Learning Preferences Explained: A Better Way to Support Students with ADHD

For the longest time I thought the theory of learning styles was based in legitimate research. I had encountered the theory during my time as a graduate student and now as a professor I knew some of my colleagues promoted it in their classes. It was not until a student of mine during some random discussion piped up and said: Learning styles have been debunked! I was stunned. And a little skeptical. Had I been teaching a false theory for the last decade? Then another student raised her hand and asked timidly: But what exactly do we mean by learning styles?

And some of you who are reading this blog post might be wondering the same: What exactly are learning styles? And why should we care about them?

If you’ve ever been told that you’re a “visual learner” or heard someone say, I just don’t learn by listening, you’ve already bumped into the concept of learning styles. For a long time, this theory has shaped how we talk about learning. And how we teach it.

But in recent years, researchers and educators have started to rethink the idea. And if we or our child are neurodivergent, understanding the difference between learning styles and learning preferences can be a game-changer.

Because while the theory of learning styles has been largely debunked, knowing how our brain works best? That’s still powerful.

So, let’s take a closer look at what’s behind the theory, why it doesn’t hold up, and what we can learn from it anyway. Especially if traditional school methods don’t seem to work for us.

The learning styles theory: What it says

The idea of learning styles became popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. The theory suggested that each person learns best in a specific “style,” usually visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (movement-based). Some models expanded on this with categories like reading/writing, interpersonal, or logical-mathematical.

The message was: if we match teaching to someone’s style, they’ll learn better.

So if we’re a visual learner, we’d benefit most from charts and diagrams. If we’re auditory, lectures and audio recordings should work best. If we’re kinesthetic, we’d need to move around and learn hands-on.

It sounded intuitive and it gave teachers and learners a tidy way to explain differences. But here’s the problem: research couldn’t back it up.

Why learning styles don’t hold up

Despite its popularity, study after study failed to prove that tailoring instruction to someone’s “learning style” actually improved learning outcomes.

In fact, a 2008 review by cognitive psychologists Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, and Bjork concluded that there was “no adequate evidence base to justify incorporating learning styles assessments into general educational practice.”

Why not?

Because how we prefer to learn doesn’t always match how we retain information best. Also, most of us don’t learn through one channel alone. We use multiple modes such as visual, auditory, tactile all the time, and it’s often the combination that helps the most.

For example:

• We might prefer listening to podcasts but retain information better when we write things down.

• We may love watching videos but actually understand concepts best when we talk them through.

So if learning styles aren’t real in the way we thought, what do we do with that? That’s where learning preferences come in.

So what are learning preferences?

Learning preferences are just what they sound like: the methods, formats, and conditions that make learning more accessible or enjoyable for us.

They don’t predict how well we’ll learn but they can help us find entry points into the material, reduce friction, and feel more confident.

Think of it like this:
Learning styles put us in a box.
Learning preferences give us a toolbox.

Why this matters for neurodivergent learners

If we are neurodivergent, especially if we have ADHD or are on the autism spectrum, school is often one big misfit.

• Lectures are too long and passive.

• Text-heavy assignments are overwhelming.

• Sitting still for extended periods is exhausting.

• And the lack of sensory support (like movement, visuals, breaks, and structure) makes learning harder than it needs to be.

So when we are told we’re just “not trying hard enough” or that we “need to pay attention,” it can feel defeating. But reframing the conversation to focus on how we learn best can be incredibly empowering.

Common learning preferences in ADHD students

While every person is different, there are some patterns in how kids (and adults) with ADHD tend to prefer learning:

1. Hands-on learning

When we have ADHD, we often thrive when we can move, touch, manipulate, and build. We don’t want to just read about a science experiment. We want to do it. This makes abstract concepts more concrete and engages our attention system.

2. Visual organization

Our ADHD brains often benefit from visual cues: color coding, diagrams, mind maps, and visual schedules. It helps us see the big picture and stay on track.

3. Short bursts and frequent breaks

Long study sessions don’t work well. Our brains respond better to short, focused sprints of learning (e.g., the Pomodoro technique) followed by movement or rest.

4. Interactive learning

Whether it’s through discussion, games, or teaching someone else, many of us retain more when we’re actively involved rather than just listening.

5. Novelty and creativity

Repetition and routine have their place, but boredom is a motivation killer. Adding variety like changing up the location, using different tools, or gamifying tasks can make learning more engaging.

What this means for studying and school

If we or our child struggle in traditional classrooms, we’re not alone; and it’s not our fault. The problem isn’t us. It’s the mismatch between the system and our needs.

And once we understand our learning preferences, we can begin to work with our brain instead of against it. We can ask ourselves:

• When do we feel most focused and engaged?

• What kind of information is easiest for us to understand?

• How can we rework school tasks to fit the way we think?

Maybe that means turning our history notes into a comic strip.
Maybe it means watching a short video instead of rereading our textbook.
Maybe it means taking our study materials to a park bench or explaining them to a friend out loud.

The goal isn’t to find the one “correct” method—it’s to find what’s effective and sustainable for us.

Final Thoughts

Even though the idea of learning styles has been debunked, the core message is still valuable: we all learn differently. And especially for neurodivergent learners, it’s critical to figure out what works for us.

There is no wrong way to learn - only the wrong environment, the wrong method, the wrong assumption.

We need to give ourselves permission to experiment. To listen to our brain. To ditch the one-size-fits-all model and build a way of learning that actually fits.

Because when we do, learning stops being a struggle and starts being a path to self-understanding, confidence, and growth.