As summer vacation draws to a close, the reopening of school marks a familiar return for some children, while for others it signals a fresh start in a new school. This transitional period offers parents across India a valuable opportunity to explore and understand their child’s distinctive learning style. Recognising and understanding these preferences can significantly enhance educational experiences, leading to improved engagement, confidence and success.
The Significance of Learning Styles
Every child possesses a distinct way of processing information. Identifying a child’s learning style, be it visual, auditory, reading, writing or kinaesthetic (retains information better through doing rather than watching or listening), enables the tailoring of educational approaches to suit individual needs. This personalised strategy not only facilitates better comprehension but also fosters a more enjoyable and effective learning environment.
Exploring the VARK Model
The VARK (Visual, Aural/Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) model of learning styles categorises preferences into four primary types:
- Visual Learners: Thrive on visual aids such as diagrams, charts and colour-coded notes. Incorporating visual learning techniques can enhance their understanding and retention.
- Auditory Learners: Benefit from listening to information. Engaging in discussions, listening to lectures or using mnemonic devices can be particularly effective for auditory learning.
- Reading/Writing Learners: Prefer interacting with text. Activities like note-taking, reading and summarising concepts support reading/writing learning styles.
- Kinesthetic Learners: Learn best through hands-on experiences. Practical activities, experiments and real-life examples can make learning more tangible for those with kinaesthetic learning preferences.
Many children may exhibit a blend of these styles, making a multi-modal learning approach valuable.
Identifying Learning Preferences
Observing behavioural patterns can provide insight into a child’s preferred learning style:
- Drawing or watching videos may indicate visual learning traits. This is because visual learners tend to process and retain information more effectively when it is presented in a pictorial or graphic form.
- Enjoying storytelling or verbal instructions points to an auditory preference. This is because auditory learners grasp concepts better through listening and often remember information delivered through speech or sound.
- A love for reading and note-taking often aligns with reading/writing learners. This is because such learners process and retain information more effectively through written words and prefer expressing understanding through reading and writing tasks.
- Constant physical activity and practical problem-solving might reflect kinaesthetic learning strengths. This is due to their preference for learning through movement, hands-on experiences and real-world engagement rather than passive observation.
Using tools like the VARK questionnaire for students or consulting with teachers can offer additional clarity.
Practical Applications at Home
Parents can actively support a child’s development by incorporating personalised learning strategies at home:
- Use of flashcards, illustrations and infographics for visual learners. As visually stimulating tools help these learners process and retain information more effectively.
- Audio books, rhymes and oral recitations for auditory learners. As spoken content allows them to absorb concepts through listening and repetition.
- Structured reading schedules and writing journals for reading/writing learners. As engaging with text deepens comprehension and reinforces memory through active note-taking.
- DIY experiments, model-making and movement-based games for kinaesthetic learners. As hands-on experiences enhance understanding through physical involvement and trial-and-error learning.
The Impact on Academic Success
Tailoring teaching and support methods to a child’s learning style can lead to:
- Improved academic performance: Lessons presented in a preferred learning style are more easily understood and applied.
- Higher classroom engagement: When parents support personalised learning approaches at home, children remain more attentive and interested in classroom activities, leading to better participation and understanding.
- Better information retention: Content aligned with a child’s cognitive preference is more likely to be remembered.
- Greater confidence in learning abilities: consistent success boosts self-belief and encourages independent effort.
- Reduced stress during study time: Familiar learning methods minimise frustration and make studying feel more manageable.
These outcomes not only boost academic outcomes but also contribute to long-term learning satisfaction.
Practical Applications at Home
Parents can actively support a child’s development by incorporating personalised learning strategies at home:
- Use of flashcards, illustrations and infographics for visual learners. As visually stimulating tools help these learners process and retain information more effectively. Platforms like YouTube and Narayana’s nLearn offer rich visual modules and video content that further enhance understanding for visual learners.
- Audio books, rhymes and oral recitations for auditory learners. As spoken content allows them to absorb concepts through listening and repetition.
- Structured reading schedules and writing journals for reading/writing learners. As engaging with text deepens comprehension and reinforces memory through active note-taking.
- DIY experiments, model-making, role-play, gardening, sports and movement-based games for kinaesthetic learners, as hands-on experiences enhance understanding through physical involvement, coordination, and trial-and-error learning. Activities like dance routines, obstacle courses and building kits also support concept retention by engaging the body in the learning process.
Educational platforms offering learning style-based resources can further reinforce classroom learning.
Understanding a child’s learning style before school begins lays the foundation for a productive and joyful academic year. A thoughtful, informed approach to individual learning preferences equips children with the tools needed not just to survive in the classroom but to truly thrive.