What is Your Child’s Environmental Learning Style ?

We all have preferences for lighting, temperature, time of day, etc. Are you a morning person or an evening person? What about your child? What does your child like? Soft lighting or bright lighting? Background music or silence?

There are four components to a child’s environmental learning style. Look at each of the pieces to see what your child’s environmental learning preferences might be.

Environmental Learning Style : Sound

Environmental Learning Style : Sound – Learner preferences for silence versus ‘white noise’ or background music. Learners who prefer sound are better able to concentrate when white noise or music cover up unexpected noises. Learners who prefer silence are distracted by any noises and do best studying in quiet environments with few or no distractions.

Environmental Learning Style : Lighting

Lighting – Learner preferences for bright light versus dim or filtered light; florescent, incandescent, or natural light. Consider different learning locations based upon lighting preferences. Options may include at a kitchen table with lights on, with light from outside windows, by a bedroom or living room window, outside under a tree, at a desk with artificial light, etc.

Environmental Learning Style : Temperature

Temperature – Learner preference for warm versus cool temperatures. For some learners, cool temperatures help keep them alert, while other learners find cool temperatures distracting–their mind is on being ‘cold’ rather than on studying. For some learners warm temperatures help concentration, while others find warmer temperatures lulling them to sleep. Use small ceramic disc heaters for warmth, or small fans for coolness, near learners who might prefer learning temperatures that differ from the overall learning environment.

Environmental Learning Style : Seating

Seating – Learners may prefer a big comfy chair, an office chair at a desk, on the floor, lying on a bed, curling up in a corner of the sofa, at a kitchen or dining room table, etc. Learners learn best if they are comfortably situated. Use of a consistent location can help a learner focus more quickly and concentrate longer on their learning tasks.

If you’d like to evaluate your child’s environmental learning style, visit our Learning Styles Assessment page to figure out your child’s Style.