Why Your Child’s Learning Style Might Be the Missing Piece

Your child’s revision notes are colour-coded, detailed, and look like a masterpiece — but come test day, they freeze.
Or maybe they say they studied, but can’t seem to recall the material unless they talk it through out loud.
Perhaps they’ve watched the video three times and still say, “I don’t get it.”

You might be wondering: Why isn’t this clicking? They’re trying so hard.
The answer could lie in how they process information — not how much effort they’re putting in.

A learning style refers to the way someone naturally prefers to take in, process, and retain information.
At Unify, we use the well-established VARK model, which includes four core styles:

• Visual – Learns best through images, diagrams, and spatial layout
• Auditory – Responds to spoken explanations, discussion, and sound cues
• Reading/Writing – Prefers working with text, notes, and written instructions
• Kinaesthetic – Understands through movement, hands-on activities, and real-life examples

Children often blend more than one style, and these preferences can shift as they grow. But knowing where your child is now gives you a valuable foundation for support.

When your child’s learning style doesn’t match how they’re being taught — or how you’re helping — they can end up feeling frustrated, disengaged, or even “behind.”

But they’re not behind. They’re just being reached in the wrong way.

Here’s how things can change when their learning style is supported:

• A visual learner gets access to mind maps or diagrams instead of long lectures — and finally starts retaining information
• An auditory learner is encouraged to record notes out loud and play them back — and revision becomes easier to manage
• A kinaesthetic learner uses physical props or movement-based memory tricks — and suddenly the topic clicks

The point isn’t to teach them in one style forever — it’s to understand how they connect to information right now, so you can reduce friction and build confidence.

Understanding your child’s learning style helps outside the classroom too.
You’ll know:

• How to explain new ideas at home in a way that lands
• Why one child prefers silent reading and another wants to talk everything out
• What’s really going on when they zone out, get restless, or “give up”

It’s about seeing their behaviour through a new lens — one that helps you guide and support, rather than correct and repeat.

Our Learning Style Assessment is designed for both children (ages 6–12) and teens (ages 13–18).
It’s simple, age-appropriate, and gives you a clear breakdown of:

• Your child’s current learning style
• What that looks like in everyday situations
• Actionable ways to support them — from study tips to communication strategies

And because learning styles evolve, we recommend retaking it three times a year to stay in tune with how they’re growing.

Sometimes the issue isn’t focus, motivation, or memory. It’s the method.

If you’ve been doing your best to help — and they’ve been trying too — understanding how they naturally learn could be the missing piece that changes everything.