According to education expert Cynthia Tobias, even if kids grow up around the same people and in the same environment, they could still have different approaches when dealing with things like studying. Hence, it’s not advisable to keep using the same technique when teaching new concepts to each child.
Visual (spatial) learning is one of the four main learning styles. If your child’s a visual learner, you’d notice that he learns things with the aid of colours, images, or maps. Here are 3 study strategies you can try for the visual learning style.
1. Provide supporting images.
The saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” speaks truth for visual learners. When the word and its corresponding image are placed together, a visual learner’s brain will easily retain the information for later. For example, seeing a map (or even a written list) of the six Australian states will help your kids remember them much better than hearing the names enumerated.
No one’s expecting you to be as good as Van Gogh, Mum. However, if you’ve got pretty decent drawing skills, you could provide flashcards or visuals for whatever lesson your kid’s studying. You’re in luck if your kid’s just starting to work on his vocabulary. Drawing an apple isn’t that hard, is it? Writing materials like whiteboards and markers are your friends here, Mum.
Now if drawing isn't really your forte, you can always resort to picking up the real thing. Then again, that’s not quite practical so turning to the internet for help is also a good idea. Teaching your kids about different kinds of animals but don’t really have the time to drop by the zoo? Google is at your service.
2. Organise notes.
It’s no surprise for your young learners to carry an abundance of papers－notes, hand-outs, textbooks－around with them. However, jumbled notes aren’t really great for helping a visual learner get things done. It’s having an organised system that does the trick. After all, it’s not easy to concentrate when you can’t find what you need since it’s dumped in one space.
Keep these notes and handouts in order by getting your hands on binders, preferably one for every class. Now if you prefer to use a multi-pocketed binder, you better get your labelling game on. Avoid mix-ups by attaching personalised labels on the binder tabs.
You (or your child) can take your pick from the wide variety of sticker designs available in the market these days. From simple emojis to movie characters, you will surely find name labels that match your little student’s personality. Whatever label design you pick, make sure it’s durable enough to stay on whichever surface it’s attached to.
Another visual learning technique you can try is colour coding. Assign a colour for every learning area－notes, textbooks, and handouts. Did you know the colour green helps boost concentration? This was proven in a 2015 study led by Dr. Kate Lee from the University of Melbourne. Half of the 150 students involved showed superior concentration amid a tedious task. Why? Midway through said task, they were given 40 seconds to look at a green vista.
In a language textbook, highlight vocabulary words in one colour and their meanings in another. If the lesson’s on parts of speech, have your child pick colours for nouns, verbs, adjectives, and conjunctions.
3. Watch documentaries or videos.
Learning goes beyond the classroom, and that’s not just because kids leave school with homework waiting to be completed. You’ve got the media, which could be one heck of a visual learning tool, at your fingertips. Better grasp complicated concepts by browsing the internet on your smartphones or turning on your television. Just make sure the page or channel you’re on is one reliable source of information.
If you’re looking for more information on quality children’s programs, check out the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF). While the ACTF helps come up with new policies for the children’s TV production industry, it also invests, produces, and distributes entertaining and engaging media for kids. Visit their website for more content and support materials, as well as the latest Australian broadcast schedule for their programs.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to education. Visual learning is only one of the seven classified learning styles. You can’t just utilise whatever technique you grew up with when introducing something new to your kid. It’s important to know and understand what kind of learner he is. This way, you’ll be able to help him comprehend difficult materials and maximise his strengths.