
At a glance
The way your child thinks can influence how he prefers to learn.
Some types of thinkers need to understand the “whys” and “hows” in order to learn.
Some types of thinkers are good at seeing the whole picture and can reach solutions quickly.
You may already understand the different learning strengths. But do you know your child’s thinking style? The type of thinker your child is influences how he prefers to learn. Here’s an overview of learning options for your child’s thinking style.
Thinking Style | What It Means | Will Benefit From |
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Reflective thinkers |
They understand best when they have time to think about what they’ve seen, heard and read. They:
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Intuitive thinkers |
They understand best when they’re able to explore the “whys” of ideas and the relationships between things. They:
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Sequential thinkers |
They understand best when they can see the steps and logic behind ideas. They:
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Global thinkers |
Understand best when they can see the whole picture at once. They:
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Knowing your child’s learning strengths and thinking style can help at home as well as at school. That information can help you and your child find the best ways to study and prevent or reduce homework battles.
Key takeaways
Sequential thinkers learn by hearing the logic behind things, while reflective thinkers learn by asking questions.
Intuitive thinkers and global thinkers both look at the big picture first.
Your child may have more than one thinking style and could benefit from multiple ways of learning.
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About the author

About the author
Amanda Morin is the author of “The Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education” and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.
Reviewed by

Reviewed by
Mark J. Griffin, PhD was the founding headmaster of Eagle Hill School, a school for children with specific learning disabilities.