Identify the Learning Style of the Child to Ensure Their Brilliant Achievements

Do you know that the achievements of the child are influenced by many factors? It is not only the potential intelligence that plays a role, but also maturity sensorimotor abilities, psychological conditions, teaching methods, internal and external motivation, as well as learning styles that are most suitable for them.

Differences in learning styles between a child and their peers are not seldom observed. Perhaps some children find it easier to absorb information if the subject matter is accompanied by illustrations or images, and other children prefer studying by having group discussions. It is the duty of parents to find the most compatible learning style for the child so that they can obtain maximum knowledge.

“There are children who enjoy learning by practicing something, and others who enjoy listening and love to read. There are many learning patterns and the most appropriate thing for parents to do is observe the habits of their children to identify the learning pattern most suitable for their child,” explains Mel Levine, MD, pediatric professor at University of North Carolina Medical School. He also suggested that parents evaluate the learning style of their child at the age of 6 or 7 years old. By understanding their learning style, it will be easier for parents to explore their abilities.

In general, there are 3 learning styles, which are visual, auditory, and physical learners (combination of tactile and kinesthetic). This is further explained below:

Visual (learning by viewing)

• The child tends to enjoy observing the expressions of parents or teachers.
• The child enjoys viewing texts or images.
• Too much movements or physical activities in class may disturb their concentration.

Auditory (learning by listening)

• The child enjoys study groups or participating in discussions.
• The child prefers listening to their parents or teachers reading the subject matter. They may seem engrossed in playing, but they are actually listening and absorbing the information provided.
• As they prefer to listen, they will find it difficult to concentrate if it is too noisy.
• Tactile (learning by touching).
• Prefers to scribble, write, and draw to help store knowledge.

Kinesthetic (learning by doing something while moving)

• The child is very active, finds it hard to stay still, and likes to move.
• They enjoy using real objects as learning aids. Allow them to explore their physical world, and to learn by moving. For instance, if you are explaining body parts, allow the child to create learning aids, such as posters, while you explain the names and functions of the body parts.
• Enjoys playing with media such as blocks, cubes, and other materials to be used for learning and understanding the knowledge.

By now, you have already known the different learning styles of children. Hopefully this can be a good guide for learning and stimulate great achievements. Which one of these learning styles is most suitable for your child at home?  To stimulate multiple intelligences, parents can also conduct other types of play activities using a Multiple Intelligence Play Plan (MIPP). Be sure to visit www.morinagamiplayplan.com for further information regarding this.