The six principles of adult learning provide a framework for building a protocol for ongoing client education.

Last month we discussed the importance of educating clients to help them understand and adhere to needed health-care procedures for the pet.

This article will address customizing education by accommodating each client's preference for a particular learning or communication style.

Three learning styles

» Most clients learn through seeing, relying on facial expression, body language, pictures and diagrams. Teaching a new technique or procedure to a visual learner should include drawings, graphs, pictures and other printed material. Research with human patients has shown that pictures closely linked to spoken or written information can increase attention to and recall of health-education information. Maintaining appropriate eye contact and paying special attention to nonverbal language are essential.

» Auditory learners learn through listening, paying close attention to what and how things are said. They benefit from verbal descriptions and from encouragement to ask questions or repeat information.

» Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn best by doing. Perhaps invite them to perform a task associated with the information being shared or a procedure to be performed, such as giving a pill or a subcutaneous injection. These clients also benefit from looking in the microscope, listening with the stethoscope or holding a model of an organ.

How can you identify a client's learning style?

A visual client may pay closer attention when you show a diagram or picture related to the information. An auditory client may ask repeated questions until she/he hears enough to understand. The kinesthetic client will ask to try performing a task or will respond enthusiastically to an offer to try it.

Sometimes the client's words will reveal the learning style. Visual learners prefer words like see, picture or imagine. ("I don't see how this could have happened." "Can you give me a picture of what to expect?")

Auditory learners tend to use words like hear, sound or think. ("I hear what you're saying." "It sounds like this could be serious.")

Kinesthetic learners favor words like feel, touch or hold. ("I feel that she's going to be OK.")

It's not always easy to identify a client's preference. In that case, effective teaching will involve techniques appropriate for every kind of learner: tell it, show it, have the learner do it.

Often it's best simply to ask the client how they would like to receive the information. ("Would it help if I were to show you a picture of how this worm can damage the heart?" "Would you like me to tell you more about this surgery?" "Would you like to give a pill to Fluffy now that I have shown you how to do it?")

During a busy day, a veterinarian might tend to default to his or her own learning style, which may or may not be effective for the client. That's why it's good for the doctor and hospital staff to identify their own preferred learning styles. (This may also enhance the functioning of the team.)