Identifying your kids’ learning styles is one of the most effective ways to help them succeed academically. Children assimilate and retain information better when supported by their preferred learning styles. They are also more likely to select the best subjects, skills, and careers in tune with their learning styles.
As a result, learning is less of a struggle and more of a pleasant experience for them. Several studies affirm that if students know their learning styles, their learning and self-actualization levels improve. In addition, individual learning styles provide teachers and students with feedback on their academic strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding your child’s learning style is critical to providing the support they need to excel. But how do you identify their learning styles? Does grasping ideas quickly from the TV automatically make your child a visual learner? And does memorizing the lyrics of a song qualify them as auditory learners?
Recognizing your child’s most preferred learning habit can be tricky, but this article will guide you. It discusses the most prominent learning styles, how to identify them in kids, and what they say about them.
Let’s begin.
What are learning styles?
Learning styles are how students gather, understand, interpret, conclude, and store information. They are how each student prefers to learn. Learning styles are mostly influenced by students’ cognitive abilities, emotions, and environmental factors.
Psychologist David Kolb was the first person to highlight the theory of learning styles in 1984. He believes that learning styles are influenced by our genetics, life experiences, and our current environment.
Types of learning styles and how to identify them in your kids
The VARK model identifies the major learning style types as visual, auditory, reading and writing, and Kinesthetic. Let’s discuss them.
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Visual Learners
Accounting for about 65% of the population, visual learners absorb, retain and interpret information by seeing. They prefer to learn through visually appealing materials, from magazines to videos and books with images. Learners who fall into this category can usually remember where information is located in a book or other visual materials.
They prefer to see their teachers when learning, so in-person learning and videos are most suitable for learners in this category. If your child is a visual learner, you can support them by recommending they sit in front of the classroom to see the teacher and board clearer. You can also supply visual materials like flashcards, drawing boards, images, etc., for them to learn effectively.
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Auditory Learners
There are about 30% auditory learners in the world population. This category of learners absorbs and retains information through their sense of hearing. They respond better to verbal instructions, audiobooks, music, and other forms of oral presentations. As an auditory learner, your child remembers names, prefers oral reports, and follows oral directions to written reports and instructions.
You can support your child with audio resources if they are auditory learners. You can also encourage them to read aloud to themselves and urge them to participate in group study discussions.
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Reading and Writing
Reading and writing learners consume and absorb information by reading and writing. These learners prefer text to visuals or audio. They also perform better at reading comprehension and written assignments.
If your kid falls into this category, you can support them by encouraging written quizzes on topics and written statements to describe charts, diagrams, and their interpretation of a concept.
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Kinesthetic Learners
Kinesthetic learners make up about 5% of the population. This learners’ category learns and absorbs information by touching, doing, moving, or being active in other ways. Kinesthetic students recall information through demonstration, building models, and practice.
Kinesthetic kids learn effectively from practical experiences and may be uncomfortable staying idle for a long time. They may also be good at sports, musical instruments, and other hands-on activities. If your child is a kinesthetic learner, you can encourage them to participate in practical activities that test their skills.
Identify your child’s learning styles with Explico
Identifying your child’s learning style is easier with Explico. As an effective online learning platform, we adopt AI-based assessment and learning to identify your child’s weaknesses and strengths. This way, you will know the learning format that works best for them and the subjects they are good at and struggling with.
Explico also provides detailed analytical reports that update you about your child’s academic progress for timely support. Lastly, our AI intelligent foresight predicts the best resources and modules to improve your child’s academic performance. So, if you are looking for the best way to identify your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning styles, enroll your child at Explico. We provide the best insights and resources to monitor and enhance your kid’s academic success.
