Do you know your child's learning preference

Sometime back I had a chance to listen to a teacher who was conducting a class for eighth grade students. I noticed something unusual with this teacher. She explained a particular concept in 2-3 different styles. For each style I have also noticed different sections of students responding better compared to their other peers. Some students understood the concept when it was explained through pictures, some understood when it was narrated well and some understood when they had a chance to actually work with it.

Do you see your child responding to a particular method or style of learning better than the other? Do you see a particular pattern or a preference in the style in which your child learns better?

This preference of the learning style is what is referred by a teacher from New-Zealand Neil Flemings as VARK or VAK model. According to this model the child may have a preference for Visual learning or Auditory learning; Reading-Writing learning or Kinaesthetic learning or a combination of these styles.

If your child is one of those who believe in ‘seeing is believing’ then she may have a visual learning style preference. The visual learners think in pictures. They are required to create a mental image to retain information. Pictures, maps, charts and movies is something she will find interesting. The concepts she will learn through these methods will help her remember the information quickly.

If your child finds listening enjoyable, if she likes to think in words than pictures and generally good at speaking & presenting then her preferred style is auditory learning. People with auditory learning preference are good at listening, writing, storytelling, explaining; teaching and related activities.

Some children remember by doing things themselves. If your child loves to learn by experimenting and prefer to remember & process information by actually seeing or participating in the activity then her preference is kinaesthetic style of learning. Give her your mobile and she will want to open it to see what’s inside.

Here are the key words for your quick reference.

Visual	Auditory	Kinaesthetic
Picture	Tone	Body movements
Shape	Listening	Gestures
Sculpture	Rhythms	Object manipulation
Painting	Presenting	Experimentation

 

Your observation and interaction will give you an indicator of the learning preference of your child. There are also a set of questionnaire that can help you understand her learning preference better. In case you are interested to go the scientific way, you may check this link to take the assessment and arrive at the learning preference.

http://teachertools.londongt.org/?page=VAK

Helps check VAK preference

 

Has VAK helped parents or students so far?

Experts in the field of education and psychology have debated VAK and other learning theories or models quite extensively. Experiments do not give an empirical evidence that aligning teaching style to learning preference helps. Some of them have also said that labelling individuals on any one particular style may not be appropriate and can suggest, indirectly though that she will have limitations in learning if the subject requires other styles for learning.

So why should you bother to know about the learning preference? How it will help you?

In spite of all the discussions for and against VAK and other learning theories, VAK learning model remains widely used.

If we know the learning preference, will it not help in consciously creating an environment that fosters better; easier; enjoyable and faster learning for our children?