Everyone from children to adults have different ways of learning and even different ways of retaining information. There are some basic, common-sense methods to start with and then there are some methods that will take time and practice to put into place.
Starting with the Basics
Most families have heard on dozens of occasions that starting the day with the proper fuel can help a child learn better. However, most people do not realize that by fueling the body properly, a child can also retain that knowledge longer.
By eating a breakfast offering a good balance of whole grains, fruit, and protein, you are giving your child the chance to learn well and remember much. Most families will agree that there is very little time for breakfast but if you manage your time properly, it can be done. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier and rise 15 minutes earlier to eat breakfast – this will lead your child on a path that will sustain their learning process throughout the day.
Getting enough sleep is essential to learning. The memory cannot function on poor nutrition and very little sleep.
Learning Techniques
Adults and children all learn differently. There are many different learning styles and techniques to go along with them. Once you identify what type of learner your child is, it will be easier to put practices into place for him or her to use in order to retain that knowledge.
- Visual learning – A visual learner basically learns by seeing. If your child is a visual learner, videos or pictures will enable them to retain knowledge. For younger children, picture books are excellent and for older children, technology may work better.
- Aural learning – An aural learner will be able to learn better using auditory tools. The sound of music in the background for older kids may work fine, while learning skills set to music will work well for young children.
- Kinesthetic learning – Many children need to feel their way to learning. Younger children who are physical learners may benefit from things like modeling clay or use of Lego to demonstrate math skills. Science concepts are taught using things like sand and water.
- Solitary – Some children simply learn better when left to their own devices. For this, techniques such as memorizing out loud, reading, and reading over and over again will work best.
These are only a few examples. However, finding out what type of learner your child is increases the chances of using the right techniques to help them not only to learn, but also to retain that knowledge.
Something as simple as doing a word association may work wonders for an auditory learner, while building something may work better for a kinesthetic learner.
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