Learning Styles: Three Main Types of Learning Styles

Will your child read instructions over and over and still not seem to understand the assignment? Does your child need to move around constantly while doing school work? When you explain information to your child, does he or she seem to have trouble understanding what you are saying? If any of these situations sound familiar, it is worth investigating the topic of learning styles!

Understanding the particular learning style of your child can significantly enhance his or her education experience. In a classroom of twenty kids, the ability of a teacher to directly respond to the learning style of each child is nearly impossible. In the homeschool setting, however, the exact opposite is true. How can you best utilize this great opportunity? First, understanding the different learning styles is important. Then, find out which best applies to your child. The experience can be quite fun and entertaining for you and your child!

There are three main types of learning styles. Visual learners are students who respond best to visual stimulation. Actually seeing a teacher explain something, noticing facial expressions and hand movements, is key to this learning style. Charts and graphs and other visual aides used in a classroom can be very helpful for visual learners to absorb information being presented to them.

Some students are great listeners and it is easier for them to understand a lesson if it is explained verbally to them. These students are referred to as auditory learners. Listening to the requirements of an assignment is better than reading written instruction. Tone of voice and inflection is also very important to this type of learner.

The third style of learning is referred to as kinesthetic. Students that prefer this style often need to engage in "hands-on" learning. Experiencing the information they are presented with is important, as sitting still for long periods of time becomes frustrating for this type of learner.

What kind of learner is your child? Remember, your child may not be limited to just one! Students often exhibit qualities in two or more styles. Look online and search for free online tests. One option can be found at Learning-Styles-Online.com. This activity can be fun for you and your child. The practical advice it gives you can help you understand how best to communicate information to your child and how best to let he or she learn.

Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling parent, author, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of almost 3 decades reside with their 8 children in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rothschild co-founded Learning By Grace, Inc. because "our current system of education has broken its promise..." Learning By Grace, Inc. delivers Internet-based multimedia education to PreK-12 children in the United States and throughout the world.

Rothschild has authored a number of books about education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Home Education News Blog contains feature stories on alternatives in education.