3 learning preferences in children that every teacher should know about

Children learn mostly in three ways. They learn by seeing, hearing or moving. Knowing which child is in which category will help the teacher to adapt the learning situation accordingly.

Here are the three categories:

1. Visual learners


These learners learn by watching the teacher, the blackboard and reading textbooks.

They need to sit in front of the class where they will be able to learn the best.

Visual learners prefer colours and patterns. They also learn from graphs and tables.

They learn sport by carefully copying the instructor.

2. Auditory learners


These children learn mostly by what they hear.

They may sit at the back of the class and they do not need to look at the teacher.

They may also keep themselves busy and it may seem that they do not give attention.

These children may be very sensitive to the teacher’s tone of voice.

They will be able to listen to audio learning material.

3. Kinesthetic learners


Some children learn through movement. They need to move constantly while taking in new information.

They prefer touch and want hands-on experiences to integrate new knowledge.

These children will have to sit at the back of the class. Allow them to doodle or play with some clay.

Some teachers find it very difficult to cope with the constant movement of kinesthetic learners.

The downside of this is that these children may get the label of being ADD or ADHD. They need to take some medicine then which help them focus and sit still!

Kinesthetic learners may often be more emotional than other children may, and may talk to themselves.

Teachers need to be aware that children learn in different ways. In a typical lesson, the teacher needs to provide for all three types of learners. Teachers have to be more tolerant of the kinesthetic learners whose movement is normal behaviour for them.

5 emotional intelligence skills every child should know from an early age

Children should learn certain life skills that will last them a lifetime. It will be in their interest if they can learn at least these five emotional intelligence skills. There are many more skills to learn but these will help them cope in school and life in general:

1. Know your emotions

A child can learn this from a very early age.

Teach children to be able to recognise and name their feelings.

They have to realise that other people do not create the feelings within them.

Knowing your emotions also helps in controlling it.

2. Be self-assertive

A self-assertive child is a safe child. He is able to say “no” to people and situations he does not like.

This is an important skill to teach children and they will use it for the rest of their lives.

3. Change your self-talk

Children need to become aware of what they are telling themselves from moment to moment.

If this self-talk is negative, they need to learn how to change it.

A good positive self-talk phrase to teach children is “I can do it”.

4. Have empathy

This is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Children with this skill will not easily bully other children.

They will also be willing to help another child in a difficult situation.

5. Develop resilience

Resilience means that a person can experience a disappointment or setback and then bounce back. The setback will not influence him for too long.

The person will soon be back to his old self, having hope and a goal for the future.

Life is full of disappointments and it is important for children to be resilient.

Emotional intelligence is important for children to enable them to cope with daily challenges. Even these five skills mentioned above will help them to perform better in difficult situations.