Understanding Your Child's Learning Style in Math Education

Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All

When I first started teaching math to my son, I taught him the way I learned best - through written explanations and practice problems. He struggled. I got frustrated. Then I discovered something crucial: he didn’t learn the way I did.

Understanding your child’s learning style isn’t about labeling them. It’s about finding the most efficient path to mathematical understanding.

The Three Primary Learning Styles

While most children use a combination, one style usually dominates:

Visual Learners (See It)

Learn best through images, diagrams, and seeing information

Auditory Learners (Hear It)

Learn best through listening, discussion, and verbal explanations

Kinesthetic Learners (Do It)

Learn best through hands-on activities, movement, and physical manipulation

Identifying Your Child’s Learning Style

Visual Learner Signs:

You might notice they:

Say “show me” rather than “tell me”
Remember faces better than names
Doodle while thinking
Prefer books with illustrations
Follow written instructions easily
Organize their space visually
Notice small visual details

In math, they:

Like color-coded notes
Respond well to diagrams and charts
Remember number patterns visually
Prefer seeing worked examples
Benefit from visual aids like number lines

Auditory Learner Signs:

You might notice they:

Say “tell me about it”
Remember names better than faces
Talk to themselves while working
Enjoy listening to stories
Follow verbal instructions well
Learn songs and rhymes easily
Ask lots of questions

In math, they:

Like explaining their thinking aloud
Benefit from verbal instructions
Remember math facts through songs/rhymes
Prefer discussing concepts
Learn well through verbal repetition

Kinesthetic Learner Signs:

You might notice they:

Say “let me try”
Learn by doing rather than watching
Have trouble sitting still
Use hand gestures when talking
Touch things to understand them
Enjoy physical activities and sports
Take things apart to see how they work

In math, they:

Need to manipulate objects
Count on fingers (even when capable of mental math)
Prefer hands-on activities
Learn better while moving
Build understanding through physical models

Quick Learning Style Assessment

Try this simple test with your child:

Teach Them Something New

Pick a simple concept they don’t know (like a new word or fact).

Method 1: Show them a picture or written explanation Method 2: Tell them verbally with details Method 3: Let them act it out or build it

Which method helped them remember it best? That’s likely their dominant learning style!

Teaching Math to Visual Learners

Strategies That Work:

1. Use Color Coding

Different colors for different operations
Highlight patterns in numbers
Color-code place value columns
Use colored manipulatives

2. Draw Pictures and Diagrams

Number lines for operations
Arrays for multiplication
Visual fraction models
Bar models for word problems

3. Provide Visual Organization

Clean, uncluttered worksheets
Step-by-step visual guides
Charts and tables
Mind maps for problem-solving

4. Use Visual Manipulatives

Base-ten blocks
Fraction circles
Geometric shapes
Pattern blocks

AfterSchool Tools for Visual Learners:

Our worksheets provide clear visual layouts and can be customized to reduce visual clutter, perfect for visual processors.

Sample Lesson (Addition):

Show number line
Draw dots or objects representing each number
Use color to show the “jump” from first number
Write equation with colors matching the visual
Practice with similar visual problems

Teaching Math to Auditory Learners

Strategies That Work:

1. Verbalize Everything

Talk through problem-solving steps
Encourage them to “teach” you
Use verbal mnemonics
Discuss concepts in detail

2. Use Rhythm and Rhyme

Multiplication songs
Skip counting with rhythm
Math fact chants
Verbal patterns

3. Provide Verbal Instructions

Explain concepts out loud
Let them repeat instructions back
Use audio resources
Read word problems aloud

4. Encourage Discussion

Ask “why” questions
Let them explain their thinking
Discuss multiple solution methods
Verbally check their work

Sample Lesson (Multiplication):

Chant the multiplication facts together
Create a silly story using the numbers
Verbally explain the concept of repeated addition
Have them explain back to you
Create a song or rhythm for the fact family

Helpful Phrases:

“Tell me how you solved that”
“Explain your thinking to me”
“Let’s say this out loud together”
“Walk me through your steps”

Teaching Math to Kinesthetic Learners

Strategies That Work:

1. Use Physical Manipulatives

Counting bears
Linking cubes
Coins for money math
Measuring tools
Fraction bars

2. Incorporate Movement

Jump on number lines
Act out word problems
Use body movements for operations
Count steps while walking

3. Build and Create

Construct geometric shapes
Build arrays with objects
Create fraction models
Measure real objects

4. Hands-On Problem Solving

Use real money
Cook with measurements
Build with blocks
Sort and categorize objects

Sample Lesson (Fractions):

Cut a real pizza or pie
Let them physically divide it into pieces
Touch and count each piece
Combine pieces to make new fractions
Eat the results (motivation!)

Movement-Based Activities:

Math hopscotch
Number line jumping
Measurement scavenger hunts
Building 3D shapes
Sorting objects by properties

Multi-Modal Teaching (The Best Approach)

Research shows the most effective teaching uses multiple modalities:

The VAK Approach for One Concept

Example: Teaching Subtraction

Visual Component:

Draw 10 dots
Cross out 4 dots
Show 6 remaining

Auditory Component:

Say: “We start with 10”
Count while crossing out: “Taking away 4”
State: “6 are left”

Kinesthetic Component:

Use 10 physical objects
Remove 4 objects
Touch and count remaining objects

Result: The concept is reinforced three ways, reaching every type of learner.

Adapting Worksheets to Learning Styles

For Visual Learners:

Use clean layouts
Include diagrams
Add color when possible
Provide visual examples
Use boxes to organize work

For Auditory Learners:

Read problems aloud
Have them verbalize steps
Encourage talking through solutions
Work problems together verbally
Let them teach back

For Kinesthetic Learners:

Use manipulatives before worksheets
Allow standing/movement while working
Pair with hands-on activities
Take frequent breaks
Let them use fingers/objects

When Your Learning Style Differs From Your Child’s

This is common and can be challenging!

If You’re Visual and They’re Kinesthetic:

Resist the urge to just show them
Get manipulatives even if they seem unnecessary to you
Allow more movement than you’d naturally prefer
Remember: what seems obvious visually isn’t obvious to them

If You’re Auditory and They’re Visual:

Reduce verbal explanations
Add more diagrams and pictures
Write things down more
Use visual references even when talking

If You’re Kinesthetic and They’re Auditory:

Slow down to explain verbally
Ask them to repeat instructions
Discuss more, do less initially
Use verbal check-ins

Key principle: Teach them the way they need, not the way you’d want to be taught.

Mixed Learning Styles in the Same Family

Teaching multiple children with different learning styles:

Strategy 1: Individual Time

Dedicate one-on-one time to each child using their preferred style.

Strategy 2: Multi-Modal Lessons

Teach concepts using all three modalities so everyone gets what they need.

Strategy 3: Station Rotation

Create different stations:

Visual station (watching videos, reading examples)
Auditory station (listening to explanations, discussing)
Kinesthetic station (manipulatives, building)

Rotate children through all stations.

Age and Learning Style Changes

Important note: Learning style preferences can shift with age!

Early Elementary (K-2):

Most children are kinesthetic learners at this age.

Need to touch and manipulate
Learn through play
Require movement

Mid Elementary (3-4):

Visual and auditory styles emerge more clearly.

Can focus on abstract representations
Develop preferred learning channels
Still benefit from hands-on activities

Upper Elementary (5-6):

Styles become more pronounced.

Clear preferences established
Can articulate what helps them learn
More capable of abstract thinking

Adjust your approach as they grow!

Common Mistakes in Learning Style Application

Mistake 1: Labeling Too Rigidly

Don’t say: “You’re a visual learner, so we only use pictures.” Better: “You learn well visually, let’s start there and add other methods.”

Mistake 2: Ignoring Other Styles

Even if they’re primarily visual, they still need auditory and kinesthetic experiences.

Mistake 3: Using Learning Styles as Excuses

Don’t say: “You can’t learn this because you’re kinesthetic.” Better: “Let’s find a hands-on way to understand this.”

Mistake 4: Giving Up Too Quickly

Just because they’re kinesthetic doesn’t mean worksheets are useless - they just need to be paired with other methods.

Practical Weekly Schedule

Monday: Heavy Kinesthetic

Manipulatives
Building activities
Movement games
Hands-on exploration

Tuesday-Thursday: Multi-Modal

Start kinesthetic (warm-up with objects)
Add visual (diagrams, charts)
Include auditory (discussion, explanation)
End with worksheet practice

Friday: Choice Day

Let them choose their preferred learning method
Observe what they naturally gravitate toward
Adjust next week’s plans accordingly

Tools for Different Learning Styles

Visual Learners Need:

Colorful manipulatives
Graph paper
Visual worksheet designs
Whiteboard for drawing
Highlighters

Auditory Learners Need:

Time for discussion
Verbal explanations
Math fact songs/videos
Recording capabilities
Patient listeners

Kinesthetic Learners Need:

Physical manipulatives
Movement space
Hands-on materials
Frequent breaks
Active learning games

Assessing Progress Across Learning Styles

Don’t just use written tests!

Visual Learners:

Can demonstrate understanding through:

Drawing diagrams
Creating visual representations
Showing work on paper

Auditory Learners:

Can demonstrate understanding through:

Verbal explanations
Teaching back to you
Discussing solutions

Kinesthetic Learners:

Can demonstrate understanding through:

Using manipulatives
Physically modeling problems
Demonstrating with objects

All should eventually be able to complete written work, but don’t only assess that way.

When to Seek Additional Help

If your child struggles despite:

Teaching to their learning style
Multiple approaches
Consistent practice
Positive encouragement

Consider:

Vision or hearing screening
Educational assessment
Math specialist consultation
Potential learning differences

Sometimes struggles aren’t about learning style but about learning disabilities that need professional support.

Final Thoughts

Understanding your child’s learning style isn’t about making learning easier - it’s about making it more efficient and enjoyable.

The goal is to:

Build on their strengths
Honor how their brain naturally processes
Reduce unnecessary frustration
Create confidence through understanding

Remember: Learning style is not destiny. It’s simply a starting point for instruction. All children benefit from multi-modal teaching, but knowing their preference helps you reach them faster.

Getting Started

This week, try:

Observe how your child naturally approaches new information
Identify their likely primary learning style
Try one new strategy matching that style
Notice the difference in engagement

Need worksheets that work for all learning styles? AfterSchool provides clear, customizable practice sheets that can be adapted to any learner!

Questions about adapting math instruction to your child? Let’s talk!