5 Important Qualities of Successful Learners

We all want our kids to “succeed” in school. We want them to learn the material, apply it to their lives, and become well-rounded, educated individuals who can advocate for themselves and others and make a difference in the world. (Or some days we’d just settle for a C on that social studies test.)

Often we wonder if there is something blocking the information from really getting into our children’s brains.

Whether that is your 2nd grader struggling to read or your senior struggling with advanced concepts (or anything in between), there are several important qualities that determine learning success.

Fostering and encouraging the following qualities in your kids (and yourself) will open the door to easier learning, better motivation, more real-life application skills, and success in school and life!

The Learner Knows His or Her Unique Learning Style

This becomes evident very early in life. Whether your child is a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, reading/writing or combination learner, having him or her take ownership of this style is important. When your child understands how they learn best, they’ll be able to advocate for what they need in the classroom.

• Visual learners respond best to meaningful symbols such as charts, diagrams, or other representations of information. They do best when information is presented robustly in a visual manner.

• Auditory learners prefer to learn by ear. They do well when teachers or parents speak new information and may choose not to take notes because they find it distracting. They also prefer to discuss new concepts orally in groups.

• Reading/writing learners flourish when material is presented in writing. They learn well from books, slides, and handouts and synthesize information through writing assignments. Reading/writing learners don’t shy away from content-heavy books or online research.

• Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They want to engage all their senses in the learning experience and often struggle in traditional classroom settings. They shine when they can engage in labs that allow them to be hands-on.

Up to 61% of learners use more than one of these to learn successfully! Your child’s needs are going to be unique, and it’s a process of learning, trying, failing, and growing to meet those needs to help them learn effectively.

The Learner Finds Ways to Have Fun

It’s undeniable that FUN learning sticks better in your brain! When you think back to your early school years, it’s likely the songs, fun projects, field trips, and other out-of-the-box experiential learning activities that stand out.

Fun learning isn’t an oxymoron—and successful learners continue to find ways to sprinkle in some spice to keep learning fresh and engaging at any age!

The Learner Can Push Through Challenges

It’s important for kids to take ownership of their learning and have a sense of inner motivation that will drive them to keep trying, even when it’s hard.

You can help build this by modeling it! Be honest with your kids when something you’re doing is hard, verbalize your process of doing it anyway, and celebrate the little victories together.

The Learner Can Take Risks (and Learn from Mistakes)

We often train ourselves early to take the safe route, when really it’s the trying (and failing) that creates more growth and learning in your brain. Instead of focusing only on grades, celebrate growth and effort with your kids along the way.

Failing is something we’ll all experience, so training your kids to recognize it as an opportunity for growth is important. If your kids see failure as something that’s always bad, it may diminish their confidence over time. Helping them see the value in learning and growing will go a long way to creating a successful life-long learner!

The Learner Has the Brain Skills to Process New Information

Learning is a complex process that is built on the foundation of cognitive skills. These things like memory, logic & reasoning, auditory processing, attention, and visual processing determine if the information is successfully learned and stored in your brain. If there’s a disconnect with cognitive skills, learning is always going to feel harder than it needs to be.

The good news is that cognitive skills are fluid and can change throughout your life. Brain training like we do at LearningRx is the best proven way to increase IQ and brain skill strength so that learning becomes easier, more fulfilling, and more fun for years ahead.

But LearningRx goes beyond just these foundational skills… the trainers work with each client to help them discover their own learning styles, celebrating failures and growth and building an inner motivation that lasts for years!

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your struggling learner find success by breaking through the barriers that are holding them back!