By the age of 9, Hannah Benson, of Canton, Connecticut was having so much trouble at school that her self-esteem had begun to plummet. Her mother, Nancy, knew Hannah was bright, but in 3rd grade her teachers began to report that Hannah was not proficient in any subject. The situation didn’t improve in 4th grade, and with the transition to middle school looming, Nancy knew things would only get worse.

Help turned up on TV. Nancy saw pediatrician Mel Levine and his work with school children and brain function profiled on an afternoon talk show and suddenly everything made sense. Levine believes that many children — due to the unique way their brains are wired — need a multi-sensory approach to learning. He co-founded All Kinds of Minds (AKOM), a non-profit institute based in Chapel Hill, NC, to further the study of learning differences in children.

After some research, Nancy determined that Hannah, now in 5th grade, is an auditory learner and needs to hear information as she’s absorbing it. To master new spelling words, for example, Hannah needs to write the word, then say the word, then say each letter of the word as she writes it down again. Repeating this process several times is essential. Hearing the letters as she writes them helps her remember.

Listening to books on tape is another strategy the Bensons use with great success. “For Hannah’s daily reading assignment, we get the audio version of the book and she follows along with the text,” says Nancy. “Seeing and hearing the words at the same time has greatly improved her reading comprehension and her vocabulary.”

Having insight into Hannah’s learning style and learning how to accommodate it has turned their little girl around, says Nancy. “She’s succeeding academically and is a much happier Hannah,” Nancy admits. “This has been her best school year yet.”

Rick Wormeli, an educator, author, and parent of two middle schoolers, says there are basically three types of learners: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory learners do best by listening without distraction (and that includes taking notes). Most children learn visually, which is why good teachers draw outlines and diagrams on whiteboards and make use of overhead projectors as often as possible. Kinesthetic learners need movement and touch to help them remember. To master spelling words, for example, a kinesthetic learner might need to stand up and “draw” each letter in the air as he spells it. These learners also benefit from frequent breaks that enable them to get up and move around. Although many kids learn through a combination of all three styles, each has a primary learning mode. Traditional teaching methods and written tests favor visual learners, but as children grow and mature, the learning mode can change. An auditory 10-year-old may eventually become more visual.

Learning Styles in Middle School

Going to middle school is often an overwhelming transition. “Children ages 10 through 14 undergo more changes in development than during any other time in life except infancy,” explains Al Summers, director of professional development for the National Middle School Association (NMSA).

The students who struggle most in middle school, says Paul Yellin, MD, national director of the AKOM Student Success Program, have fine motor difficulties, lack of organizational skills, the inability to pay attention for long periods of time, and short-term memory trouble.

“Parents can help by observing where the breakdown in learning occurs,” Yellin says. A child who is constantly wandering off task may be overwhelmed by his homework. If the assignment includes reading a long passage of text, Yellin suggests showing him how to break it down into small parts. “Tell him to read one or two paragraphs at a time. If his reading comprehension improves, encourage him to apply that technique each time he reads. Sometimes, a small adjustment makes all the difference.” 

Being tuned in to the way your child learns best — and showing him how to help himself — will go a long way toward ensuring a smooth middle school transition. Take this quiz with your child to determine his style and find strategies for making the most of it.

Ann Matturro Gault is the mother of a 4th grader who will be making the transition to middle school in September.