Life With ADHD Inattentive Kids
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How to Memorize Math Factsby Kayla Fay
This month I'm focusing on an area that has fascinated me for many years - learning styles. The subject probably appealed to me at first because of my bent toward categorizing and organizing everything from people to concepts to junk. After my boys were diagnosed with ADHD/Inattentive, the knowledge I had became quite important in helping my guys succeed in school. Although there are many ideas about what learning styles exist, it is generally accepted that there are three basic types of learners: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners like pictures, diagrams, written information, and maps. They like to take notes and are usually good writers. They may or may not be artistic. Some figures say visual learners make up 65% of the population. Auditory learners like to hear words and/or music. They sometimes prefer to listen to a lesson and take notes afterwards, and they benefit from hearing things read out loud. They make great speakers. Around 30% of people are auditory learners. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They like to feel things, and learn best by practicing things over and over. Kinesthetic learners often move while studying. They also respond positively to human touch. Since only about 5% of people learn kinesthetically, they are often behind their peers in the classroom because lessons are not presented in their best learning style. In 1983, Dr. Howard Gardner  , a Harvard professor, greatly expanded the concept of learning styles with what he called 'Multiple Intelligences '. Throwing out conventional linguistic and logical approaches to IQ, he suggested that there are eight different areas of intelligences: Linguistic (word smart), Logical-mathematical (number/reasoning smart), Spatial (picture smart), Bodily-Kinesthetic (body smart), Musical (music smart), Interpersonal (people smart), Intrapersonal (self smart), and Naturalist (nature smart). We all know that traditionally, school is geared toward those who are smart in words and numbers. Dr. Gardner's approach broadens the range of 'smart kids' so that talents of all children and adults are recognized. By recognizing the many intelligences that exist, we can develop our children in the area in which they excel.
If you're not familiar with your child's learning style or area of intelligence, there is a free online resource from Hot to Learn.com that will help you define both areas. Along with jargon free explanations, there are interactive tests that will help you discover your child's unique gifts. Visit the site at http://www.howtolearn.com. Once you determine your child's learning style, it's time to get down to the business of using the knowledge to help your child learn. Pat Wyman is also the author of Learning vs Testing: Strategies That Bridge the Gap  . The book explores ways to "help children who learn differently than they're tested." It's highly recommended. Another resource by Pat Wyman teaches you how to work WITH your child's learning style. Read about how teaching TO learning styles can improve your child's grades with
Instant Learning for Amazing Grades.
But it's not all cut and dried. Despite all that is written about learning styles, your child is an individual. Being aware of how your child learns is extremely important, but we have to remember that there is no one size fits all approach. One of our sons is a visual learner. He has to see everything he learns - preferably in pictures. The mantle over our table is plastered with note cards with Latin declensions in color. For every chapter he studies, we fill a zip lock bag with notecards representing every piece of information he has to learn. But he still has to have material read out loud to him, and he loves a mnemonic pun to help him remember. So he's got auditory tendencies as well. Lately, I've started adding a bit of music to Biology and World History. We have a beautiful song about Kingdom Phylum Class and Order Fami-ly Ge-nus Species that I cannot get out of my head. We also have to remember that our children also get bored quite quickly, and it helps to vary teaching methods often. So I mix it up even further. You should see the theatrics that go along with the Latin word gemit which means he/she/it groans. Last weekend I saw a dramatic example of using all three learning styles in teaching. Our whole family went to a "Walk through the Bible" Seminar. The lofty goal of the seminar was to have us learn the framework of the Old Testament, memorizing key points, characters, and chronology of all 39 books. Using clever visuals with mnemonic devices, a rapid fire commentary, and body motions (visual, auditory, kinesthetic!), we sailed through six hours of instruction. For example, the opening book of the Bible, was illustrated by the word GeNesis. The Big N helped us to remember that it was about the beginning of things. As we thought of that picture, we said "Creation" and moved our hands in a circle to represent the world. We proceeded from there, and we LEARNED the Old Testament! This seminar was a great example of how effectively we can learn when all learning styles are combined. The possibilities for using learning styles are endless! I recommend that you take the Learning Styles inventory and then let your child answer the questions. Make sure you are not teaching in your learning style instead of your child's. Use your insights! Come up with creative ways to help your child. It takes time, but your investment will pay off not only in better grades, but in lasting learning - and true knowledge - that will last your child a lifetime. Knowing your child's learning bent will help you help them to help themselves! Your Child Can
Get Higher Grades in As Soon As 14 Days!
Learn how to teach TO your child's learning style with Instant Learning for Amazing Grades. |
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