A PERFECT FIT: HOW TO TAILOR YOUR CHILD’S STUDY HABITS (HIGH SCHOOL) If flashcards only help to frustrate your teen and talking through an algebra problem just confuses him, perhaps the usual study techniques contradict his personal learning style. “There are multiple channels in the brain for learning,” says Brandi Roth, PhD., a Beverly Hills psychologist and author of “Secrets to School Success: Guiding Your Child Through a Joyous Learning Experience.” “It is particularly important to understand how a child processes information.” Roth says there are three main pathways to learning: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. To determine how your teen processes information, ask him what comes to mind when he hears the word “xylophone.” Students who see a picture of a xylophone or see the word “xylophone” in their mind are probably visual learners. Auditory learners will first hear the sound of a xylophone’s peal, for example, and kinesthetic learners will feel the xylophone’s smooth keys. Once you know what type of learner your teen is, you can tailor his study habits accordingly. “It is very important to ‘study smart’,” Roth says, “Meaning you use your best strengths, whether it’s visual or auditory or kinesthetic, to learn the best way.” Visual learners learn by watching. They learn best from the use of pictures, handouts, outlines, overhead transparencies, graphs and maps. They tend to study by themselves in a quiet room rather than in a group. Loud noises and bad overhead lighting can be major distractions for visual learners. When studying for a history test, visual learners often benefit from visualizing the events and dates in their mind and then writing it out on paper. In class, visual learners should not try to write down everything they hear during lectures—just grasp the key points. Before speaking, they should refer to their notes as a guide. When studying for exams, consider utilizing mnemonic devices to help visualize clues. Visually oriented students often learn to spell words in letter configurations rather than phonetically, so mnemonic devices will be particularly helpful when tackling complex subject matter. Visual learners also can: Use color highlighters to code different types of information Outline lectures Read books with plenty of pictures, maps and graphs Use flash cards for math and vocabulary lessons Watch films that accompany written lesson plans Auditory learners learn easiest by hearing. They learn most from group discussions, videos, lectures and music. They learn better when they read a text aloud or can discuss what they think. Oftentimes, you’ll see auditory learners moving their lips while they read a lesson. Auditory learners take cues from their teacher’s tone, pitch and speed and find underlying meanings in what is said. Roth recommends parents ask their child to repeat what they’ve learned in their own words and then help the child prioritize the information. Auditory learners also tend to grasp information when it is presented in an orderly, oral fashion. Rhyming techniques work particularly well. Auditory learners also can: Compose or listen to speeches Play soft music while they study Create jingles or rhyming poems to help memorize information Use a tape recorder instead of taking notes on paper Read instructions aloud Repeat aloud what they write down in their notes Talk through a problem or explain it to others Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. “Kinesthetic learners always want to touch everything and be involved physically with the learning material they’re learning,” Roth says. “As much as possible we want to provide something that they can hold or manipulate.” In high school, kinesthetic learners are likely to be star athletes. They learn best when their muscles or senses are actively engaged, and they take a hands-on approach, learning from imitation and touch. Roth adds that kinesthetic students sometimes have difficulty because visual and auditory teaching methods are used most in schools, and abstract concepts are a more difficult to hold or manipulate. “Kinesthetic learners sometimes find science concepts difficult so I ask them to act them out. It helps them to better conceptualize a cell or an atom,” she says. To help kinesthetic students, get them engaged. Let them bounce a ball as they read, and encourage them to trace words or numbers in the air while they study. Even using a computer to reinforce learning through the touch of a keyboard can help active learners. Kinesthetic learners also can: Manipulate models Chew gum Take frequent study breaks to move around Read on an exercise bike Conduct experiments or act out word problems But keep in mind that learning styles are not absolute. Teens can use all three modes when they learn. “Everybody learns a combination of ways, learning areas are not separate functions, the brain is not made up of segments but works together as a whole,” Roth says. “You can learn a lot by observing a teen and watching their success, but there are many times when an evaluation by a professional trained in learning difficulties and who can provide strategies may be warranted. “The primary role of parents is to stand by and know their teen and observe their teen and to help them to succeed by helping the teen to understand themselves. If they do that, they become the best parent because they’ll understand the uniqueness of their student.” QUIZ: Is your teen a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner? Ask them the following questions to find out. 1. On a spelling test, how do you find a correct answer? a. I write it down to see if it feels right. b. I sound it out. c. I try to see the word. 2. When talking to people, you concentrate most on: a. The speaker’s gestures. b. The speaker’s tone. c. The speakers’ facial expressions. 3. What distracts you the most in class? a. People standing up and moving around the classroom. b. Noise from other classrooms our outside. c. An untidy classroom. 4. When you see someone you’ve met only once, do you a. Remember what you did together? b. Remember their name and what you talked about? c. Forget their name but remember their face? 5. When learning a new concept, do you prefer to a. Dive right in and try it? b. Talk it through with someone else? c. See a picture or a diagram? If your teen answered: Mostly As: he is a kinesthetic learner Mostly Bs: He is an auditory learner Mostly Cs: He is a visual learner