4 Ways to Identify Your Child’s Learning Style (And Why it Matters)

Knowing your child’s learning style can help you make the most of his or her education. While children are flexible enough to process information in many different ways, most of them have a particularly strong aptitude in one of three main learning areas: auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Finding out which category your child falls into can help you optimize study time and better partner with teachers to foster success in the classroom. Here are a few ways to start identifying your student’s learning style.

Notice How They Follow Instructions Best

Struggling to follow instructions can be a hinderance in the classroom and a point of frustration at home. Often times, it’s not that a child can’t follow directions, it’s that they’re given in a way that doesn’t register with his primary learning style. Visual learners may prefer a written out list of steps while auditory learners may need directions read aloud. Kinesthetic learners may have trouble even getting through the directions before jumping right in. For these students, allowing them to be involved in the teaching through writing out steps, highlighting, or underlining, can be valuable.

Watch Them Problem-Solve

Have you ever watched your child as they try to figure something out? How do they approach the task at hand? Do they talk through issues? (Auditory). Observe quietly? (Visual). Or do they immediately start working with their hands and moving things around? (Kinesthetic).

Watching a child’s course of action when they are faced with a problem can tell you a lot about how he or she learns best.

Examine Their Activity Choices

What does your child prefer to do when he or she is given free time? Auditory learners are often drawn to music and talking to others. Visual learners may enjoy reading (especially books with pictures), watching TV, or or working puzzles. Kinesthetic learners can be drawn to anything from sports to legos. They may fidget when sitting still and enjoy more tactile activities.

Take a Personality Test

Depending on your child’s age, you may need to take the test on their behalf. But these tried-and-true quizzes provide detailed explanations of different personality types and help you understand more about how your child learns. There are a number of other tests related specifically to learning styles that can be found online. Try giving your child this free and quick one at EducationPlanner.org.

Learn More at NCA

At Northside Christian Academy, teachers pay attention to learning styles and tailor their instruction to better meet the needs of each student. If you are looking for a school where teachers and parents partner together to maximize learning, we invite you to download our Kindergarten information packet today.

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