Different children approach learning in different ways: some learn best by reading or listening, some by reasoning, some by seeing or creating images, and others by manipulating. By discovering more about your child’s learning profile, you can help your child approach a more difficult topic by building off her areas of strength. For example, if your child does best when she can “see” what is being asked of her, she can leverage mind maps or other visuals to learn. Similarly, you can foster less utilized ways of learning by approaching an area of mastery through a less favored aspect of her learning profile. Thus, you can encourage this same visual child to look for mathematical patterns, or ask her to write a story by way of a graphic novel. Now that you have completed the survey, take a look at your child’s dominant way of approaching learning.
Architect/Artist
Your child tends to learn in ways similar to the Architect/Artist. Your child is probably good at solving puzzles, creating images in her mind, and taking advantage of spatial relationships. She may also be skilled at preforming transformations or creating in three-dimensions. Learning is easiest for Architects/Artists when it involves working with pictures, drawing, or imagery. Being a visual learner, the Architect/Artist benefits from organizing things visually, such as through a mind map, video, or chart. She often has a good sense of spatial direction with maps or in the environment. Architect/Artists enjoy designing, and tend towards organizing space or objects.
The introduction of more formal art in elementary school has broadened your child’s interest and abilities in the visual arts. Many visual supports for reading and math continue in these early grades as well, all of which support your child’s learning. As these supports fall away in the coming years, your understanding of your child’s learning profile will allow you to continue to add in these additional access points. Your child’s strong visual skills may give her an advantage with more abstract skills like inference, as she has had many experiences with taking pieces of visual information and filling in the gaps with pieces from other sources as well. What a wonderful way to utilize her learning strengths to her advantage!
For some activities and resources that will benefit your Architect/Artist, click here.
