Here’s some news for all the ice-cream inspired, the shower singers, and the dreamy doodlers – the best learning moments are often found in the unlikeliest places, and we all learn about the world differently. To help your child stay motivated on their learning paths, knowing which senses they rely on to set off those fireworks in their brain is always good. Check out this quick learning styles guide to see which one your child identifies with the most!
The 4 basic styles of learning
- I spy with my little eyes… The Visual Learner:
“And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?” – Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carol
As the name indicates, this type of learning engages the sense of sight to absorb information. 5-year-old Sara is a great example. You only find her scribbling with a crayon in her hand during classes. Visual (or spatial) learners like Sara process data through their strong imaginations. They often like to draw and paint and tend to respond well to visual learning aids. Try using the below tools to engage visual learners optimally:
- Colorful pictures, posters, and doodles instead of plain words
- Illustrative diagrams, maps, and charts
- Written notes and flashcards
- Visual aids like the abacus, chalkboards, brightly colored sticky notes, and highlighters
When in doubt: The visual learner will likely say, ‘Show me?’
- Hear, hear! Make way for… The Auditory Learner:
“I came to listen to the stories.” – Peter Pan, J.M Barrie
Flemming and Mill’s VARK model (1992) describes these individuals as those who rely on auditory senses of learning (sound) and are best energized when lessons are spoken out to them, when they hear them in the form of stories or rhymes, or when they read them out loud on their own. You can help them stay tuned in to their learning by using:
- Verbal instructions
- Group discussions and debates
- Tunes, rhymes, and read-along content
- Videos and audiobooks
When in doubt: The auditory learner will likely say, ‘Tell me again!’
- The ones that move mountains… The Kinesthetic Learner:
“The wilderness must be explored!” – Russell, Pixar’s Up
Children with more active or curious personalities, especially those who are inherently adventurous, might like to physically move to learn. The idea of sitting at a desk all day could leave them fidgety and restless, and they would rather move and flow through a lesson. Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners enjoy doing things on their own, hands-on – by assembling or building things and by engaging a keen sense of touch or physical activity during the learning process. You can encourage the kinesthetic learner by using the following:
- Experiments and lab sessions
- Frequent breaks during book lessons
- Building blocks or model-building toys
- Field trips or outdoor activities
- Physical play, sports, or dance
When in doubt: The Kinesthetic learner will likely say, ‘Let me try!’
- Decoding the secret language of… The Linguistic Learner:
“The more you read, the more you know, the more you learn, the more places you will go!” – Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, Dr. Seuss
Linguistic (or verbal) learners prefer using text, words, and language to understand information. These learners are drawn towards using written and spoken expressions to learn. They may be the ones you find curled up with a book, with their nose in a dictionary, or summing up their day in their journal or diary. To get the attention of the linguistic learner, try to encourage using:
- Lists and definitions
- Plenty of books
- Note-taking methods
- Dictionaries, encyclopedias, articles, and research papers
When in doubt: The Linguistic learner will likely say ‘I will look it up.’’