The Homeschool Village: Learning Style Edition

This week at the homeschool village we are talking learning style and love language.

First off I would invite you to read the post @the Homeschool viallge where the hosts share their take on the subject.

I have written in the past about learning styles, so I would invite you to check out the following:

The Visual Spatial Learner

Learning style: Auditory

Learning Styles: What is that about?

What I will add is that I still believe lots of kids have a mix of learning styles, specially primary children, and it can be hard to say which is really their preferred learning style. We just have to try to figure out which one to use when.

I still believe Zach is both auditory and visual. He is definitely not kinesthetic, he does not do games, sports or hands -on so much. He loves to draw and listen to audiobook, he likes to come up with new ideas and new ways. But what I can't figure out is that no matter what I use, if he is not interested, it is so hard to get him into something. That really drives me crazy.

Joho is somewhat kinesthetic. He loves to do projects and puzzles, and he moves a lot, can't sit at his chair and always asks to play some kind of sport in the house. But, he can focus when he puts his mind to. He also loves audiobooks and remembers everything you say so he might be auditory as well.

I recently find three new resources in this area:

1. A site where you can take a learning style questionnaire: How to Learn. It did confirm my previous findings. Although Joho turned out to be more of a mix.

2. What is my Child's Learning Style Quiz over at Eclectic-Homeschooling.

2. Reading the book Educating the WholeHearted Child by the Clarckson, I found a great and new to me way of looking at your child's learning style, which I found very very helpful. They classify it in terms of mode of thinking: The Investigation mode (seeking information in order to gain knowledge) and the Determination mode (sorting out information in order to reach conclusions). Within these 2 modes there are 2 ways of doing it: by facts or insight for the investigation mode; and by logic or value for the Determination mode. Furthermore they distinguish 2 mental focus: active and reflective, pretty self-explanatory.

When I did the the test for my boys I came up with this result, which I found to be really accurate:

Zach: Insight- Logic, which means he is a shaper: He likes to focus on his reflective thoughts and ideas, does not like routine and drills. He likes interesting subjects the ones that challenges him to come up with solutions, ideas, new ways. he likes theories and being creative.

Joho: Fact - logic/value and active, which means he is a doer/helper: He likes to be doing things, organized, and help. He is very practical, logical and doe not mind repetition.

Make sure to visit The Homeschool Village for more posts on the subject.