No two children think the same, nor learn and apply knowledge in the same way. Similarly, the learning style of children varies too. Previously, there had been little research done on the various learning styles in children. All teachers and educators taught in the same manner, preferring behavioral and cognitive conditioning through rote learning and memory retention only. But that is no longer the case anymore. The fact there are various kinds of intelligence as well as learning styles, is global. Children have multiple educational opportunities at school now, since such institutions employ various audio-visual equipment and manipulatives to teach topics in an interesting way. After ample analysis, more than 150 staples of learning have been identified by scientists in kids across the world. However, we need to focus only on the main four types of learners, visual learners, auditory learners, kinesthetic learners, and reading/writing learners. These four styles are further sub-divided and cross-seated to create the rest. Here is a quick guide to understanding different learning styles and reducing exam stress.
Visual learners are those kids who prefer to absorb information visually, through flash cards, flow charts, diagrams, graphs, and color-coded notes. It is not necessarily photos or videos, the visual representation of complex information in an appealing manner helps visual learners connect the dots and understand better. For relieving exam stress in visual learners, try scientific flowcharts, literary character trees, second language flash cards, and other visual study aids.
Auditory learners are individuals who prefer learning by hearing information in an auditory form, be it in a lecture, a discussion, or a movie. They also prefer saying their thoughts, ideas, or decisions aloud before compartmentalizing or fulfilling them. Such kids do very well in group study and get much relief from exam stress with recorded lectures, verbal repetition, and revision discussions.
Kinesthetic learning style refers to individuals who opt to learn by getting a hands-on experience. They prefer to learn by doing it and require tactile experience to understand better. They are usually more grounded and process information better through personal experience, simulations, examples, experiments, and by creating physical models. Role plays also help them understand and remember better.
Reading/writing learners do great with information written in words or text. Usually, they do very well in reading and writing assignments, as they require no visual or auditory assistance to process information. Their mind is capable enough.to read, process, create, and write within the stipulated time, while having absorbed the information for future reference. Such kids flourish in exams if they have done lots of practice tests at home.
It is uncommon to find a kid who usually fits the bill of one single learning style. Every kid is a combination of two or more of them. But what matters is identifying the superior learning style of your kid and tending to it, while the other learning styles in them are honed parallelly. But even the most sorted kid can feel exam stress when they are right round the corner. So here are a few quick tips to combat exam stress for all kinds of learners.
It is important to identify your kid’s learning style and help them prepare accordingly. If your child feels supported and their cognitive needs are met, their exam stress will ebb away. And this guide will help you and your kid smoothly embark together on this journey of academic excellence and comfortable learning.