Myth 8 - Teaching to Learning Styles
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In 2025, 3 papers published research from over 4,500 teachers across 12 counties on the most commonly held myths in education. In this series of blogs, we will be looking at the 10 most common myths, how they came about, and the realities surrounding them.
Can you spot a myth? Try this fun quiz based on some of the questions teachers were asked in the research studies
Spot the myth - Try here
Myth 8 - Teaching to Learning Styles
Who remembers being told that they were a "visual learner" because they liked highlighters, or a "kinesthetic learner" because they couldn't sit still? It’s a seductive idea. As teachers, we want to believe that there is a bespoke key for every student's brain. If we can just "unlock" their preferred sensory modality - be it visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (VAK) - then the information will finally stick.
It’s no wonder this myth has stayed the course; some studies suggest that 90% of teachers still endorse it. It feels inclusive, it feels personalised, and frankly, it feels like we’re doing our best for the pupils.
The Reality
The reality is that while students certainly have preferences, those preferences do not translate into learning aptitude. Just because I prefer eating pizza doesn't mean it’s the best fuel for my marathon (and I love pizza). Similarly, a student might prefer watching a video, but that doesn't mean they process the information better than if they had read it.
Despite its popularity, there is no robust empirical evidence to support "matching" instruction to a specific style. In fact:
Scientific Invalidity: Nearly every study claiming to back learning styles falls short of basic scientific rigour (Pashler et al., 2008).
Zero Correlation: Research shows that learner preference is often uncorrelated or even negatively correlated with actual learning outcomes.
Spectrum of Cognition: Cognitive differences between people are gradual rather than nominal. We aren't born into "buckets"; we exist on a spectrum of processing abilities.
As De Bruyckere et al. point out, there is a massive gulf between how someone says they like to learn and what actually leads to long-term retention. The idea that we have a fixed "style" is a myth.
Most people I speak to about this will still insist that they do have a learning style. It feeds into our human belief that we are all unique. If you are one of these people, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that isn’t the case. Chances are, you are either learning in a way that would benefit everyone, or that there are more optimal strategies out there you have yet to try.
Classroom Impact
If we truly followed the logic of "learning styles," we’d be in trouble. With 71 identified models, there are far more combinations of styles than there are people who have ever lived on Earth! Pigeon-holing students into these categories actually limits their growth by making them believe they "can’t" learn from a certain medium.
So, do we treat everyone exactly the same? Absolutely not. But we must stop treating learning styles as a theory of instruction. Instead, we should focus on evidence-backed aspects of teaching that do make a difference, such as:
Dual Coding: Combining words and visuals to support cognitive load, which benefits all learners, not just the "visual" ones.
Explicit Instruction: Providing clear, direct guidance and checking for understanding frequently.
Adaptive Teaching: Adjusting our pace and support based on prior knowledge and current performance, rather than a perceived "modality."
We don't need to reinvent the wheel for every child's "style." We just need to teach well. Evidence wins every time.
Sources
- Fernández-Miras, J.G., Aguilar-Parra, J.M., Trigueros, R. and López-Liria, R. (2023) 'Beyond neuromyths: Examining in-service teachers’ misconceptions about teaching and learning', Frontiers in Psychology, 14, p. 1144002. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1144002.
- Adiguzel, O.C., Potvin, P., Sarrasin, J.B., Vanhoolandt, C., Corfdir, A., Japashov, N., Mansurova, A., Tsai, C.C., Wu, C.L., Elmas, R., Atik-Kara, D., Kucukkayhan, S., Zaid, A.K., Kouchou, I., Voulgari, A., Sy, O., Sakho, I., Ng, S.B., Charland, P. and Létourneau, A. (2025) 'Belief in neuromyths among primary school teachers: a cross-national study of 11 countries', Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 40, p. 100264. doi: 10.1016/j.tine.2025.100264.
- Tunga, Y., Çelik, B. and Cagiltay, K. (2025) 'Educational myths among teachers: prevalence and refutational intervention for belief change', Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, 1619. doi: 10.1057/s41599-025-05470-y.
- De Bruyckere, P., Kirschner, P. A., & Hulshof, C. (2015). Urban Myths about Learning and Education.
- Kirschner, P. A. (2017). Stop propagating the learning styles myth. Computers & Education.
- Newton, P. M., & Salvi, A. (2020). How Common Is the Belief in the Learning Styles Neuromyth and Does It Matter? Frontiers in Education.
- Pashler, H., et al. (2008). Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
