Contractor Licensing Exam Study Tips Based on Your Learning Style
Getting ready for the contractor licensing exam takes a lot of study. The right kind of study can help you make sure that the facts come to you when you call them. Follow these tips based on your learning style to stay organized, retain more and avoid wasting time on approaches that don’t work for you.
How to Determine Your Learning Style
There are many ways to look at the ways that people learn. Experts often put people into three broad groups to describe their learning style and preferences:
- Kinesthetic: Learns best in a hands-on environment
- Visual: Retains information best when presented in a visual way
- Auditory: Has better recall from lectures, group discussions and other verbal methods
Almost anyone can benefit from using multiple approaches to education. Although you might feel like you fit best into one category, you can still thrive in more than one educational environment. Knowing which one is most likely to stick will help you customize your studies for better retention.
Kinesthetic
Kinesthetic learners prefer to be on the move or at least doing something while they are learning. This type of student needs plenty of opportunities for hands-on practice. As a kinesthetic learner, you may have an easier time remembering if you get time on the jobsite or in a classroom to see how things work. This may also mean that you struggle to stay focused while reading quietly or listening to lectures. These tips help you harness that energy into productivity:
- Take advantage of lab classes with hands-on components
- Find ways to get extra practice safely handling equipment and tools you will use in your contracting business
- Keep your hands busy during lectures or videos where moving around isn’t practical
- Draw diagrams or take detailed notes
Visual
Visual learners receive information better when it comes in a method that is easy for them to see. As a someone who relies on sight for memory, you’ll need to see images and text several times. You might have a harder time repeating information verbally, but the visual nature of exams may put you a step ahead. Here’s a few ways you can put your talents to good use:
- Bring graph paper or a device that allows you to draw your thoughts as you read or listen to lectures
- Take extra time to study images, graphs and diagrams so that you can complete a picture in your mind
- Provide a quiet place for study that has few bright or loud distractions
- Write down plenty of notes and review them frequently for improved recall
Auditory
Auditory learners generally need to hear it in order to remember it. This means that to do your best studying, it’s time to start talking. This type of student may do better with lectures and recordings, as well as videos that aren’t too heavy in the visual aspects. When practicing for the exam, it may help to read questions aloud (although very quietly) to allow you to hear it. To make sure that everything is coming in loud and clear, try the following:
- Join study groups to go over materials discussed in books and classes
- Attend multiple lectures or record important information so that you can hear it over again
- Explain complicated concepts to other people in your own words
- Reread notes aloud
Of course, everyone is unique. Most people can be suited to a combination of learning styles. The trick is to identify which ones work best for you and go with it. As an adult, you get to make these decisions about how you get your education. All that matters is your ability to pass the exam at the end of the process, so you might as well take a path that gets the job done with less stress.
Taking the contractor licensing exam requires remembering volumes of information. Once you know your preferred learning style, you can use it to your advantage. To find out how CSLS can help you prepare to start your own contracting business, contact us today!
