How to Teach Visual Learners - Practical & Fun Tips

Unlock the potential of visual learners with practical strategies that that improve engagement. Harness the power of visual aids and social stories to make learning more joyful.

Ever wonder what type of learner your child or student is? Maybe you’re still discovering what type of learner you are! Part of what makes learning so fascinating and beautiful is that different brains absorb information differently. 

Having said that, there are overlaps in how we learn. 

Did you know that 65% of us are visual learners? That means if you have three kids, odds are at least two of them are visual learners, and if you have a class of 30, at least 20 are likely to be visual learners! You might even be a visual learner yourself!  Even if your child or student is not a visual learner, teaching how to interpret information visually is beneficial since our digitally-driven world constantly exposes us to visual content.

In this post, we’ll explore the traits of a visual learner and discover effective strategies and tools to best support a visual learner.

Understanding the Visual Learner

Understanding visual learners is essential to teach them effectively. Visual learners prefer to process information through visual aids and images rather than through verbal or written instructions. 

People are usually categorized as having one of four learning styles: visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic. Most learners have a combination learning style of at least two of the four types. Therefore, it’s helpful to understand how to teach the visual learning style since most people tend to learn this way.

Traits of a Visual Learner

You might wonder: “How can I tell what type of learner my child is?” If your child is a visual learner, they likely:

• Look all around them in new settings/situations rather than asking questions.

• Have vivid imaginations, which can make them great storytellers!

• Easily remember faces, but they may have a harder time remembering names - I know I do!

• Benefit from video instruction but often forget oral instructions without visual aids.

• Enjoy pictures, art, maps, or anything visually pleasing to them!

Note: Your child might have a few of the above traits, but not all of them. Remember, every learner is different, and your child may have a “combination learning style” with some tendencies to learn visually. If any of the traits above seem relevant to your child, read on to learn how to enhance their learning experience! 

Enhancing Learning through Visual Stimuli

Visual stimuli are crucial in enhancing the learning experience for visual learners. Visual elements that can help a visual learner understand the material include:

• Images

• Charts

• Diagrams

• Videos that introduce lessons

Visual stimuli capture kids’ attention and engage them in the learning process. These stimuli can help make learning more enjoyable and effective.

Attention and Visual Stimuli

It’s important to note that not all visual stimuli are created equal. In fact, a lot of content your kids might be attracted to hurts your child’s learning! 

CocoMelon uses bright colors, fast-paced music, and short screen clips of 1-2 seconds, which spike dopamine, a hormone that makes you feel pleasure. When kids’ brains are exposed to this dopamine spike, they want more of the feeling, and so they will want to watch more and more episodes. They will also feel withdrawal symptoms when it’s time to turn off the show. 

• Other shows that use similar techniques to spike dopamine include Little Baby Bum, Blipi, Ms. Rachel, and Baby Einstein.

For more info on the power that attention plays in your child’s learning, read our blog post here!

On the flip side, visual stimuli that positively engage visual learners include:

Basic Charts to display important reminders or instructions

• 💫Pro tip: paste these reminders in places your child needs to apply them (examples: a “wash your hands” reminder on the bathroom mirror or labels for putting away their toys in a play area)

• Use of Different Colors to help your child organize the different information in a text

• Flash Cards & Mini Whiteboards to use as props in games and play

• Picture Books to help learners understand the story they are reading. Read on to learn about the power of visual storytelling in the next section!

The Power of Visual Storytelling

Visual storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool for teaching visual learners. Instead of presenting isolated visuals, educators can create full-on stories that incorporate visual elements. This approach helps visual learners connect the dots and understand the context behind the visuals. By weaving a narrative, educators can make the learning experience more immersive and memorable for visual learners.

When you read a story to a visual learner, frequently refer to the pictures and ask your child questions. This practice will help the visual learner gain a deeper understanding of the book and encourage them to actively engage while reading. For more information on the value of active engagement when learning, read our post here.

Harnessing AI Technology for Visual Learning Support

There are thousands of beautifully illustrated picture books that can help a visual learner grasp a concept. But have you ever wanted to teach your child or student a specific skill with visual aids and been unsure of which book off the top of your head would best convey this message?

Advancements in AI technology have made it easier than ever to support visual learners. AI-powered tools and platforms can generate interactive visual content, provide personalized recommendations based on a learner's visual preferences, and even adapt the learning experience in real time. 

With the power of AI, Nookly creates personalized stories tailored to your child’s learning needs, demographics, and interests. All you need to do is simply log into Nookly and:

1. Enter a learning goal

2. Review the storyline we draft for you

3. Play the story generated by our AI

This quick and easy process will allow you to generate an engaging story for a visual learner in a matter of seconds!

By harnessing AI technology, educators can provide visual learners with tailored resources and support to optimize learning outcomes.

Practical Tips for Teaching Visual Learners

We’d like to leave you with some practical tips on better supporting visual learners at home or in school. While we’ve mentioned many of these in earlier sections of this post, this list is easy to screenshot and come back to whenever you need:

• Use visual aids such as charts, diagrams, and infographics to illustrate concepts.

• Incorporate videos to demonstrate processes or procedures.

• Provide opportunities for visual learners to create their own visual representations of information, such as mind maps or concept maps.

• Encourage visual learners to take notes using visual symbols and images.

• Use color coding to organize information and highlight key points.

• Break down complex information into smaller, more digestible visual chunks.

• Offer hands-on activities and experiments that allow visual learners to engage with the material in a tangible way.

• Incorporate technology tools and apps that support visual learning, such as digital whiteboards, educational apps with interactive visuals, virtual reality experiences, and story generators (like Nookly ☀️)!

By implementing these strategies, parents, caregivers, and educators can create an inclusive learning environment that caters to the needs of visual learners and maximizes their learning potential.