The Misunderstood Child

Learning Styles are a scientific miracle cure capable of addressing many problems a child experiences at home and at school, such as homework aversion, being disruptive, being bullied, underachieving. Sometimes, however, learning difficulties are not simply a result of a mismatching learning style.

Sensory Processing Dysfunction

Dysfunction of sensory processing is a neurological problem with processing sensations. Children interpret sensation from the environment or from their bodies in an inaccurate way: sensory-seeking, sensory-avoidance and dyspraxia. All three variants have to be diagnosed by a specialist and are usually treated using sensory integration therapy (a fun process in a sensory-enriched gym with lots of swinging, spinning, tactile, visual, auditory and taste opportunities).

Sensory Seeking


Children with sensory dysfunction do not necessarily exhibit every characteristic, for example, a child with vestibular dysfunction may have poor balance but good muscle tone, or show characteristics of a dysfunction one day but not the next.

 Children with "sensory seeking" behaviour do not always process incoming sensory input. They may appear hyperactive, engage in dangerous activities (climbing too high), be unaware of pain or extra loud sounds. Their learning style will typically include tactile and/or kinesthetic preferences.

Sensory Avoidance

Children with "sensory avoidance" hate crowds, noise, dirty hands, walking on sand and being touched. Their learning style will typically not include tactile preferences.

 

Dyspraxia

Children with dyspraxia (a motor planning problem, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder), have trouble learning new things even though they may be very intelligent. The problem is that the connections that link the brain to the rest of the body don’t work properly, and the child’s body finds it difficult to do what the brain is telling it to do. Lots of practice usually helps to master a new skill.

The dyspraxic child may display the following symptoms:

seem clumsy,

• not know today what they knew yesterday,
• not understand multiple instructions,
• be disorganised,
• lose things,
• have illegible handwriting,
• not know how to draw,
• be bright and intelligent, but fail academically.

Their learning style will typically exhibit holistic preferences.

What learning preferences does your child exhibit?

Find out.

Homework + Learning Styles = The Creative Way

The Question of Creativity

Is homework in your household creative? Creativity is the ability to produce something new, to generate unique ideas and solutions. The process of creating should be a fun energizing activity. Is homework in your household fun and energising?

Learning Styles

It should be. It can be. With the help of learning styles.

Kinesthetic - the child learns better through own physical experiences:

·        Bake a cake together to teach conversion from grams to kilograms.

·        Pantomime or act out a history lesson.

·        Play a board game to discover new facts.

·        Take a field trip to the zoo, a court house, a factory.

Tactile - the child has a strong need to use hands when learning:

·        Make use of question-answer jig-saw puzzles), electro- boards (a bulb lights up for every correct answer), flip chutes, etc.

·        Encourage your child to make their own memory aids: sculptures of molecules or board games depicting new topics.

Visual - the child remembers and understands best through watching:

·        Create a mind-map, illustration, cartoon, poster, slide show, costume, historical time line, illustrated report.

·         Watch a DVD about the topic (“The King and I” about Thailand, “Little Einsteins”).

Auditory - the child likes to interact verbally:

·        Make a learning tape together with your child. Let her explain the new topic into the tape recorder.

·        Discuss the lesson together.

·        Encourage your child to compose and record a song, a poem or a radio play about the topic (e.g., World War II, global warming, flower pollination, Mexico).

What is your child's learning style? Find out.

 

Asthma and Learning Problems

Asthma is more than a respiratory condition that causes difficulty breathing. The latest research conducted by Canterbury University (New Zealand) shows that children with asthma are more likely to fall behind with their reading after a year of school than children without asthma. Asthma is now a recognised physical learning disability, alongside visual impairments and hearing issues.

Unlike wearing glassess to combat short-sightenessd, however, suffering from asthma has no easy medical solution. Fortunately, learning disabilities caused by asthma can be overcome with the help of learning styles. 

It's really as easy as 1,2,3:

1. Let your child answer the Learning Style Analysis questionnaire.
2. Read the report on how they like to learn.
3. Create the optimal learning environment.

You'll find you may need to change the time slot in which you schedule homework. You may need to change the room's lights or allow your child to do homework on the floor. There are many environment, physical and social elements that can affect your child's performance. They are impossible to guess without an expert tool.

Our Learning Style Analysis questionnaire is an expert tool. We invite you to use it.

Parents and Working Styles

What can you change to achieve a better environment in which to be a parent? Think about your daily schedule and about your house, in the context of your Working Style preferences.



· If you hate early mornings, can your partner take the early parenting shift?


· If the bright house lights make you see red, it’s a good investment to change them, before they affect your health and the well-being of those around you.


· The mess is the biggest problem for you? Then make one room in the house a no-go zone for the children: the kitchen, your bedroom, the laundry. Take refuge there with a cup of coffee whenever there are more than 11 toys lying around on the floor.


· Do your partner’s eyes glaze over when you say: “Right. Please take out the garbage, feed the children: the lasagna is in the oven, turn it off in fifteen minutes, remember the teeth, don’t let them watch too much TV, I’ll be back at nine”? If so, find another way of communicating with him (a written list, a recorded message, a video even if you have a camera with playback). The extra effort will be well worth the end result.


· Get enough sleep. Parents who are night owls by nature tend to do chores or have couple-time till late in the evening, then feel exhausted come morning.


· If you’re a planner, plan every day at home with the children as though you were a manager in a big company: plan the outings, the meals, the crafts and what music you’ll put on. If you are a spontaneous person, let your imagination dictate what you do every day and don’t stress trying to execute a plan just because everybody else seems to do it that way.


· If the kids do something that annoys you, put yourself in time-out with a large box of chocolates.


· Most important of all: have fun with your children. It’s the best way to de-stress.



If all this sounds too simple and obvious to make a difference, think again. Every journey consists of small steps. And you are about to make a giant leap towards a healthier happier you. Start with discovering your own Working Style.

Learning Styles on YouTube

Yes, we do walk the walk as well as talk the talk! For those of you out there who enjoy watching videos (this translates to a preference in external visual input and external auditory input on the LSA Pyramid), we've collected the following clips:

• a TV interview with Barbara Prashnig in USA about the power of Learning Styles;
• a report from Forbury School;
• a clip from Te Puna about the learning environment;
• a clip from Wellington High School in Australia;
• Personal Learning Power.

Enjoy!