Directions: Check each of the statements below that best describes your child. Then, total each of the three columns and compare results. You’re likely to find your responses concentrated in one or two columns, clearly indicating the learning style possessed by your kindergartener.
Looker | Listener | Mover |
1. Communication: When my kindergartener wishes to express herself. . . | ||
D She uses simple lan¬ guage. | EH She uses adultlike speech patterns. | EH Her speech is difficult to understand. |
D She mispronounces some words and sounds. | EH She uses sentences that are structurally correct. | EH She speaks in short, grammatically incorrect sentences. |
EH She omits adverbs and prepositions. | EH She tells elaborate sto¬ ries. | EH She acts out events in¬ stead of talking about them. |
2. Favorite Toys and Pastimes: When my kindergartener plays . . . | ||
D She likes puzzles and board games. | EH She likes records and tapes. | EH She likes to play out¬ doors. |
EH She enjoys computers and calculators. | EH She likes books and fan¬ tasy play. | EH She enjoys swinging, sliding, and climbing. |
D She learns new things by watching. | EH She learns new things by listening to instructions. | EH She finds full-body uses for almost every toy. |
3. Fine Motor Skills: When | my kindergartener uses | her hands . . . |
EH She prints neatly. | EH She has acceptable printing. | EH She finds printing very difficult. |
EH She cuts, colors, and pastes with ease. | EH She talks to herself while working. | [EH She reverses many let¬ ters and numbers. |
□ She produces neat, at¬ tractive artwork. | EH She produces accept¬ able artwork. | EH Her artwork is very messy. |
4. Gross Motor Skills: When my kindergartener moves about. . . | ||
EH She chooses table games over outside play. | EH She does more talking than actual playing. | EH She prefers outside play to table games. |
EH She chooses games such as badminton, which requires eye-hand coordi¬ nation. | EH She chooses games such as “Bluebird” and “Si¬ mon Says,” which involve verbal interaction. | EH She is very well coordi¬ nated. |
EH She likes games with set rules, such as “Mother, May 1?” | EH She talks herself through activities. | EH She never walks when she can run or climb. |
5. Social Skills: When my kindergartener mixes with other children . . . | ||
EH She tends to be a loner within groups. | EH She thrives on her friendships. | EH She is sociable, but not very verbal. |
EH She watches to see what’s expected of her be¬ fore taking part. | EH She may get into trouble for too much talking during class time. | EH She may get into trouble for poking and hitting during class time. |
EH She warms up slowly to new people. | EH She often answers for others and is somewhat bossy. | EH She likes to rough- house. |
6. Emotions: When it comes to my kindergartener’s | feelings . . . | |
EH She is not very emo¬ tional. | EH She talks freely about her emotions. | EH She is emotionally needy and easily hurt. |
EH She has trouble under¬ standing others’ emotional outbursts. | EH She confronts others about her feelings. | EH She reacts with anger rather than shame or regret when disciplined. |
7. Memory: When my kindergartener learns . . . | ||
EH She reproduces letters and numbers from memory. | EH She learns best by rote. She knows her address and phone number. | EH She has trouble remem¬ bering. |
EH She remembers what she has been shown. | EH She knows the sounds made by the letters of the alphabet. | EH She is easily distracted. |
8. At School: When my kindergartener is in the classroom . . .
D She dresses neatly and likes to stay clean.
ED She keeps her work area very neat.
EH She chooses blocks, puzzles, or arts and crafts during free time.
D She warms up slowly to new situations.
EH Her appearance is neither messy nor overly neat.
EH She has to be told to clean up her work area.
EH She is attentive and agreeable.
EH She leads most discussions, and often reports misbehavior to the teacher.
[HI She is unconcerned with her appearance, and often appears bedraggled.
EH She works amidst a huge mess, cluttering her work space within minutes.
EH She is very active during play.
EH She fidgets and squirms when seated.
Totals:_Looker
Listener
Mover
Chapter Six