Types of Learning

Preschool? Isn't it about playing messily, singing songs, taking a nap, and having snacks? Well, take a look at it closer. There's a lot more than that. There are social values and skills being introduced to the children. The classroom life looks simple and easy. In fact, various strategies and plans are prepared in details. Something to remember is the teacher(s) should pass on all the information as simple as they can. Also, considering the fact that the children might learn in many different ways. We, as a teacher and parent, should realize that we should respect these differences. This writing is to remind us how important it is to acknowledge each child's style of learning. "Learning styles define how your child learns and processes information" (Amy James, an international expert on school curriculum and testing). Education experts have identified three main types of learning. They are physical, visual, and auditory. PHYSICAL/KINESTHETIC Physical learners (also known as tactile-kinesthetic learners. Tactile for touch, kinesthetic for movement) like to use their hands or bodies to learn a new information. They like to touch everything or move around when the teacher reads a book. Absorbing new information would be easier for them if they are allowed to do some physical activities. Physical learners would tap a pencil, finger, or foot, or twirling her hair to help her to concentrate. Most of them can't stand still and are likely to be diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Does your child show some of these symptoms? Don’t conclude anything yet. Please observe him carefully over a long period of time. Is the movement productive? If he does it in order to help him to concentrate, it is a productive movement, meaning that he's trying to get a lot of information as much as possible even though he moves a lot. What are the possible activities that would help them to learn best? Give them hands-on activities that they can manipulate by themselves, such as cutting construction paper, sorting objects with their hands, or pasting some pictures. Allow them to move around [a little bit] or play with a small toy when you read a story, as you know they will engage in learning more when they are physically engaged. VISUAL Visual learners will catch a lot of information through their sense of sight. They will learn a lot easier when we give them something they can see or watch. DVDs or books would be the good choices for them. They can retell a story only by looking at one or two pictures in a book. If you cannot get them to listen to you while you're reading, you can get him to watch a DVD about the same topic. So, it is not because you are not a good teacher or the story is not interesting, but it's because they have a different type of learning:) AUDITORY Auditory learners understand new ideas and concepts best when they hear and talk about the information. In a group of kids, you can see the auditory learners easily comprehend a tune in a snap just from hearing someone sing it or talk about it over and over. Some of them will need a music background to help them to concentrate. Some of them will show their understanding when they talk it out. In short, auditory learners are talkers and listeners.