it is vital to stay calm. Don’t raise your  voice or get angry

(i) Listen to what your Client is saying

Let the client/customer tell you about the problem and listen all the way through. Find out what has happened or not happened

Apologise

Even if you don’t think the client/customer has a valid complaint or it is not your organisations’s fault, apologise for the fact that they are dissatisfied. Empathise with them

(i) Share Information and Show Initiative

If you don’t have the authority to deal effectively with the complaint refer it quickly to someone who does

(ii) Find out what the person wants

Don’t second guess the customer. Let them tell you exactly what they want to happen next.

(iii) Suggest Alternatives

Where appropriate offer the customer a range of options but never suggest alternatives you cannot deliver

(iv) Agree on a solution

Agree what is to happen next and check the client/customer is satisfied with this action

(v) Follow Through

Ensure that the agreed course of action is carried out as soon as possible

(vi) Thank the Client/Customer

Let the customer know that you appreciate the opportunity to resolve the problem. Thanks them for bringing it to your attention

(vii) Pre-empt the Situation

If you anticipate a problem , avoid complaints by forewarning the customer.

For information on Call of the Wild's advice and guidance courses visit the website

Portsmouth Schools conference. Call of the Wild

Call of the Wild delivering a change management workshop.

Sent from my iPhone

Advice and Guidance Training Courses - The Power of Work-Based Learning

Our Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Advice and Guidance Course  is aWork-Based Training Course.This Advice and Guidance Level 4 NVQ training course is aimed at people working in an advice and guidance role who want to achieve a nationally-recognised practical qualification within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

The Advice and Guidance Level 4 NVQ Diploma course  demonstrates candidates' competencies in advice and guidance roles that involve working directly with clients and delivering information, such as those based in training institutions, local authorities, charities, voluntary sector or advice centres. Roles include include  employment services, youth services, help desk and careers advisors, customer service advisors.

The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) is work-based, providing a training programme that is designed to meet the individual needs of the learner and be releavnt to their individual workplaces. This enables them to deal with real world workplace issues and then apply solutions in the workplace which will make a real difference for the individual and the organisation they work for.

Our approach is not a traditional clak and talk approach. To make the course more poewerful and releavnt for the learner we adopt a blended learning approach.

For more information on our Advice and Guidance Courses visit our website.

Change Management Good Practice

At Call of the Wild our team development and change management training courses help a business or organisation to embrace and grow through change. We aim for individuals to develop knowledge and understanding of managing change and how it affects an organisation.

Call of the Wild has recently been asked to deliver a workshop on change to an audience of 50 education professionals who are delegates in a change management conference in Portsmouth.
Looking at change from the unique perspective of each individual the question that Call of the Wild intends to pose to the audience is:-

   

“Why do some individuals thrive on the challenges presented by change, yet others see change as a threat which has an adverse impact on their performance”

For more on change management click here

This is not necessarily the best way to Manage Change

Funded ILM Level 3 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring

We've today launced our new Institute of Leadership and Management - ILM Level 3 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring. We've also secured a new funding source which allows you to cover the full cost of the course (subject to eligibility).

Take a look at the relevant page on our website for more information and details on the funding available. So if you or your employer can't afford to pay then don't worry as you may be eligible for external funding.

 

For more information on this ILM course visit our website

Andy Murray and The Power of Mental Resilience

When the stakes are high even the best can lose their nerve – When the going gets tough the tough can crack under pressure

It’s not just the England football team who are champion chokers we’ve seen numerous elite sporting teams and individuals display mental resilience over the summer so far with much to come with the Ashes and Open Golf. Andy Murray being the most recent example of displaying not just physical but also mental toughness in winning this years Wimbledon Championship

With Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final  how many times did you hear the commentators refer to each player either displaying or needing to show mental resilience, strength of character etc under extreme pressure. What is it that allows someone like Andy Murray to serve on match point down and display no nerves and serve an ace. What sets him apart and makes the difference between becoming multiple grand slam champion and a nearly man. The same principle applies to golf. What enables one player to stand on the 18th green and sink that 6ft putt to win the championship when the majority of others fail under pressure on the run in.

While we see pressure and the need for resilience regularly with sporting events it is by no means confined to sport. It can be seen and experienced in our personal and professional lives as well. Choking happens to everyone from time to time.

Fortunately the science behind mental toughness has come of age over recent years and the good news is there are psychological ways to overcome it’s affects

How do you avoid choking? Well according to performance psychologists learn to take the pressure off and you will be less likely to seize conscious control of an unconscious skill. Put the situation in context. Big sales pitch tomorrow! Well it’s not exactly life or death is it.

To learn more about mental resilience in a business  context and understanding how you cope under pressure and seeking to improve performance in the workplace when dealing with the stressors and pressures then read on for more about mental toughness programmes.