Learning Styles

Just as we have different personalities, we also have different learning styles. Understanding the way children learn helps us identify their strengths and weaknesses, which allows us to teach them according to their needs, interest and personalities.

Introducing children to "cookie cutter" curriculums (which is the way the public school system works) implies they all have the same learning style.

These curriculums work at "one speed" all the time. It's like having a car with one speed…a disaster waiting to happen!

With the high teacher student ratio, teachers don't have the time to stop and understand your children's learning styles. They have a goal to accomplish by the end of the year and it's to finish the curriculum on time.

Homeschooling allows parents and children to teach and learn at their own pace.

Learning Styles

1. Auditory

Auditory learners retain information by listening. 20% of people are auditory learners. Audio tapes, oral presentations and reading out loud curriculums are a good fit for the auditory learner.

Auditory children are good at remembering people’s names but have a hard time remembering faces. Auditory learners have the ability to follow spoken directions and may get confused by written directions or maps.

2. Visual

In order for visual learners to retain information you will need curriculums with pictures, diagrams, drawings, etc. Visual learners are the most common. 60% of people are visual learners. They can’t retain information by just listening to you speaking for hours.

When teaching a visual learner it may be a good idea to have a dry erase board with colorful dry erase markers, flash cards, colorful illustrations, books with pictures, etc.

Visual learners usually excel in reading and spelling as they can picture the words in their minds when spelling.

They are usually good at remembering people’s faces but not their names. Visual learners usually don’t have the ability to follow spoken directions, however, do well with written directions and or a map.

3. Kinesthetic

Kinesthetic children learn by “doing”. They prefer to touch and manipulate items. 20% of people are kinetic learners.

They usually have issues sitting still, and listening. They are referred as “the hyper” students.

They usually require many breaks while homeschooling. They are usually good at sports and are very competitive. When they play, they usually want to be “leaders” instead of “followers”.

Choose curriculums with “hands on” approach. Have them write their problems on a dry erase board.

Use building blocks. Allow them to be the teacher. When reading they can dramatize as they read.

When you have a kinetic learner you must be extremely patience and understand they are not being hyper on purpose.

So when you take on the journey of homeschooling, please understand it may take longer to get through some lessons because of the frequent breaks and the needed “hands-on” approach.

How will you identify your children’s learning style you might ask?

Easy. Set aside time to play “school”. Ask your child to be the teacher. We are very comfortable teaching something utilizing our learning style.

Ask your child to show you how to dress a doll or how to paint a model car for example.

1. An auditory learner will explain the process or sing a song describing how to perform the task.

2. A visual learner will attempt to draw a picture and be very detailed on how to perform the task.

3. A kinetic learner will hand you the doll or the model car and walk you through the process while you do it.

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