Learn a Child’s Learning Style to Help Them Achieve
 

Every child is different, and each learns in a different way

Some children need hands-on lessons, while others pick up information better from visual aids. In order to help your child succeed in school, it is important to understand his or her learning style.

Here is our overview of five common learning styles, how each learns, and strategies you can use to help in school.

1. Visual learners

Visual learners think in pictures, so they do better with images, pictures, and written words. They learn holistically rather than sequentially and do best when they can see the big picture. However, they tend to skip over some details.

How to spot visual learners:

  • Enjoy books with lots of pictures and charts
  • Have vivid imaginations and often daydream
  • Excel at reading, maps, and graphs
  • Easily remember faces, words, and places
  • Enjoy art, drawing, and puzzles
  • Like to make lists
  • Can spot visual patterns
  • Tend to get distracted by noises

Helping visual learners:

  • Use board and memory games that incorporate visual patterns
  • Give visual clues when reading aloud
  • Choose books with pictures, even for older kids
  • Use different colors for study notes
  • Teach older kids “mind mapping” techniques for complex lessons
  • Use flashcards or highlighters

2. Auditory learners

Children who are auditory learners learn by listening and hearing. In contrast to visual learners, they think in words rather than pictures.

How to spot auditory learners:

  • Great spellers
  • Stronger with spoken word versus reading
  • Easily remember dates and trivia
  • Remember names but not faces
  • Have a great sense of rhythm and love to sing or play instruments
  • Can easily follow verbal instructions
  • Ask a lot of questions
  • Love talking to people
  • Easily distracted in noisy environments

Helping auditory learners:

  • Study by repetition
  • Engage in debates to keep them engaged
  • Incorporate music as a study aid
  • Read aloud
  • Have them explain lessons to you
  • Play verbal games

3. Verbal/linguistic learner

These children are your wordsmiths, whether speaking or writing. They can express themselves in written and verbal formats and have excellent vocabularies. They are just as comfortable in journalism as debate.

How to spot verbal learners:

  • Love to read and write
  • Take notes about everything
  • Remember everything they read
  • Enjoy word games like Scrabble or crossword puzzles
  • Need to write down instructions
  • Ask frequent questions
  • Do better with word problems versus math equations
  • Prefer to study alone in a quiet place

Helping verbal learners:

  • Have them write out study notes
  • Create checklists
  • Organize notes using outlines or lists
  • Be expressive when reading aloud
  • Have them write about a topic rather than draw it
  • Have them read about a topic
  • Debate topics with them

4. Kinesthetic learner

Kinesthetic (physical) learners use their whole bodies to absorb lessons. These are the “hands-on” kids. They often excel at sports or anything that incorporates physical activities.

How to spot kinesthetic learners:

  • Endless amount of energy
  • Love sports
  • Enjoy hands-on activities
  • Excel at multitasking
  • Have trouble sitting still for long
  • Have shorter attention spans
  • Jump into every task, often without waiting for instructions

Helping kinesthetic learners:

  • Incorporate physical activity into lessons
  • Have them draw diagrams or trace letters to improve reading and writing skills
  • Reenact lessons and stories
  • Create science experiments
  • Use flashcards
  • Have them listen to audiobooks while taking a walk
  • Have them be the teacher and create worksheets for you to complete

5. Logical learners

Rules and reason guide logical learners. These students love numbers and solving complex problems using scientific methods. These are the computer, math, and science whizzes.

How to spot logical learners:

  • Always keep detailed planners
  • Very strategic in their thinking
  • Very curious
  • Prefer visuals over words
  • Goal-oriented
  • Need rules and procedures in order to be happy
  • Struggle with creative writing
  • Can focus so much on details that they miss the big picture

Helping logical learners:

  • Use visual materials, laptops, and hands-on materials
  • Give a clear set of rules or instructions
  • Create a calendar with the subjects/lessons they need to complete and when
  • Use highlighters to identify the most important parts of lessons
  • Create timelines of facts to break up text-heavy subjects like history
  • Incorporate problem-solving into lessons
  • Create categories or classifications for lessons
  • Break down large amounts of information into charts and graphs

Every child is wired to learn

It is important to note that no one learning style is better than another. The way a child learns has little to do with intelligence. Each child is simply wired differently when taking in new information. By discovering your child’s learning style, you can help him or her excel in any subject.


Tutoring at American Heritage Schools

If your child needs extra help, The American Academy is offering a specialized Tutoring Program for Lower, Middle, and High School students.

Subject areas include:

  • Art
  • Computer
  • English
  • Foreign Language
  • Mathematics
  • Physical Education
  • Pre-Professional
  • Science 
  • Social Studies

Join The American Academy Program

The American Academy Program – a college preparatory school for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and mild auditory processing issues. 

Our small classroom setting allows students to receive more individual attention. Together with experts and teachers, we can ensure that your child is taught methods that will help him or her do well in school.

We are now accepting applications. Please reach out to Alexandra Rollins with any questions you may have.