Your Child Has A Style (And So Do You)

... A learning style that is. According to the VARK model there are four types of learning styles (the names of which VARK is an acronym): Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic. Each style comes with its own unique strengths, information preferences, and learning strategies.

Visual Learner:

Strength: Learns best by seeing.

Information Preference: Prefers information in the form of graphs, diagrams, handouts, charts, and pictures.

Learning Strategies: Flash cards, taking notes, watching educational videos, creating visual summaries such as flow charts and diagrams, underlining or highlighting important text, and organizing information on color-coded post it notes.

Aural Learner:

Also known as auditory learners.

Strength: Learns best by hearing and speaking.

Information Preference: Prefers information in the form of hearing and spoken words.

Learning Strategies: Discussions, lectures, reading aloud, reciting flashcards, verbally repeating information, verbal explanations, class participation, asking questions, information in the form of music or lyrics, and audio books,

Read/Write Learner:

Strength: Learns best by reading and writing.

Information Preference: Prefers information in written form.

Learning Strategies: Reading books and handouts, writing and reading flash cards, handwritten notes, organizing information into outline form, re-reading information, re-taking notes, highlighting or underlining important text, creating lists. and writing definitions and explanations using your own words.

Kinesthetic Learner:

Strength: Learns best by doing.

Information Preference: Prefers learning information through engaging all of their senses and using a physical approach.

Learning Strategies: Hands-on activities, movement, arts and crafts, building, experiments, role playing, outings in nature, practical application of lessons they have learned, real life examples, practice, and trial and error.

It is important to note that the majority of us have more than one learning style (about two-thirds of the population). Learning styles can also vary depending on the subject and can change over time. For example, young children typically have a mix of learning styles. Before the ages of 6 or 7 they are primarily visual and kinesthetic learners. After 6 or 7 they may display a preference for another style and this will become more established in their tween and teen years.

I can remember many years ago sitting next to one of my friends in a college biology class. I was taking notes during the lecture and I glanced over at his note book. He was looking at the professor and the page in front of him was blank. At the conclusion of the lecture (it lasted for over an hour), my friend's notebook was still on the same page and he had only written about three paragraphs. I flipped through my pages of copious notes and asked him if that was all of the notes he took? He responded "Yes, I just mostly listen and write down a few important points". I was astonished. How was this even possible? Why did I have to write so many notes and he could just sit in on the lecture and fill out one page of notes (and not even a full page!). It was possible because he is an auditory learner and I am read/write learner. Writing is how I intake, process, understand, remember, and connect with information. I did not understand that this at that time and my need to write down information often frustrated me. The VARK model was not known to me in my younger years (it was introduced only a few years before I started attending college). I eventually learned to embrace and appreciate my style and I am so happy that I did!

There are other factors that can affect learning such as personality, motivation, physical environments, etc. The VARK model does not include these factors. What I like about this model is that it highlights the fact that not everyone learns in exactly the same way, it emphasizes that learning involves using your senses, it identifies that we have a preference for how we intake and process information, and it informs us of learning strategies that we can use to maximize our individual learning experience. It also increases our awareness of the learning styles of others.

That brings me to this important point. When you are providing instruction to your child, their learning style may differ from yours. Seek out supplemental learning materials based upon their learning preference or style. Since many of us have multiple styles, my rule of thumb is to introduce information in one style (your learners dominate style) and then reinforce the learning with strategies from other styles.

To learn more about VARK learning styles and complete a learning style questionnaire click here.