Think back to when you were in school. What helped you listen to, understand, and retain the information you got in the classroom? Did you have to sit in the front so that you could see the teacher writing things on the board or the visual aids that were used? Did you wish that your seatmates would quiet down and that the teacher’s voice was louder so you could hear the lesson clearly? Were you more excited in classes that allowed you to use your hands or move around? What kind of study habits did you have? Did you need total peace and quiet or were you the type who reviewed or did homework with the radio on or while having a snack? Try to remember these things to aid your big kid in studying in a fun and stress-free way.
Whatever strategy you used, it would have been based, albeit not deliberately, on how you learned best. This is according to theories on Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences which espouse that the manner in which people take in, process, and act on information that come their way will not be the same. You would have used one or a combination of the following:
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
Visual/spatial - pictures, graphs, visual aids, books, handouts, and actually writing things down are your greatest friends.
Auditory - You like music, to read text aloud, and prefer to sort things out through active discussions. You don’t mind sitting through lectures and, in fact, find these stimulating.
Verbal - Words are your greatest tools whether when speaking or writing.
Tactile/Kinesthetic - Learning by doing is your motto. You like to make things, perform experiments, and test theories by acting them out. You are probably one to move around rather than sit still through a lecture.
Logical - Patterns, puzzles, and logic games tickle your fancy. You are organized and have a system down for everything.
Interpersonal - You love being with people and work best in a group.
Intrapersonal - You work on your own and find solitary study most effective.
Why is it helpful to know this now when you are, thankfully, done with school and studying? Because you still use this in your everyday life, from finding your way around a new place to learning how to use a new cell phone. And, most importantly, it will help when you need to assist your big kid with his homework. If you find this task too arduous and choose to get a tutor for your child, telling the tutor what learning style(s) work best for your child will be a big help as well.
SOURCES:
Dunn, R., and Dunn, K. (1978). Teaching students through their individual learning styles. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing Company, Inc.Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st century. New York, NY: Basic Books.Sample lesson from Ann Louise S. Diokno: a LET certified lead instructor of The Little Gym’s core gym classes and Terrific Tots Preschool Program with a degree in Family Life and Child Development from the University of the Philippines and currently taking her Masters in Education from the same university.
.jpg)
.jpg)
