The Booking Through Thursday question for today is:
Following up last week’s question about reading writing/grammar guides, this week, we’re expanding the question….
Scenario: You’ve just bought some complicated gadget home . . . do you read the accompanying documentation? Or not?
Do you ever read manuals?
How-to books?
Self-help guides?
Anything at all?
I used to dutifully read every word of the manual that came with anything before doing anything else. But after awhile you get the first part of those things pretty well memorized (the safety issues, etc.), and finding just what you need to know often takes more time than just picking up the item and trying it. For most electrical appliances I’ll just skim over the manual for anything pertinent. For anything technological, I ask my sons. 🙂 If they or my husband weren’t here, I’d probably read the manual, or at least skim through it. I am just as likely these days to search the Internet: often you can find the exact answer to your exact question without having to search through pages of technical jargon.
When we were home schooling several years ago, I heard this kind of example used to discover what kind of learner you and your child are. Someone who would read the manual first would be a visual learner; someone who would want someone to show and tell him how to operate the device would be an auditory learner; someone who just started pushing buttons to figure them out would be a kinetic or tactile learner. My oldest academically oriented son was a visual learner, and he still teaches himself multitudes of things by reading. My middle son was a kinetic learner, and though to me it seemed easier to learn, say, measurements from the book, he “got it” much better (and enjoyed it more) by getting out measuring cups and pouring two 1/2 cups into 1 cup and 2 cups into a pint, etc. As for me — I think I am a combination with visual being primary. I learn different things better through different venues.
I do read self-help books, though, especially in the area of crafts and Christian living.
Stray Thoughts 
I guess that makes me primarily a visual learner, with a strong tactile thrown in for good measure. I read manuals and instructions, while my dh just jumps in and starts playing with it to figure out how to use it.
Nice post talking about the type of learner you are. I am an experiencial learner but I also need to be told what to do and I need a visual aspect as well. So who knows what that makes me. Complex maybe. Or just confused.
And I realize I can’t spell…but I think you know what I am saying, so I am just going with it.
I only read manuals when it’s necessary or when my husband is not around… I find them boring. Some of them are just hard to understand anyway. I like reading your paragraph where you mentioned about the various learners. So interesting! 🙂