Tailoring Revision Strategies to Different Learning Styles (Because Not Everyone Can Just 'Read the Textbook')

Let’s be real—when someone says “just read the textbook and you’ll be fine,” you can practically hear a UOL student’s soul leaving their body. If that worked for you, great. For the rest of us? Revision needs a little... customisation.

At BAC, every student is different. Some of us are visual learners, others are audio people, and some need to walk in circles while talking to themselves like a courtroom lawyer having a meltdown. Whatever your style, your revision strategy should work with your brain—not against it.

So, here’s how to figure out your learning style, and most importantly, what to do about it.

1. The Visual Learner: You Like to See It to Believe It

If you love colour-coding, diagrams, and mind maps that look like modern art, you’re probably a visual learner. You understand better when things are laid out clearly in front of you.

What works for you:

Flowcharts for cases (especially in subjects like Contract and Criminal Law)
Colour-coded notes using highlighters or apps like GoodNotes
YouTube videos and infographic summaries (The Law Simplified is your new best friend)
Post-it note walls. Yes, cover your bedroom if needed. It’s called aesthetic chaos.

Pro tip: Try turning long text into diagrams or spider maps. It forces you to understand the content before you visualise it—which is basically sneaky revision.

2. The Auditory Learner: You Hear It, You Learn It

If you find yourself repeating definitions out loud or pretending your airpods are actually transmitting case law, you’re probably an auditory learner.

What works for you:

Recording yourself reading notes aloud (yes, cringe—but effective)
Podcasts or audio summaries (create your own or download)
Studying with a friend and explaining concepts out loud
Rhymes, songs, or legal mnemonics (sing Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Company to the tune of your favourite Taylor Swift song—we won’t judge)

Pro tip: Reading cases in a dramatic tone helps retention. Bonus: your study sessions become theatre-worthy performances.

3. The Kinesthetic Learner: You Learn by Doing

You can’t sit still for long, and you understand concepts better when you apply them. Reading theory doesn’t stick unless you try it out in practice.

What works for you:

Practice questions, lots of them (especially essay-based ones!)
Teaching your peers (organise study sessions and pretend you're the lecturer)
Case law flashcards with actions or gestures
Walking while reciting information (yes, like a student version of Hamlet pacing about negligence)

Pro tip: Use real-life analogies. Applying Tort law to what happened in the canteen with the spilled nasi lemak makes concepts unforgettable (and kinda hilarious).

Credit to Helpfulprofessor.com

4. The Read/Write Learner: The Classic Academic

You thrive when you take detailed notes, rewrite them, and read them again (and again... and again). You like structure, summaries, and beautifully formatted content.

What works for you:

Typed or handwritten summaries
Essay-style answers and outline plans
Reading articles, journals, or past paper model answers
Creating a “study textbook” of your own, pulling notes from all sources

Pro tip: After reading a section, close the book and write what you remember. It locks it in and shows you exactly where the gaps are.

Mixing & Matching? Totally Normal.

Most students aren’t just one type of learner, and that’s the magic of it. Maybe you’re visual-auditory, or kinesthetic with a side of chaos. The key is experimenting and finding what makes the information click.

Don't force someone else’s method just because it works for them. If your bestie is rewriting every lecture word-for-word but you learn better through a colourful mind map and three hours of walking around talking to yourself—embrace it.

You’ve Got Your Style—Now Own It.

Studying for exams doesn’t have to be painful guessing. When you work with your learning style, revision becomes more manageable, efficient, and yes, even kind of fun. So figure out your groove, lean into it, and remember: it’s not about how you study—it’s about how well you understand.

You’re not behind. You’re learning in the way that works best for you—and that’s the smartest move of all.

Keep going—you’ve got this.