How Understanding Different Learning Styles Can Help Your Child Learn

Opening Doors to Understanding, Connection and Lifelong Learning

At Cherokee Creek Boys School, we believe every boy deserves to be seen as a unique learner.

For boys ages 10 – 15 who may be struggling in school, understanding how they learn best … whether through seeing, hearing or doing … can be a turning point. While some researchers debate the strict labeling of “different learning styles,” there’s strong evidence that recognizing learning preferences helps students feel more engaged, confident and supported.

VISUAL LEARNERS | Seeing Is Believing

Visual learners absorb information best through images, diagrams and spatial arrangements. Tools like color-coded notes, mind maps and visual timelines can help these learners organize ideas and boost memory.

Even neuroscience-based sources that caution against rigid learning style labels, like the Centre for Educational Neuroscience, acknowledge that visual supports can improve engagement and retention for many students.

Tips for Visual Learners

• Use highlighters and color-coded notes
• Watch educational videos and animations
• Turn facts into diagrams, drawings, or charts

AUDITORY LEARNERS | The Power of Listening

Auditory learners learn best by hearing. They benefit from lectures, discussions, podcasts and verbal repetition. While the University of Michigan notes that teaching only to one preferred style isn’t always effective, incorporating sound-based strategies can enhance comprehension for many.

Tips for Auditory Learners

• Read aloud or use text-to-speech tools
• Record lessons or instructions for replay
• Use songs, rhymes or mnemonic devices

KINESTHETIC LEARNERS | Learning by Doing

Kinesthetic learners process information through touch, movement and physical activity. These boys often shine in hands-on lessons like experiments, building models or acting out scenarios.

Research from the Gurian Institute emphasizes how active, tactile learning methods can especially help boys who may struggle in traditional, sit-still classroom environments.

Tips for Kinesthetic Learners

• Incorporate teaching aids, hands-on materials or building tools
• Act out stories or concepts
• Take movement breaks or study while walking

Why This Matters … Especially for Boys

Even critics of the “different learning style” model agree that students benefit from a variety of approaches tailored to their strengths. For boys who have felt like failures in rigid school systems, learning what does work can reduce frustration and build a sense of ownership and capability.

Brain-based strategies for boys often include movement, visuals and discussion … methods that align well with the learning preferences described above. (With Boys and Girls in Mind | Gurian and Stevens … LINK)

Tips for Parents

• Observe and Ask | How does your son naturally approach a task or topic?
• Mix It Up | Try multiple learning tools and environments.
• Affirm His Strengths | There’s no one “right” way to learn.
• Partner with Teachers | Share what works at home.
• Stay Curious | Let your son experiment and reflect on what helps him most.

And at CCBS, we always suggest that parents explore these same topics about themselves and share it with their sons! Maybe you have similar learning styles, maybe they are very different. That piece of information can also be insightful about interactions and potential misunderstandings or frustration points.

The Cherokee Creek Approach

At Cherokee Creek Boys School, we embrace a multi-sensory, strengths-based approach. Whether it’s art, outdoor learning, traditional textbook learning, team discussions or hands-on science projects, our goal is to help each boy discover how he learns best … and to celebrate that discovery.

We don’t box students in … we open doors to understanding, connection and lifelong learning.

Resources About Learning Styles