Have you ever felt as though you weren’t getting the most you could possibly absorb from your scripture study? I’m not talking about the nights you skim over one verse and call it a day. Do you really apply yourself to your scriptures and can’t seem to comprehend them the most possible? Perhaps the problem comes from the fact that your learning style doesn’t mesh with your scripture study technique.
There are three basic learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile. When we think of scripture study, we usually envision a person reading and perhaps pausing to ponder the words they just looked at. This would seem to work best for a visual learner, who learns best by seeing. A person who works best with this style of learning might effectively expand their studying with Institute study manuals, charts, and diagrams. This is, in fact, how I study. I take frequent notes, underline, and use various other visual resources to help me expand my knowledge.
But if your strength doesn’t lay in the visual realm, you may not be reaching your full potential by simply reading. Let’s say you are an auditory learner, someone who learns best by listening. You probably get a lot out of General Conference and church, processing that information better than a visual learner, but struggle with retaining information from your scriptures. A recent post in the LDS forums, along with some events that have occurred in my life, lead me to ponder this. Someone posted that, after struggling to read the scriptures for years while battling a reading disability, they found watching the scriptures on DVD to be a big help. Another option for auditory learners is to listen to the scriptures on CD or tape, or to download them off the internet.
My husband is an auditory learner. Early in our marriage, I became frustrated because he didn’t want to open his scriptures; he claimed he couldn’t focus on what he was reading and learned more when I read. My initial reaction (and I still think this is part of it, albeit less than I originally believed) was that he was just trying to get out of reading out loud. After over six years of marriage, however, I realize that he processes information more fully when he listens than he does when he reads.
The third type of learning style is kinesthetic. This student learns best by touching or moving. The process the world hands-on and often have difficulty with sitting still. Your children might learn more about the stories from the scriptures by play-acting them, for instance. You may find that doodling or pacing helps you process information better. So can finding something to do with your hands; play with one of those stress toys, for instance. Finally, a tactile learner won’t learn best by sitting up straight and at attention. You may find that lounging or slouching – in other words, a relaxed, comfortable position – is the way to go if this is your style.
Hopefully you can take a few minutes to ponder how you learn best, and then can apply these habits to your personal and family scripture study. As you feed your strengths, you will find yourself better able to feast upon the word of Christ.
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