Knowing Your Child’s Learning Style

Each child learns and interacts with the world in different ways. Most toddlers begin to show preference for a particular learning style. When your child is engaged in a learning activity, try to observe how your child responds to and picks up information. By having an awareness of your child’s dominant learning style, you can help your child learn more effectively by choosing suitable resources and activities for him or her.

There are four basic learning styles – visual, auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic. Here is how you can work out which style your child responds to the best and how to support him or her.

 

Visual learner

A visual learner can understand and remember information better if they see it. If your child is a visual learner, you may notice that they gain knowledge through observation most of the time. This kind of learner learns how to do things once they have seen others doing them.

Ways to help a visual child learn:

When reading with your child, find picture books with lots of interesting pictures. Educational videos are also a good choice for your child to explore new topics. Explain daily routines and instructions to your child using pictures. When teaching a new skill, demonstrate it to your child step by step.

 

Auditory learner

If your child is an auditory learner, he or she gains new ideas and concepts most comfortably by listening. Your child may remember most of the words in familiar stories and learn a song quickly after listening to it. He or she can follow oral instructions easily and is able to repeat overheard information.

Ways to help an auditory child learn:

When playing a game with your child, explain the directions to him or her orally and encourage your child to repeat the directions. Set up an environment with lots of audio materials, such as audio books. Songs can help your child remember new concepts. Your child will enjoy learning new vocabulary or daily routines when he or she sings them out.

 

Tactile learner

A tactile learner learns best by touching or feeling things with his or her hands. If your child is a tactile child, he or she is likely to enjoy hands-on activities, such as puzzles and blocks. This kind of child learns best by doing things with their own hands.

Ways to help a tactile child learn:

Provide your child with abundant opportunities to touch new objects to learn their characteristics. Let your child play with sensory materials, such as sand and clay, and form different shapes or numbers with them. You may also teach your child counting by having him or her count with beads.

 

Kinaesthetic learner

If your child is a kinaesthetic learner, he or she uses their whole body to explore the world and has a strong need of movement. Your child will enjoy moving around to see what is happening in their surroundings.

Ways to help a kinaesthetic child learn:

Tell your child to stand up or jump a few times when your child has problem sitting still. Provide your child with lots of movement activities to facilitate learning. You can cook simple dishes or build small furniture together with your child at home. When you are practising the formation of letters, ask him or her to write in the air. When reading a story, you can have him or her pretend to be a character and act out the scenes.

 

Vary the ways your child approaches things

Tapping into your child’s preferred learning style may help him or her build confidence in learning. As most children’s preferred learning style may change over time and they may learn in more than one style, it is best to try different methods and activities to see which one your child responds to the best and vary the ways he or she approaches things.