Is Your Bright Child a Visual-Spatial Learner?

Sit that kid down in front of a computer and she can do anything. She doesn’t need instructions to figure it all out. She not only plays computer games, but she creates them. She also blends video and music together effortlessly. She likes to take things apart, but there is no guarantee that she will put them back together in the same way. Building with Legos was always one of her favorite activities when she was younger. Now, she likes to create her own inventions and loves the cartoonist, Rube Goldberg. Drawing comes naturally to her, and she is constantly producing her own cartoons and comic strips.

Young people who have a strong visual-spatial ability visualize and retain images in their minds and then mentally manipulate those images. Kids who have this ability may be very smart but, because they learn in a style that is different from the usual sequential and verbal style of the classroom, they may not be a good match for the typical school.

Don’t lose heart if your visual-spatial child struggles academically; instead, support his or her strengths at home and through enrichment classes. At the same time, there are techniques you can use to help your student adapt to school. For some of these suggestions, check out the Visual-Spatial Resource. You also can find a series of articles for both parents and teachers on a variety of topics related to visual-spatial ability at Visual-Spatial Learners  . In addition, much more information can be found about visual-spatial learners at Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page  .

So, take heart. Your visual-spatial child has talents that will serve him well. He may not learn in the same way that many other kids learn, and he may need help with compensation techniques at school, but because of his strong visual-spatial ability, he will excel in areas in which others have difficulty.