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Brainhub guide

Tell your tutor how you learn best (and why “learning styles” isn’t the answer)

Tutors aren’t mind-readers. A lesson is only an hour, so the quicker they know what helps you, the more you get done.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 13 Oct 2026 5 min read

Key takeaways

1. The learning styles myth

Many people believe children learn best when teaching matches their “style”, such as visual or auditory. A major review looked for the evidence and found almost none: studies that tested matching teaching to a style didn’t show the predicted benefit.[1]

What does help nearly everyone is combining words with pictures: a diagram alongside an explanation, or a timeline next to the notes. Two routes into memory are better than one.[2]

2. What is worth telling your tutor

Preferences still matter for how comfortable and efficient a lesson feels. Share your answers to these in the first lesson.

Question
For example
Do you like to see a worked example first, or try first?
“Show me one, then let me try.”
Diagrams, or talking it through?
“Drawing it helps me.”
Is the pace right?
“Slower on new topics, faster on revision.”
How do you like to be corrected?
“Let me find the mistake first.”
When do you lose focus?
“After about 25 minutes. A quick break helps.”
What does school do that doesn’t work for you?
“Copying notes off the board.”

Why it matters: An hour a week isn’t long. If your tutor knows this from day one, more of that hour goes on learning.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. Is there good evidence for teaching to a “learning style”?

  2. 2. What helps almost everyone?

Your next steps

  • Answer the six questions above.
  • Share them with your tutor at the start of the next lesson.
  • Review them after a month: has anything changed?

Sources

  1. Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D. and Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105–119. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x
  2. Clark, J. M. and Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149–210. doi:10.1007/BF01320076

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.