Visual learners feel less frustrated and more motivated when they incorporate seeing into their studies. As a parent, you can use this knowledge to help your child focus on the strengths of his visual learning style to maximize his learning potential—even in subjects he previously struggled with.
Try some of these visual learning style strategies to boost your student’s comprehension and retention:

  • Use color. Buy a rainbow of colored, fine-point markers, pencils, and highlighters. When your kid takes notes, encourage him to use different colored pens for different concepts. Write spelling words (phthalates), formulas (E=MC²), or key concepts (19th Amendment) three times: first in red, then in purple, and finally in blue. Encourage him to highlight important passages and points in stand-out shades such as neon pink.
  • Look at the pictures first. Before he reads a passage from his textbook, suggest that he go through and look at all the pictures, diagrams, and charts in the chapter and try to determine what points they are illustrating. When he reads the chapter, picturing the illustrations will help him remember key concepts. Of the three primary learning styles (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic), visual learners get the most out of this tip.
  • Use flashcards. Flashcards can help boost retention in your visual learner. Suggest he use them for math facts, vocabulary, or anything else he needs to memorize. For history class, write dates on one side of the card and the key points about those dates on the other side.
  • See with the mind’s eye. Challenge your student to visualize key facts or spelling words in his head when he’s trying to memorize them.
  • Take notes. Encourage your child to write down explanations for points that are difficult to understand at first. By taking notes and seeing the information in different colors, he will clarify concepts and memorize them more readily.
  • Sit in front. Help your child pay closer attention during lectures by suggesting that he keep his eye on the teachers at all times.
  • Get it in writing. Tell your student, “If your teacher writes it on the board, write it in your notes.” Prompt your visual learner to ask the teacher to repeat verbal directions or supply written directions whenever possible.