3 children’s learning styles – visual, auditory, kinesthetic

Schooling for the children is basically the process of perceiving and understanding new information as it is provided, studied, and remembered. Different people have different dominant channels of perception, knowledge of which will enable us to choose the most effective methods of learning during the study of any subject.

Teachers can provide information to children using all channels of perception: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Then each child has a chance to learn at least some important messages and information according to the style of learning they respond to best. It is important to understand the features of each learning style in order to use them to meet each child’s needs in the classroom.

Visual learner: These people see the world, in most cases, through their eyes. It does not mean that they do not perceive sounds, smells and tactile sensations. For them, visuals contain more information and are perceived better. How can you help the young visual learner? Teach him to draw pictures that will help him remember what he is learning. The images associated with the information will remain with him forever.

Auditory learner: People in this group are more receptive to information that they hear. How can you use this? Kids should be read to aloud, a variety of both fiction and nonfiction books. Students who are auditory learners are more likely to remember and understand information that they hear stated out loud, rather than through printed text.

Kinesthetic learner: These people perceive sensations, touch, and experience more clearly. How should you approach these traits in classroom life? Teach the kinesthetic learner to remember how he feels, both physically and emotionally, about the material he is learning. He needs to feel, experience, and pass the information through emotions and sensations. Journaling and stories can help the student to process such emotional information, and providing a physical outlet such as a squeezable stress ball can help the kinesthetic learner to focus and remember information while also addressing their need for touch while learning.

Experts say you can expect:

– Quick solutions to problems from the visual learner;

– Immediate repetition of heard material from auditory learner;

– Kinesthetic learners need more time and patience from teachers and family, as it may take them longer to reflect on and process provided information. However, given this extra time, they may show a remarkable depth of understanding and provide new perspectives on the topic of study.

Of course, it is important to speak a common language with your child. Understanding their preferred learning styles can help you to meet their needs and increases the likelihood of success in the classroom.

– With a visual learner, use the words describing the color, size, shape, location; use a highlighter to visually mark important things to remember within the content; record actions or instructions using charts, tables, and visual aids.

– With auditory learners, use a variation of voice (volume, length of pauses, pitch, and tone), and reflect the rhythm of your speech with your body.
– With kinesthetic learners, use gestures and touch, and remember the slower speed of their thought processes. Kinesthetic learners remember information through muscle memory; the more physical exaggeration, bodily movements, and opportunities to touch and act, the better the information will be remembered.

Of course, everyone uses a variety of channels of perception and learning styles throughout daily life). Your child may be a visual learner by nature, but that does not mean that other styles of learning cannot be developed. The learning process will be more effective for everyone if information is provided and repeated in a variety of ways that meet all learning styles.