How does my child learn best?

Have you ever thought about the many different ways children learn? Every day we are learning new things. The first day a child is born they learn about their mother’s smell, the sounds or voice around them and as we grow we learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. But how?

Did you know that there are actually 8 different ways we can learn?

• The Linguistic Learner learns best through reading and writing
• The Musical Learner does best with melody or rhythm
• The Kinesthetic Learner learns best with movement
• The Visual or Spatial Learner learns best with visual aids
• The Logical or Mathematical Learner categorizes items in a particular way
• The Interpersonal Learner learns when collaborating with others
• The Intrapersonal Learner does the best learning on their own
• The Naturalist Learner does best experiencing  nature

Even though they are listed as a learner style Howard Gardner who created the “Theory of 8 Intelligences,” the term learning style was added.  There are many books available to learn more about these 8 styles of learning. The book that I have recently re-read and read for a college class while completing my Special Education degree is Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom written by Thomas Armstrong (4th edition)

Determining your Intelligence

Each one of us possesses all eight intelligences – Mi theory is not a “type” theory for determining the one intelligence that fits. The eight intelligences function together uniquely in each individual. However, some may be more developed than others.

Howard Gardner suggests that everyone has the capacity to develop all eight intelligences if given the proper encouragement, enrichment, and instruction.  All of the intelligences usually work together in complex ways. Just like a child playing kickball. There are many ways to be intelligent within each category. Just as a child may be awkward in playing a sport that the same child may be able to knit or crochet with extraordinary results.

An Example

Check out this video of an 11-year-old crocheting prodigy from Wisconsin shared by 9 news in Denver.

I have been so intrigued by the work of Howard Gardner and each way our children learn I have developed a course recently that provides a quiz for both you and your child and goes into an explanation of each style.