Outfit Your Child for Back-to-School Success
 Back-to-school season is just around the corner, which means it's time to pick out new clothes, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. As you outfit your child with the latest fashion styles, be sure that you prepare for a successful school year by understanding your child's personal "learning style."
Just as there are many different fashions, there are also many different ways a child learns. Because each child is unique, with different learning styles and academic needs, it is important to personalize the learning process. Understanding a child's learning style can help
a parent and teacher personalize instruction or homework to ensure peak performance in school
and build a child's self-confidence.
People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory:
visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group
activity or through quiet thinking time. Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of in-center tutoring to students of all ages and skill levels, provides the following tips to assist parents in determining what type of learning style their child exhibits. Parents can also visit their local Sylvan Learning for a more detailed analysis of how their child learns.
When reading the following tips, keep in mind that a child may exhibit more than one of the
following learning styles.
How does your child learn?
Visual/Spatial learners enjoy photography, visual metaphors, puzzles, illustrations and story
maps. Seeing a bar graph on the cost of different cars, for instance, would be a better learning tool
than hearing a list of prices read aloud.
Verbal/Linguistic learners shine in activities such as storytelling, public speaking, drama and
journal writing. Give children journals to keep for one month. Encourage them to write detailed
descriptions of what they see, taste, feel and hear.
Bodily/Kinesthetic learners thrive on hands-on experiments, field trips, body language, crafts
and sports. Take a field trip to a local factory, then make a visual display of what was learned.
Logical/Mathematical learners tend to be better at problem-solving, coding, data collecting,
money management and scientific models. Help your child create a budget sheet that itemizes
every cent spent during a one-month period. Determine what category drew the biggest expenses.
Musical/Rhythmic students may play an instrument, sing, hum or tap during work or
require background music while they study. Turn memorization exercises into rhythmic word
play and set it to any musical style.
Intrapersonal learners work better alone, doing individual study, personal goal-setting and
self-esteem activities. This type of student can write down one objective and record the steps to
achieving it. Interpersonal learners work better in group activities, such as clubs, peer teaching, conflict
meditation and active discussions. They would enjoy volunteering at a nursing home, women's shelter or charity and documenting the experience in a journal.
Naturalist learners tend to better understand ideas when they are related to a natural occurrence. These learners prefer outdoor activities (e.g., camping, gardening, hiking, birdwatching, etc).
As parents prepare their child for the new school year, it's important to remember that he or she will be better prepared for classes if parents and the school teacher both understand personal learning styles and use this knowledge to help the child excel in school and on homework. Parents should share their observations about their child's learning style with their child's teachers.
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