School should be an adventure in learning, and so should life. But if you have not taken the time to observe how your child learns best, your child might be struggling unnecessarily in school.
Identifying prominent learning styles in children is crucial in helping them identify their strengths and overcome their weaknesses as they progress into a more diverse spectrum of courses grade after grade. We often needlessly separate creativity from learning. But when parents help children understand their dominant learning styles, they can both use the knowledge to improve a child’s experiences, not only in school, but also in life.
Most people use a combination of learning styles. Do you know yours? Generally speaking, there are six types of learning styles you want to explore: visual, auditory, verbal, kinesthetic, tactile, and logical. Knowing my own learning styles helps me become a better lifelong learner and a better learning coach for my child.
You don’t have to go get tested to find out what kind of learners are living in your house. You simply have to be willing to reflect on what makes each of you tick. Where do you see a family member leaning in and where do you see a family member leaning out? This is usually enough information to help you experiment with learning styles and see how they benefit each member of the family.
Under each category below, I’ve listed approaches for test-driving each type of learning style. Invite the whole family to explore their learning styles and report back on what they discover. You’ll learn things about yourselves and each other that will make your adventures in life and learning more enjoyable.
Visual
- Draw pictures, doodle or color.
- List both sides of an argument.
- Make a mind-map on paper to spoke off associated words or ideas.
- Use flashcards for memorizing.
- Make a lesson into a comic strip.
- Search for and read fun, visual blogs.
- Do something visual like playing a video game or flipping through a magazine as a break from learning.
Auditory
- Use music in the background while learning.
- Read work out loud into a recorder or to the dog.
- Listen to lectures or stories in audio format.
- Write down what you notice as you listen or after you listen.
- Listen to the opinions of others to help sharpen your point of view.
- Enjoy discussion, dialogue, and debating.
- Turn what you are learning into a rhyming poem or song lyrics.
- Listen to some upbeat or moving music while taking a break from learning.
Verbal
- Read up on topics of interest, highlighting any points to remember.
- Look up word definitions to spark ideas.
- Talk through your thoughts with another person.
- Build an argument on an opinion you feel strongly about.
- Play with acronyms (make up a story using every letter in one word as the first letter in a part of the story).
- Play with verbal forms such as stories, poetry, articles, lists, commercials, etc.
- Immerse yourself in reading as a break from learning.
Kinesthetic
- Physically act out ideas you are trying to understand. Play all the parts.
- Draw your ideas out on large sheets of paper or on a whiteboard.
- Memorize information while you are in motion.
- Use storyboarding techniques.
- Get outside and get your hands dirty to integrate thinking.
- Teach other students what you’ve learned.
- Take frequent breaks when sitting for long periods to stretch or move.
- Clear your mind by going for a walk or a run or by doing chores.
Tactile
- Incorporate art projects into your assignments.
- Build an argument the way you would build a log cabin.
- Use flashcards for memorizing.
- Keep your hands and fingers moving while learning.
- Trace words or images to help you study.
- Watch video demonstrations for greater understanding.
- Work with clay, putty, or dough when stuck or integrating ideas.
- Build a model or bake some cookies as a break from learning.
Logical
- Notice patterns in whatever you are studying.
- Classify or categorize things.
- Break information out into small chunks.
- Set goals and track your progress on spreadsheets.
- Pose a word problem and solve it.
- Appreciate timelines, diagram, and flowcharts.
- Tidy or organize things as a break from learning.
- Play word games like crossword puzzles or word search puzzles, or keep a jigsaw puzzle going.
Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz loves to take a creative approach to learning and a learning approach to creativity.
