Encourage positive attitudes about school and learning with your child or students. Children who are more positive about learning will be eager to attend school and take in the concepts being presented to them. Make learning fun by creating educational games for your child or student. Praise children not just for a job well done, but for the effort they put into learning. This will continue to create a positive learning environment in spite of mistakes or setbacks.
Consider how each child acquires knowledge and work within that specific framework. People learn in one of three ways: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Creating lesson plans based on a child's learning preference will ensure he acquires the knowledge he needs to succeed. Use flashcards or picture diagrams for visual learners. Make recordings of your lessons for auditory learners to take home and listen to. Provide blocks and other manipulatives for hands-on learners.
Refine a child's knowledge by helping him gain a more in-depth perspective of basic concepts. Learning how to classify and organize information will help a child commit it to long-term memory. Ask open-ended questions about a basic concept to help a child expand upon it. For example, if you are teaching a child about dogs, ask him what other animals are similar to dogs. Answering the question will help him establish patterns and develop abstract thinking.
Create opportunities for everyday use of knowledge. Field trips are a wonderful opportunity for a child to use the concepts she has acquired in the classroom. Word problems encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Challenge a child to find ways to use his knowledge with research projects that encourage an active use of skills and the accomplishment of a specific goal.
Encourage a child to develop productive habits for retaining knowledge. Learning styles and study habits come into play here. Visual learners can study flash cards or draw pictures to remember concepts. Auditory learners should read notes aloud or listen to a recorded lecture. Kinesthetic learners can apply knowledge using hands-on approaches, such as experiments or physical manipulation of objects. Encouraging a child to study and learn will promote continued academic success.