Take Our Learning Style Quiz Here
If you have more than one child at home, you are likely more than aware of just how different kids can be. There’s the shy kid, the messy kid, the chatty kid. The kid who’s into sports, the kid who sings, the kid who draws. Each child naturally connects to the people, places, and activities they like best, and these choices present as hobbies, interests, and skills. But being aware of your child’s interests can do more than simply prepare you for which curriculum and learning resources to choose, or which summer camps to sign up for. When it comes to learning, you can channel your child’s interests for the good of their education too!
The first step is to figure out your child’s natural learning style. Knowing your child’s learning style will help you to plan activities in a way that is sure to have a meaningful, lasting effect. The idea of learning styles has been studied since the 1980s; the current VARK model stands for four types of learner: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic (VARK). In more recent years a few other learning styles have been identified including the socio-emotional learner. The VARK model is often used to improve lesson delivery and choose how best to teach and guide a child, as a parent, you can use them to help your child learn new things. Knowing your learning style is simply a guide to making smart choices about how your child will learn best. What methods, curriculums, and yes fun will be the best format for your child to learn! (Protip: There are actually a few more learning styles but for the sake of simplicity we will use these!) You can even plan family trips and adventures around these learning styles! Read on for tips and tricks for working with your child’s style.
So what then is a visual learner?
The V in VARK stands for visual. So what does it mean that your child is a visual learner? It means they will do best with visual information rather than written or audio. Visual learners need to see to learn!
Is your kid always doodling while they work? Are they art-obsessed? Is your house full of sticky notes reminding your child to brush their teeth, pack their homework, and take out the trash? Do they perform a full blown pantomime every time they hold a conversation? These behaviors are common to visual learners because the visualizations help them learn. No matter what the subject, you’ll find your kid trying to make sense of their day-to-day life through visual means.
Instead of reading a book, your child might be drawn to graphic novels. Instead of a workbook of math problems, an interactive video game involving math may better support learning. Movies and documentaries will be huge hits, and your kid will remember the details! Picture and video-based instructions will offer much more to your child than just written steps.
So what can you do? To start, let your child guide the way! There’s no need to fight your child’s natural interests; use them as sources of inspiration! Look for projects and activities that play to your child’s strengths. While visual learners can certainly learn by listening, reading, and doing, they are likely to be most successful in situations allowing for visualization. Try some of the suggestions below when introducing new concepts or practicing old ones so that it better suits your child’s way of learning. Remember, while visual learners can certainly learn by hearing, reading, and doing, they will be most successful in situations that engage their high-powered visual skills.
To keep a visual learner engaged, try to use plenty of colors, pictures, and charts. Mind maps are a great tool for quick and easy visualization. Using such tools will be key for keeping your kid motivated to learn. You’ll be amazed at the difference in engagement when using tools that fit your child.
Supporting visual learners in:
English Language Arts: After reading a story or novel, consider watching the movie version if it exists. Nowadays you can even find great content on almost any topic on YouTube and yes, even TikTok! Just be sure to preview the videos before having your child watch. You can also use graphic novel adaptations or grab visual content from Sparknotes and their literature infographics. For grammar, sentence diagramming is a great way to visualize structure.
STEM: Seeing is believing! From picture books to models and diagrams anything that helps your child better visualize abstract concepts will likely grab your child’s interest. Remember, picture books aren’t just for young children either! Picture books, whether they have illustrations or photographs, are great for visual learners. Educational websites that present visual history are also fantastic. Use technology to your advantage! Interactive simulations like those in Labster can provide fun hands-on, visual learning from anywhere. Use science documentaries to explore subjects. There is nothing like seeing the universe and cosmos expand before your eyes on screen! You can check out fun STEM videos on Youtube or on programs like Generation Genius.
Social Studies: Pictures, videos, or visual representations can help to ground history. For example, a study of photographs of life in the Great Depression will stick much more than reading a chapter on the subject. Vibrant animations like those from TedEd or Crash Course or Crash Course Kids! History will provide your child with strong visuals to accompany learning content.
Social Activities: Visual learners will gravitate towards activities with strong visual elements such as poster making, puppet shows, or photo scavenger hunts. A documentary film screening or trip to a museum is also a fantastic option. You’ll likely want to have plenty of art supplies handy for your visual learner!
While your child may naturally respond best to this learning style, it certainly does not mean other styles won’t be beneficial. Your kid may have a preference for one style over another, but children are incredibly adaptable. Aim to strike a good balance between supporting this learning style, but not limiting your child to it. Learning often happens through a combination of styles and other external factors can weigh into your choices. The value of an outing with Grandma or your child’s best friend’s preference for a book or game may contribute to their willingness and ability to absorb material as well. We all know our kids are complex and follow their passions! That is the beauty of individualized learning and finding the right teaching methodology for your child or student. Be their guide, and let them find their way. No matter what, listen to what your children or students feedback to you. When you find the “right way” to learn, they will certainly let you know. Having an open discussion about learning styles with children old enough to understand will also help them to guide you. Let them have a voice.
Learn more about VARK and learning styles.
Want to learn about other learning styles? Explore them here:
Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic and Socio-Emotional
Don’t forget to use this knowledge to guide you in picking the correct curriculum.
Finding the Right Curriculum for Your Child’s Learning Style
*These articles are meant as a guide and for information only, and are not professional evaluations. For further analysis of your child or student’s learning style consider an evaluation by a professional with for further testing. Anything Academic can help you find both professionals and guides to testing for academics!