"Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."
- Mark Twain
Do you know whether your child learns best through sight (visually), by sound (auditory) or through movement or touch (kinesthetic)? As individual as their personalities, so are the various ways in which children learn. The reality is most parents may not understand the nuances of differentiating learning styles.
By working with your child's dominant learning style, parents can introduce new activities at home that work with their child's strengths. This will help parents better communicate with their child, as the child is more receptive to what is being taught. This can also reduce the potential likelihood of a child feeling frustrated if he or she is having problems grasping a topic.
"There is nothing like seeing a child's eyes light up when he or she is able to connect with the information being presented," said Jamie Kominos, executive director of Merryhill Schools in the Las Vegas area. "Whether at home or in the classroom, understanding how a child processes information best and adjusting his or her activities accordingly can greatly impact educational and social progress."
Parents can implement the following activities at home to help their child learn more successfully:
- Create flash cards to help your child remember facts, such as numbers or letters.
- Encourage your child to draw or write about what they learned at school, or from a book or TV show.
- Encourage your child to read aloud and repeat key facts and terms, such as numbers and letters.
- Ask your child to explain aloud to you what they learned at school, or from a book or TV show.
- Get your child involved in activities and games that get them up and moving.
- Provide your child with toys such as clay and building blocks, which keep his or her hands and imagination active.
Merryhill Schools in the Las Vegas area are part of Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. For more information on Nobel Learning Communities, please log onto www.merryhillschool.com.