Originally published on Harkla
Discovering Learning Styles
Teachers and educational specialists know that neurotypical children learn best when exposed to varied teaching approaches. While children have preferred learning styles that make it more likely for them to integrate and apply new concepts, they are able to take information in from multimodal approaches.
According to educational theorist Neil Fleming’s VARK model of student learning, there are three learning styles to consider when assessing how best to teach your child: visual, aural (auditory), read/write preference, and kinesthetic (tactile).
While neurotypical children are able to integrate information from multimodal teaching methods, this is not the case for children with autism and children with sensory processing difficulties. These children are often not able to process information from multiple sensory “inputs” and tend to rely on just one learning style.
Because children with autism tend to be learning-style specific learners, these learning styles should advise classroom environments, teaching strategies, and instructional approaches to curricular content.
Visual Learning Style & Teaching Tools
Students who learn best by using their sense of sight rely heavily on
visual aids, books, charts, graphs, and photos for new learning.
Try these teaching tools for visual learners:
Visual schedules
Labels and printed/written material
Videos
Highlighted key content
Graphs, Charts, Maps
Photos
Graphic organizers
Auditory Learning Style & Teaching Tools
Students with strong auditory comprehension prefer to take in new information by listening or hearing. Repetition is key with auditory learners and reciting back information is a consistent strategy they use. These auditory learners benefit from the following teaching tools:
Audiobooks
Repeating back information
Oral reciting, speaking, retelling, describing of information (narration)
Audio recording information
Music/rhyming
Tactile (Kinesthetic) Learning Style & Teaching Tools
Tactile or Kinesthetic learners take information in by doing - hands on,
manipulating materials, and moving. Kinesthetic learners use all of their
senses and benefit from these teaching strategies:
Incorporate the sensory systems: touch, smell, sight, move, hear
Hands-on field trips and experiential learning opportunities through exhibits
Trial-and-error learning
Use of manipulatives
Whole-body incorporation in new learning
Takeaways and Tips
If you have a child with autism, chances are likely that you have already formed routines and expectations around what know as your child’s learning strengths and weaknesses. You know whether your child responds well to spoken directions or needs a visual schedule to follow along. When looking at new learning and instructional programming in your home or at school, similar accommodations are made based on the type of learner your child is. Set him up for success by building on learning style strengths and incorporating some style-informed teaching tools!
Our articles with Harkla offer a variety of resources to continue this conversation based on your child’s needs. For more information, be sure to check out our articles on:
Resources
Learning Styles. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2017.
"The Learning Styles of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder." The Arc's Autism Now Center. N.p., 20 May 2015. Web. 24 July 2017.