Right-Brained Learners FAQ > General > How do I know if my child is a Right-Brained Learner?
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The article The Visual-Spatial Learner: An Introduction by Linda Kreger Silverman is a great place to start and gives a great overview of visual-spatial traits. Read it and see if you recognize your child. If you do, you might want do a little more in-depth reading on the subject. The following table from the article highlights the main differences between right brained (visual-spatial) thinkers and left brained (auditory-sequential) thinkers:
| AUDITORY-SEQUENTIAL | VISUAL-SPATIAL |
| * Thinks primarily in words | * Thinks primarily in pictures |
| * Has auditory strengths | * Has visual strengths |
| * Relates well to time | * Relates well to space |
| * Is a step-by-step learner | * Is a whole-part learner |
| * Learns by trial and error | * Learns concepts all at once |
| * Progresses sequentially from easy to difficult material | * Learns complex concepts easily; struggles with easy skills |
| * Is an analytical thinker | * Is a good synthesizer |
| * Attends well to details | * Sees the big picture; may miss details |
| * Follows oral directions well | * Reads maps well |
| * Does well at arithmetic | * Is better at math reasoning than computation |
| * Learns phonics easily | * Learns whole words easily |
| * Can sound out spelling words | * Must visualize words to spell them |
| * Can write quickly and neatly | * Prefers keyboarding to writing |
| * Is well-organized | * Creates unique methods of organization |
| * Can show steps of work easily | * Arrives at correct solutions intuitively |
| * Excels at rote memorization | * Learns best by seeing relationships |
| * Has good auditory short-term memory | * Has good long-term visual memory |
| * May need some repetition to reinforce learning | * Learns concepts permanently; is turned off by drill and repetition |
| * Learns well from instruction | * Develops own methods of problem solving |
| * Learns in spite of emotional reactions | * Is very sensitive to teachers’ attitudes |
| * Is comfortable with one right answer | * Generates unusual solutions to problems |
| * Develops fairly evenly | * Develops quite asynchronously |
| * Usually maintains high grades | * May have very uneven grades |
| * Enjoys algebra and chemistry | * Enjoys geometry and physics |
| * Learns languages in class | * Masters other languages through immersion |
| * Is academically talented | * Is creatively, mechanically, emotionally, or technologically gifted |
| * Is an early bloomer | * Is a late bloomer |
Last updated on December 3, 2008 by Stephanie
