What are Children's Learning Style and How to Determine Them?

One day I was chatting with my friend Arti, and the discussion veered towards her twins’ studies. While one twin loved going to school, the other didn’t. I asked her if she has tried to assess their learning styles. “What is the learning style?” She asked. “There is a textbook to study from and the teacher explains what is written in the book. Isn’t it as simple as that?”. I could sense her irritation with her daughter at not being able to get such a simple thing straight. Just then, the twins came by. As I was talking to them about their interests, I noticed how different they were in their personalities. Immediately I realized where the problem lay. While one twin was a logical learner(and hence worked well in the school environment of textbook learning), the other one was a visual learner.  

Understanding a child’s learning style can help parents and teachers tailor their teaching method to suit the child’s personalities. As a teacher, I often use this when I am faced with a child who is not showing interest. 

There are 7 basic learning styles, namely: 

1. Visual: child prefers using images, pictures, colour and other visual media to learn. 

2. Auditory-Musical: child prefers using sound and music to learn.

3. Verbal: child prefers using words to learn. 

4. Kinaesthetic: child prefers using the body, hands and sense of touch to learn. 

5. Solitary: Prefer self-study.

6. Social: Prefer to learn in groups. 

7. Logical: Prefer using logic, reasoning and systems to learn. 

How does one determine the child’s learning style? 

1. Observe the way the child expresses themselves:  If a child is comfortable in a certain learning style, they are more likely to express themselves in that style. For e.g. auditory learners express themselves best through words, visual learners through facial expressions and kinaesthetic learners through body language. 

2. Analyse the child’s interests: A child’s learning style is usually reflected in their interests. Auditory learners display a keen interest in music, visual learners love to read, watch TV, look through photographs, kinaesthetic learners enjoy sports activities. 

3. Observe the child’s problem-solving style: The child is likely to use his strengths when attempting problems. So, an auditory learner will talk through the solution. They may mumble to themselves while solving problems. Visual learners use their eyes to solve problems. They quickly notice if something is amiss. They are usually good at problems involving odd one out, matching, spot the difference etc. Kinaesthetic learners will use their hands while solving problems. Counting on fingers or using flashcards to touch and feel are signs of kinaesthetic learners. 

Understanding the child’s learning style will go a long way in helping them overcome the fear of learning. As a math teacher, I often come across students who are fearful of the subject. Getting to know their learning style has helped me fine-tune my teaching to their capabilities. Thus, removing the fear aspect of learning. 

Stay Tuned! Stay Relevant!