Learning skills incorporate more than simple learning styles. While learning styles are part of your child's learning skills, learning skills include life and social skills. In children, you can promote the development of these skills as your child progresses through his academic career. Each phase of a child's development provides an opportunity to refine learning skills and learn new skills as well.
Types
Learning skills include the type of learning style your child most prefers--kinesthetic, visual or auditory--in addition to skills such as time management, organization, goal setting and academic abilities, such as reading and mathematics. Combined, these skills focus on the child's whole learning environment, not just the manner in which she takes in information in the classroom for academic purposes. Learning skills also incorporate social skills and communication skills--verbal and nonverbal.
Identification
By knowing the full facet of learning skills that your child uses, you can identify opportunities to help develop and refine each skill. A first-grader won't need to plan long-term projects, for example. However, you can help him develop organization and time management skills. Set up a standard process for tracking homework--a star chart or weekly cover sheet--and use a calendar to identify when he has soccer practice or friends over for a play date. This way, he can understand when he should focus on homework. Guide him gently, and help him develop these critical learning skills that become more important as his academic projects increase in complexity at the same time his schedule often becomes busier.
Effects
Helping your child develop strong learning skills ensures that she can achieve academically. For each child, the standard of achievement varies but the basic goal remains the same--succeeding at the highest level possible for the child. By growing the learning skills of your child, you help your child also become a more independent student.
Benefits
Having strong learning skills is especially beneficial as children mature. Once a child is off to college, for example, she needs to manage her time, studies, social calendar, class time and social group. If her learning skills are strong, she will better manage the change from a structured school environment to the more fluid environment that college offers. Many students flounder the first few months away from home, but with strong learning skills, your child will have a stronger foundation to draw from to avoid or minimize issues with the transition.
Misconceptions
Learning skills aren't simply academic skills. They incorporate the methods by which a child organizes his studies and sets priorities to achieve academic success. They also include how a child interacts with his peers and how he manages communication.
