Understanding Your Child’s Learning Style

Before knowing what to teach your child, you need to know how to teach them, and this is where understanding their learning style comes to play.  There are four basic learning styles for children between the ages of 2-4: Introvert, Extrovert, Perceiving and Judging.

If your child is an introverted learner, they enjoy alone time and can spend extended periods of time with one activity.  It’s important for this learner to have time to digest new information. It’s a great habit to ask your child at the end of the lesson if they have any questions and let them ask away.  Beyond that, give them time to digest this new information.  A teaching idea would be building a volcano with your child without any food color and ask your child at the end to think about what could make the next volcano even cooler?

If your child is an extroverted learner, they prefer working with someone else instead of working alone.  This learner wants to dive right in and learn by trial and error.  There are not enough hands-on activities this learner can have. Teaching the alphabet and sight words can be an energetic and a fun activity.  Try taping the letters and/or words around the room and have your child find them.  You could even try timing them.

If your child is a perceiving learner, they need constant change.  The same old schedule is exactly that, same and old.  When teaching this child, try to make learning an adventure.  A fun idea might be teaching about the life cycle of an ant and how they work.  Then go outdoors and try to find an anthill, make sure to bring pieces of food with you.  You could also go to the library and check out books on ants.  But try to remember this learner likes to have some say when the learning time is over.

If your child is a judging learner, they thrive on schedule, routine and structured learning.  There isn’t a workbook that this child doesn’t like.  This learner likes an obvious start and end to every lesson and activity.  A great teaching opportunity would be baking cupcakes.  First plan out the process and have your child draw out the steps. Next dive in and let your judging learner do the work.  Talk about the math and sciences involved and enjoy your finished project.
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” Kristin Rude is the Owner and Center Director of FasTracKids, Del Mar, established in 2007. She started teaching Kindergarten in 1992. Kristin last taught in the Del Mar Union School District. She obtained her teaching credential from the University of San Diego and has her Masters degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on second language learners. When Kristin is not working, motherhood keeps her plenty busy with her 2 children, Connor, age 5 & Katherine, age 4. It has been a truly rewarding experience watching her own children benefit from the FasTracKids program. Spending time with her family, golfing, traveling, and continuously learning are among her favorite activities.”