Help Your Child Strengthen His or Her Weaker Learning Styles

 Contact: Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

Help Your Child Strengthen His or Her Weaker Learning Styles

Ankeny, Iowa. November 2017– When it comes to learning, no two children process information exactly the same. Like adults, children have their own learning preferences and styles and it can take a little trial and error to determine exactly how they learn effectively and retain information. Doctor Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center says that while knowing a child’s preferred learning style or styles is valuable information, parents should still help their children improve their lesser-refined styles too. “Not every classroom or subject will fit a child’s tendencies, so even though it is natural for children to gravitate toward certain subjects because the typical class activity fits their learning style best, they shouldn’t just ignore subjects that are a bit more out of their comfort zone.” How can you help your child strengthen any weaker learning styles? Here are a few tips:

To become a stronger visual learner, have your child try the following: 

• ·         Use mnemonic techniques for memorizing information.
• ·         Organize notes logically so that main concepts and ideas are highlighted and it is easy to skim supporting information.
• ·         Try a variety of visual aids to learn new material, such as graphs and charts—and combine these tools with reading aloud.  
• ·         Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child generally enjoys reading and talking aloud, he or she could do so while writing things on a whiteboard or in a notebook.
• To become a stronger kinesthetic learner, have your child try the following:
• ·         Study in small groups to talk through ideas.
• ·         Use flashcards and other “active” tools.
• ·         Have your child share material with you or a study partner to reinforce learning.
• ·         Take notes while reading, draw out concepts on a whiteboard or piece of paper, or act things out with you or someone else.
• ·         Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child generally needs a quiet place to focus, he or she can still improve those tactile learning strategies by active studying (e.g. highlighting while reading).
• To become a stronger auditory learner, have your child try the following
• ·         Record information (such as vocabulary words) on a tape recorder and play back while on the go or in the car.
• ·         Use the “Read Aloud” tool in his or her word processing software to review drafts of what he or she writes.
• ·         Purchase both the audio and regular version of textbooks and listen to chapters while following along in the text.
• ·         Read aloud to him or herself.
• ·         When learning new information, make associations—with music, for example—to remember what he or she learns.

·         Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child benefits from the use of memory devices and flash cards, he or she could also have a partner read those tools aloud to strengthen the auditory learning aptitudes.

Lastly, Dr. Shaw reminds parents that students who are versatile in their learning preferences will be better prepared for the real world. “When children spend time developing their less comfortable learning styles, they’re essentially helping transform themselves into stronger, more agile students,”  he says. “The world is fast-moving and children who are able to adapt as the situation requires will be well equipped for lifelong success.” 

For more information about how Huntington helps students strengthen their learning styles, call Huntington at (515) 965-3860.

About Huntington

Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.  

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