While learning a new concept is a pretty holistic venture, some kids prefer a different style of learning over another. The four main types of learning styles are visual, auditory/verbal, read/write, and kinesthetic. Each of these styles entails a different way of processing information. No learning style is magically better than another, but some styles are more engaging to your child. Knowing your child’s learning style will help you to better serve them in their education. 

Visual

This learning style is characterized by learning through seeing things and concepts. This child needs to “see it to believe it.” Visual learners are more able to understand something if they can see a physical picture of it. When learning about numbers, seeing those numbers on paper is better than just hearing them. If your child is a visual learner, you can help them study by using pictures and diagrams. These children are often great with maps of all sorts! Creating mind maps is a great way to integrate the concepts they are learning and create a mental picture for your child to understand. 

Auditory/Verbal

Auditory learners need to hear something in order to understand it. One way to instill memory would be to tell your child to speak and repeat things aloud. Help your child learn this way by having them create mnemonic devices and rhymes, or use an audio version of text to help with comprehension. When studying. it may be helpful for your child to recite concepts aloud. Verbal learners prefer being able to speak through what they are trying to learn. These children enjoy discussing the things they are learning about. They would rather dictate a presentation than watch a video. 

Kinesthetic 

Children who learn kinesthetically use their bodies to recall and understand things. For example, when learning about molecules in science, kinesthetic learners would rather piece together the molecule with a model than look at it on a piece of paper. Helping your child who learns this way looks like creating hands-on learning activities. Flashcards can be a great study tactic, as they allow your child to hold the concepts physically and flip through them, allowing them to use more than one of their senses.     

Read/Write

These children enjoy reading and writing extensive notes. One way to support their learning is to provide them with stationery tools that allow them to write their notes and annotate when reading. They excel when writing essays or reading long passages. Their best form of retention is being able to write notes alongside what they are learning. They thrive on being organized in their thoughts and notes. 

At Lake Forrest Prep, we love supporting and encouraging parents by providing them with resources to help their children excel. As a leading Orlando private school, we want to encourage everyone to understand how their children learn to better fuel their academic success. To learn more about what sets us apart from other area schools, schedule a tour online or give us a call at 407-331-5144.