So, here’s the scenario. It’s a weeknight, and your child has spent most of the evening on the same school assignment. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t understand the information. To top it off, he’s brought home a note from the teacher warning you about a failing grade.
The question is should you panic?
Many parents do. They assume the worst, thinking their child has a behavior problem, difficulty learning, or is just plain lazy.
In truth, school challenges like this aren’t a crisis most of the time. The trouble is often as simple as the child’s learning style. Think about the average classroom. Even though each student’s learning style is likely quite different, teachers can only do so much to accommodate everyone’s learning needs. As a consequence, what’s crystal clear to one child may sound like a foreign language to another.
If your child doesn’t understand a concept, it could be that the information hasn’t been presented in the style in which your child best learns. If so, the number one thing you can do is be observant and focus on your child’s strengths.
- What best helps them to concentrate?
- Do they think better with noise or with silence?
- Do they prefer to sit still when they do homework? Or does moving around get their brain working?
- Your child may be required to write down their spelling words, but speaking them out loud may be the best way to learn.
I’m talking with author Cynthia Tobias on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. She’s sharing ideas from her book The Way They Learn: How to Discover and Teach to Your Child’s Strengths. Particularly helpful to you will be Cynthia’s full description of the different learning styles:
- Auditory Learning – Learning by hearing. These kids learn best not just by hearing you, but by hearing themselves. They process information verbally.
- Visual Learning – Learning by seeing. Visual children don’t talk as much. They watch. They observe.
- Kinesthetic Learning – Learning by doing. These children don’t like to sit still for long periods of time or to listen without doing something.
Cynthia also offers practical tips like this one: Answer the question, “What’s the point?” In other words, is the point for your child to sit quietly at a desk? Or is it for he or she to be successful with school and with their homework?
Discovering your child’s learning style can transform a child who’s struggling and discouraged into one with a renewed passion for learning.
Tune in to my full conversation with Cynthia Tobias on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or listen on our free phone app.
Before I close, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Cynthia’s book, The Way They Learn: How to Discover and Teach to Your Child’s Strengths, as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
