If you've ever watched a group of children interact, you've probably noticed that different children like to do different
things. Why is this the case? Many educators and child psychologists believe that each child has a particular learning style
that affects how he or she most effectively interacts with the world. Knowing the learning style of your child can help you
choose activities that will help your child learn.
Learning Styles: What They Are
Simply put, a learning style is the way a person acquires knowledge. It is not "what" a person learns, but "how" a person
learns. Educators and psychologists have identified seven different learning styles - or intelligences - that come into play
when interacting with the world. Although we are all capable of using them all, most of us rely on only one or two. As a result,
we develop our own particular approach to learning based on our favored learning styles.
Educators and psychologists commonly define the seven different learning styles as follows:
Linguistic
Linguistic learners relate to language in both its written and spoken form. They learn best through poetry, storytelling,
grammar, abstract reasoning, metaphors, similes, etc.
Logical-Mathematical
Logical-mathematical learners focus on different types of reasoning and logic. They like to make observations, draw conclusions,
make judgments, and formulate hypotheses.
Spatial
Spatial learners like to deal with visualization and imagery. Children with this learning style learn well through painting,
drawing, sculpture, designs, etc.
Intrapersonal
Intrapersonal learners focus on situations that require them to reflect upon themselves. They like higher-order thinking
and reasoning, self-reflection, spirituality, and the awareness and expression of feelings.
Interpersonal
Interpersonal learners engage in verbal and nonverbal communication with others. They learn best when working cooperatively
in groups, reacting to others' moods and feelings, and understanding the perspective of others.
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Bodily-kinesthetic learners like physical movement. They learn well when involved in physical exercise and in forms of
expression like dance, mime, drama, or role playing.
Musical
Musical learners have the capacity to recognize rhythm and tone patterns, and a sensitivity to sounds from the human voice
and musical instruments. They like to interact with music.
Learning Styles: How to Use Them
Knowing your child's individual learning style can help you support what your child is doing in the classroom. By providing
activities that use your child's learning style, you can ensure that your child is learning in the best way for him and her.
For example, if you have a child who is in kindergarten or first grade, you might want to teach mathematical concepts in
ways best suited to your child's learning style. If your child is a more musical learner, singing number songs might be useful.
Linguistic learners might best learn mathematical concepts from stories in which numbers figure prominently. Interpersonal
learners might benefit from more social activities such as cooking from a recipe.
If you have an older child, the concepts might become more difficult, but the approach can remain the same. Once you determine
the learning style of your child, provide activities that will reinforce it. In doing so, it will be important to show how
things like math are evident in all sorts of different activities, including music, art, and literature. In that way you can
ensure that your child's interests are tapped and still focus on important educational points.
Learning Styles: Things to Think About
As you start to think about your child's learning styles, you might want to keep these points in mind:
Your child may have several different learning styles that work best for him or her.
Although your child might have particular learning styles, it is important that you still provide a variety of activities.
In that way, you will continue to develop other aspects of your child's personality.
Learning styles can be used both to teach and reinforce concepts. Try using one approach to teach your child a concept,
then use a different one to reinforce it. For example, you might want to use a linguistic approach, such as a story, to teach
the idea of an animal community, then have your child draw a picture that reflects that concept in art.
