I See, I Hear, I Touch

Learning styles are simply various approaches or ways of learning. While some people are auditory and learn by hearing, others may learn more effectively by visualizing or seeing pictures in order to retain images. Still others learn by physically manipulating an object to fully understand them. Knowing your child’s learning style will help you select the best curriculum suited for your child and also help you develop coping strategies to compensate for their weaknesses and capitalize on their strengths. There is no right or wrong learning style. Most children show a preference for one of the following basic learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic/ manipulative. It is not uncommon to show a combination of two learning styles; the primary and secondary learning style. Parents also show a preference for one of these learning styles. It is not unusual for parents to prefer a different style of learning than their child. In order to work effectively with your child it is important to understand your own learning style. Go here to take a free learning style quiz. Go here to see a chart identifying the different styles.

We all know that no two people learn the same way, so it will definitely benefit you and your child to identify his unique learning style and adapt your curriculum to fit his needs. Perhaps you have a visual/tactile child who enjoys playing online games. What if your child  enjoys reading, writing stories, solitary activities, or playing word games? Then consider learning activities and experiences that incorporate those types of learning skills. If your child can’t sit still for long and prefers socializing, playing group games, or being out-of-doors, take that into consideration when you select his curriculum. Depending upon your observations, your child may best learn from visual, auditory, or tactile experiences. He may best benefit from short, to-the-point lessons, or he may be more project-oriented. If you have a little artist in your midst, then he may need illustrations, diagrams, maps, or models incorporated into his curriculum. Take time to jot your observations down and adjust his curriculum to fit his learning needs.

Advertisements

 

Fraction Action

Does your child’s math vocabulary include fractions? Fractions are easy to understand in the beginning. As fraction lessons progress into adding, subtracting, multiplying, simplifying… it can become frustrating for many children. Most textbooks have kids memorize the many rules for fractions. The problem is that kids memorize the rules, but they have no idea where the rules came from, so they really don’t have a clue if their answer is reasonable. They function like a robot as they solve problems–throwing out numbers here and there and adding or multiplying this and that until they get something they hope is the answer. The best way to help kids truly understand fractions is to have them visualize fractions in their mind. This ensures the steps used to solve equations become concrete. Use lots of hands-on activities.  Have kids draw simple pictures of each step EVERY time they work with fractions until it becomes second nature to them. Visuals help them fully understand the why of each step and ultimately decided if their solution is reasonable.

 

Harvesting Good Spellers

A chill is in the air, finally! I love the Fall season with harvest pumpkins, scarecrows, trick-or-treating, harvest festivals, cranberries, turkey and dressing… Kids begin to get excited because there are tricky corn maze trails to explore. There are fun hay rides so you can sit and giggle with friends. It is a great time to pop popcorn and cook smores over the fire pit. Since the weather is colder, don’t forget to buy apple cider so you can enjoy a nice hot cup in front of the fireplace as you study your harvest spelling words.

Fall is a great time to include fun seasonal words in your child’s spelling list. Harvest spelling words, Halloween words, fire fighter terminology, and Thanksgiving words are just some of the themes you can include. One of the benefits of homeschooling is flexible learning. That flexibility includes choosing your own spelling words and creating lists based on the season or the topic you are currently studying. A child who has trouble learning spelling words might benefit from you teaching the words visually. Have your child draw a picture of the word on an index card and flip the card over to write the word in color on the back. Vowels or tricky combinations should be in a contrasting color. My daughter did well learning her words visually. There are lots of fun ways for avisual learner to practice spelling words.

Enjoy the festive season and all the fun things you and your child can do together. Make it special as you reap a great harvest learning fun spelling words!