TL D oS os 5 =~ Ps aTLa 7ORLY 2 Ee VE. /_aS RES ee How Does Your Child Learn Best? (NAPSA)—Manyparents focus on what their child learns in school, but it is also important for them to understand how their child learns. Children have different styles of learning that are linked to one or more of their senses. Generally speaking, learners can be placed in one of four groups: The Visual Learner learns best when she is “shown” how to do something. She thrives on written directions. * The Auditory Learner retains more information from whathe hears than reads. The Kinesthetic Learner expresses herself through movement and often has trouble sitting still. The Tactile Learner needs to feel and manipulate objects and needs hands-on experience in order to learn best. “It is important to realize that successful learning happens when we make a connection between what we are attempting to learn and our learning style,” says Dr. Andrea Pastorok of Kumon Math and Reading Centers. “When the connection is made, learning is easy. Whenit isn’t, difficulty follows and students have trouble paying attention, completing assignments or taking tests.” If you know your child’s strongest learning style, share this information with his or her teacher. To help your children make their learning style work for them, use an approach that taps into their preferred style. For example, if your child is having trouble preparing for a spelling test, the following tips might help: A visual learner can write andrewrite the spelling list so she can see howthe letters look when they come together on the page. An auditory learner can make an audio recording of himself spelling out the words on the How a student learns is just as important as what a student learns. list so he can replay them and spell along with the tape. A kinesthetic learner can use her body to form the letters, can put the words on objects or can recite the spelling of words while jumpingrope. A tactile learner can use magnetic letters to spell out the words on his refrigerator or form the letters in clay or sand. Although most students use a blend of learning styles, they usually rely more heavily on one particular style. Sometimes, what maylook like a learning disability may really be a learning difference—especially if there is a “mismatch” between what students know and how they demonstrate it. If their preferred learning style does not match with the testing of their knowledge, they may not perform well in school. When both children and parents understand what learning style works best—seeing, listening, moving, doing or touching— they can use those strengths to learn, store and retrieve informa- tion needed to succeed in school. Kumon Math and Reading Centers recognizes children’s differ- ences and individualizes its program to accommodate their unique ways of learning. For more information, visit www.kumon.com.
