Understanding your child’s learning style

Educators generally agree that there are three main learning styles: visual, auditory and experience (tactile/ kinesthetic learning. However, studies have shown that no one uses one of the styles exclusively, and that there is usually significant overlap in learning styles, although for most students, one of these methods may stand out. Young children are all kinesthetic learners. Visual and auditory preferences emerge later. Children absorb information best by doing, experiencing, touching, moving or being active in some way. For a child, everything is action; young children are rarely lazy because in their minds, wanting is by doing, feeling and judgment is by touching and tasting is by eating. They work out everything! I once witnessed a woman beating up her four-year-old son because he was very mobile; she feared that her child’s mobility would result into stubbornness in the future! little did she know that she was limiting her son’s learning experience. Usually, children explore, discover and think in terms of action. Additionally, children learn better, when they spend time with peers. Many children do the same things; they make models as a way of learning and expressing reality. Therefore, I will emphasize that parents who hinder their children and confine them to Television rooms, need to review their parenting strategies. If you are a parent who bans your child from talking to you while making gestures like, moving hands, you are robbing your child of their freedom and expression. Some people’s intelligence lies in sign communication; that is why not all children can communicate simultaneously with words and gestures. I write this because I have seen parents hinder their youngsters from using signs claiming it to be a sign of future numbness. It is necessary for parents to closely observe the growth of their children and discover how they learn and do things. At the same time, parents need to find out how they learned things and encourage their children to do the same. Additionally, parents can encourage their children to get involved in activities that add value to their lives. These include; sports, exploring the environment, participating in martial arts, dance, reading as well as art and crafts. When children figure out their mode of learning, they develop critical skills that are necessary for survival in today’s competitive world. Emmanirakiza18@yahoo.com

Education

Understanding your child’s learning style