Combining Technology and Your Child's Learning Style | Osceola Reads with Footsteps2Brilliance

Children today are referred to as digital natives. But what exactly does that mean? As we evolve into a technology reliant era, our children are exposed at a young age to our use of smartphones, tablets, bluetooth, and apps. There is little learning curve for kids who are immersed in technology. With the constant presence of technology, how can we assure we are reaching children where they are as far as learning styles go?

Meet Your Child's Learning Style Using Technology

No two children will process what they are exposed to in the exact same way. This is where learning styles and differentiation come into play. Today's classroom uses a mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic experiences to try and meet the varying needs of all students.

Through the use of technology, students have the opportunity to be met where their own needs lie, such as non-English speaking students or those with disabilities. A teacher may be conducting a small group lesson using the SmartBoard, with students engaging with the content and assisting in classifying the objects by dragging them to appropriate areas of the screen. Simultaneously, a group of children are working on individualized lessons on the classroom's desktop computer, while another group is spread about the room using tablets to create the final draft of their writing project.In the above scenario, the students are being met by different learning styles simultaneously, providing them the opportunity to succeed in small groups or independently with the teacher facilitating their learning. The goal is to help the students become used to receiving information in different formats and styles, so they are presented with their preferred style as well as other methods to grow comfortable learning in other ways.

Help Your Child Become Successful Receiving Information in Different Formats and Styles

So how do parents continue the learning at home? The home environment can easily be an extension of the school environment. Through the use of technology and devices already in the home, your child can continue to develop the skills that are being used in the classroom and met with the different styles of learning. Talk with your child's teacher about what websites and apps, like Footsteps2Brilliance, they utilize in the classroom that would be beneficial for your child to work on at home. But simply setting your child loose on the internet or app store will not create the desired results. Creating guidelines for the use of technology at home will help set standards for the whole family.Click here to find what advantages using Footsteps2Brilliance brings to your familyMaker Kids published an article on fostering responsible technology use with your children, laying out basic principles to begin your family's journey:

• Set a purpose for use: Why is your child on the device? For entertainment? Education?
• Set a limit for use: What sites and apps may be used? How long may your child be on the device?
• Explain the limits, monitor usage, and set consequences and rewards: Why is your child only allowed to use certain sites/apps? Are they following directions? Do they need to lose their technology privilege or be monitored more carefully?
• Use technology together: How can you set a good example for using technology?

As with anything, balance is best, and although technology can be a great resource, it is not the only tool available for our children. Use your judgment and help foster a love of learning for your child!