Diverse Learning Styles in Early Childhood Education

Every child learns differently—some prefer looking at photos, others like to listen,
and some like to move around. That’s why it’s important for early childhood
educators to understand different learning and teaching styles to benefit all of their
students.
Here are a few learning styles and strategies that you can explore in your own
classroom.

Most common learning styles in early childhood

Although different learning styles might develop as children get older, students
generally learn in one of three ways:

 Visual: Students with a visual style of learning will remember information best

when presented with pictures or graphics. Visual learners will often recognize
numbers and letters better than peers with another type of learning style.
 Auditory: Auditory learners are best able to understand when they hear
information. In early education, auditory learners are more likely to prefer listening to
stories or telling stories as a way to understand information.
 Kinesthetic: Students with a kinesthetic learning style learn best by
manipulating objects and engaging in physical activities to learn the material.
As children continue to learn reading, writing, logic, and socializing skills, they may
adapt to different learning styles. But these changes often won’t develop until later
and are less common during early childhood development stages.

Other styles of learning

While the average student in early education learns through one of the styles listed
above, some may learn in different ways. Children can also develop alternative
learning styles over their educational experience.

 Verbal: In early childhood education, verbal learners and auditory learners

have similarities because they learn best from stories. As children get a little older,
verbal learners prefer learning through reading, writing, and listening to information.
Auditory learners focus on music and sound, but will not necessarily enjoy reading or
writing.
 Logical or mathematical: These students understand math and science
better than other students, and focus on finding a pattern. As a teacher, you could
use reasoning to provide answers that help these types of students learn
information.
 Social: Interaction with classmates is also a contributing factor in learning.
Some students learn better in group settings—something to keep in mind when
arranging your classroom. On the flip side, others are solitary learners. They
understand information best when allowed to work out the problems without
classmates offering input. You’ll notice that these children prefer playing alone rather
than spending time with peers.

Develop engaging lesson plans

Early education is not always easy to manage, but a combination of teaching styles
is possible to incorporate into lesson plans. You can engage the entire class by
providing visuals, telling stories, and offering activities that explore the curriculum
your students need to learn. To start, try incorporating the three most common
learning styles in lesson plans and see how your class responds.

Early childhood education provides a solid foundation for a successful academic

career, and it’s all because of you. Children need to explore different ideas and learn
the basics of numbers, letters, and relationships. Providing an environment that
incorporates several learning styles will help all of your students stay engaged,
excited, and ready to learn.
 Early Childhood Education:
Striving to Balance Play with Academics
By The Room 241 Team

In what ways do you need to modify your teaching methods to

better reach young learners?

Critically important modification that early childhood education (ECE) teachers must
make is allowing young children to explore with materials freely. When young
children are allowed to play with materials using trial-and-error methods, they are
able to develop and exercise their critical thinking skills. Teachers of young children
must re-evaluate their teaching styles to avoid the types of direct instruction usually
reserved for older students.

Another modification would be planning purposeful play opportunities in order to

achieve mastery of program standards. Although the play may appear to be free and
random, in actuality, the materials available for exploration are chosen to develop
particular skills and meet certain standards of learning.

A third modification would be that teachers must try to refrain from inserting
themselves into their students’ free explorations of materials. Knowing when and
how to become involved in children’s play situations can make learning opportunities
successful or not.

How does teaching practice change depending on the

student demographics?

Teachers, whether ECE teachers or higher education teachers, always need to meet
children where they are. In other words, teachers must be attuned to the skills (or
lack thereof) that children bring with them to school and begin building from there.
With an ever-increasing population of students whose first language is not English,
teachers must include multicultural units and materials in their classrooms to ensure
that all children feel safe, connected, and valued in the classroom.

Savvy ECE teachers often use matchmaking techniques in which they pair up a
fluent English-speaking child with a nonfluent speaker in a play situation. The fluent
speaker would then serve as a nonthreatening model for the English language
learner, perhaps teaching the student some vocabulary necessary for a particular
activity.
How do teachers create a classroom environment that
supports playful learning in light of increasing demands
for more rigorous curriculum at younger ages?

With some planning, teachers can create a classroom environment where learning
occurs in a playful manner. Learning centers are a very effective way for children to
learn specific skills that align to standards.

For instance, in a typical grocery store center in an ECE setting, children learn to
count items for sale, recognize denominations of coins, write out rudimentary grocery
lists, match vocabulary words with items, understand different jobs held in grocery
stores, and role-play. All those skills align with many early childhood standards.

How do you teach hands-on activities in an online format?

Teaching hands-on activities in an online format can be challenging, but far from
impossible. Using photographs, sketches, discussing anecdotes, and offering step-
by-step lesson plans are all effective methods of successfully sharing useful hands-
on activities.

What are the biggest challenges ECE teachers face today?

One of the biggest challenges faced by ECE teachers who are working in a public
school district today is the lack of support they receive when trying to offer their
students more than just a few minutes of free play daily.  In this standards-driven
educational atmosphere, play is often seen as frivolous and unnecessary and is
often eliminated to allow time for more academics. ECE teachers often find
themselves facing an uphill battle when trying to explain to administrators why play is
one of the most critical components of an early childhood education.

Another challenge for ECE teachers comes from the parents/guardians of young
children.  In this competitive age, parents, in wanting their children to be high
achievers, believe academics should be the main focus of early childhood
education.  They, too, need to be more educated about the importance of free play
for their children and that standards can be achieved through play that is
orchestrated by talented teachers.  Open houses and parent conferences are
wonderful venues for these important discussions.