Sharpen your pencils! Visual Spatial learners learn best through pictures and illustrations. Visual Spatial learners think in pictures. Once they have a picture of the concept, they've got it! No need for repetition and drill.

They do not learn sequentially so "traditional" teaching methods and curriculum only lead to frustration and poor academic performance.

Visual Spatial Learners:

Think in pictures
Recognize faces, objects, shapes, colors, details,and scenes
Have a good sense of direction
Need to understand the big picture before getting into the details
Do not learn sequentially (step-by-step)
Learn by seeing and observing
Use visual images to recall information
Enjoy doodling, drawing, painting, and sculpting
Often reverse letters when writing
Do not learn through repetition and drill
Discover patterns easily
Doodle while listening

How To Choose Visual Spatial Homeschool Curriculum.

Choose curriculum that can be read aloud, has manipulatives, or is experimental in nature. Look for resources that focus on the big picture of a subject, patterns, and relationships rather than facts and sequential steps. Avoid workbooks and textbooks (in most cases).

HISTORY
Reading (and read alouds) allow visualization of the stories. Use videos, computer programs, lapbooks, notebooking, and hands-on projects.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Visual Spatial learners benefit from visual aids when learning new information and for getting their thoughts on paper. Look for resources that utilize flow charts, concept mapping, graphic organizers, and art.

These learners are brilliant with content yet struggle with the mechanics of writing. Remember, best-selling authors have editors! Avoid curriculum that emphasizes spelling, grammar, and capitalization.

LITERATURE
Reading (and read alouds) allow Spatial learners to visualize the stories in their minds.

MATH
Visual/pictorial aids and manipulatives are a necessity in math. Use illustrations and stories to teach facts and processes. Color code steps for solving math problems. Spatial learners excel with concepts but struggle with details and computations.

PHONICS
Visual Spatial learners often struggle with learning to read. Use a phonics and whole word approach to reading. Since they think in pictures, connect letter sounds with pictures. Give them plenty of time with this.

SCIENCE
Use flow charts and graphic organizers for visualizing information. Use reading (and read alouds), videos, computer programs, lapbooks, notebooking, and plenty of hands-on experiments.

Visual Spatial Learning Activities

Visual Spatial learners think in pictures so use graphical and pictorial methods of working with ideas and presenting information. When planning lessons ask yourself...

1. How can the topic be illustrated?
2. How can my child 'show' me what he has learned?

Teach Lessons Using...

Visuals - "a picture is worth a thousand words"
Flow charts to teach processes
Colored pens to distinguish parts (show parts of speech in a sentence, spelling patterns, divisor/dividend, etc.)
Videos
Field trips
Highlighting, underlining, and drawing images while teaching
Discovery - capitalize on your child's pattern-finding strengths
Reading aloud
Visuals hung up around the room (i.e. Greek & Latin word parts)
Unit charts to introduce the big picture

Have Your Visual Spatial Learner...

Draw while listening to lectures
Use webbing to brainstorm, organize information for writing (pre-writing), or analyze stories and characters
Use concept mapping to show knowledge of a subject and its relationships
Map locations of a story setting, historical events, geographical features
Work with math manipulatives
Use graphic organizers for just about everything. Introduce or recap a unit, analyze literature, explain cycles and sequences, pre-writing and brainstorming are just a few examples.
Create storyboards for creative writing and literary analysis
Dramatize or demonstrate the concept
Draw pictures of events on a timeline
Research using websites and videos
Create picture cards for learning spelling words, math facts, etc.
Create graphs and charts to show the results of research assignments or to answer workbook questions
Construct models
Create collages, posters, and murals of a concept or to summarize a unit
Use computer software such as Eyewitness Encyclopedia

Copyright 2009 Jena Names

Find homeschool curriculum suited for visual spatial learning styles and a downloadable worksheet to help you plan lessons at http://www.custom-homeschool-curriculum.com/spatialhomeschoolcurriculum Jena Names is a homeschooling mother of three and learning styles advisor. She created Custom Homeschool Curriculum to give parents tools and advice for choosing the right homeschool curriculum.