Different Learning Styles – Every child comes to learn differently. This is not simply a platitude — it reflects a genuine diversity in the ways that children process, retain, and apply new information. Understanding your child’s particular learning profile is one of the most useful things you can do to support their education.
Different Learning Styles
Visual, Auditory, and Kinaesthetic Learning
The most widely recognised framework for learning styles distinguishes between visual learners (who benefit most from seeing information), auditory learners (who absorb material most effectively when they hear it), and kinaesthetic learners (who learn best through physical engagement and hands-on activity). While the research on pure learning styles as categories has been debated, the practical value of varying the way information is presented remains well supported.
Observing your child during homework can be informative. Does she ask to explain things back to you, which would suggest an auditory preference? Does she naturally reach for coloured pens to organise information visually? Does she find it much easier to understand something once she has physically done it? These tendencies are worth noting and accommodating.
Working With Your Child’s Profile
Once you have a sense of how your child learns best, you can tailor how you support her at home. A visual learner might benefit from making illustrated revision cards. An auditory learner might find that explaining a concept aloud, or recording herself speaking notes, is more effective than silent reading. A kinaesthetic learner might learn maths facts most effectively through physical activity — tossing a ball and catching it while reciting times tables, for instance.
When Learning Difficulties Are Present
Some children’s challenges with certain types of learning are not simply a matter of style but of specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or ADHD. These deserve specialist assessment and support, and should not be attributed simply to learning style. If your child consistently struggles despite varied approaches and genuine effort, seeking an assessment is a constructive next step.
Lady Eleanor Holles places the individual learner at the heart of its approach. Find out more about their commitment to every pupil at https://www.lehs.org.uk/