A good teacher is not one who knows the subject well; she is the one who understands her students well. One size, or in this case, style does NOT fit all. Each child takes in and processes information differently. We cannot deal with everyone similarly, and teens too are individuals with distinct personalities.
WHY DON’T OUR TEENS UNDERSTAND US?
The reason why our teens often don’t understand what we tell them is because of the difference in our learning behaviors. The difference in learning pattern can be because of the teen’s personality or because of the type of environment they grew up in.
Many times, parents believe that they can teach their children the same way they had been taught in their time. What these parents don’t realize is that a child’s personality plays a far bigger role in shaping his learning, interacting and reacting attitude.
TYPES OF LEARNERS
It has been found that there are four main types of learners: Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic and Tactile.
VISUAL LEARNERS: Visual learners learn by relying on sight. They recall images from their past. In order to memorize, they mostly draw pictures and diagrams to remember. Interestingly, reading is not a key method of learning for visual learners since they prefer infographics, presentations or video lessons. Visual learners are usually good artists and graphic designers.
AUDITORY LEARNERS: Auditory learners depend on listening, as they prefer listening to explanations over reading them, and they mostly read aloud to understand the material. They are exceptionally good at memorizing stuff that is written down in text form. People who are auditory learners can get distracted by noise very easily. They often have musical talents and are good at public speaking.
KINESTHETIC LEARNERS: Kinesthetic learners do well by movement and activity. They usually find it difficult to sit still, and may even be called hyperactive. This is because they like to learn by doing and experiencing things. Kinesthetic learners find success in sports, acting, and dance.
TACTILE LEARNERS: Tactile learners are often grouped with kinesthetic learners, because these active learners go more or less together. Tactile learners, however, learn best by exploring with their senses. They are the ones who manipulate things like building blocks, puzzles, etc. Tactile learners can excel in medicine and science.
HOW IS THIS GOING TO HELP LEARNERS?
Knowing that there are different types of learners who have different personality traits can help us immensely. If we know what type of learner a student is, we will only be giving him information that is essential for him.
This means that a visual learner will not be taught in the same way as an auditory learner would be. This means that we can now make separate courses for each type of learner, training the teachers and parents to deal with students in a way that is beneficial for them.
WHO IS THIS INFORMATION FOR?
This information is for both teachers and parents, since both have an effect on the teen’s learning and understanding. However, this post is basically for the parents. Homeschooling parents may have a hard time trying to figure out why their child does not understand them. They may think that the child is not serious. Hence, the homeschooling adventure ends up in a chaos.
Well, for all you parents out there, there is nothing wrong with your teen. He and you are just not on the same page. Keep in mind, as your child grows, his learning style may change. Once you know your teen’s primary learning style, it’s a good idea that you change your teaching behavior.
About the Author: Florence Jessica, aka Jessi, is a free spirit person having a lot of love for nature and obsession for pastries, yummy! Presently serving WritersLounge, a renowned firm, Jessi likes to contribute to communities that provide students with coursework help. To know her more, get in touch with her on G+.