How to Help Your Teen Discover Their Best Study Style

As a home educator, you know your teen better than anyone, but when it comes to study skills, it’s not always clear how to support them effectively. Plus, believe me the research on studying and how our brains recall and retain information has changed a lot since I was in school. So, one of the most helpful things you can do is guide your teen in discovering their preferred way to study.

Helping them understand how their brains process and retain information can make learning smoother for them, reduce frustration, and build confidence. While schools might briefly touch on study skills, there’s rarely time to explore them deeply which puts students at a disadvantage.

So let’s change that and spend some time talking about study skills and not just for an exam coming up, but for life.

What Is a Study Style and Why Does It Matter?

Study styles (sometimes called learning preferences) refer to the different ways students absorb and remember information. You may have heard of the VARK model, which breaks it down into four types.

Note: This isn’t the same as Learning Styles Theory – a concept that’s been widely debunked in education research.¹

The different types are:

• Visual – Think diagrams, mind maps, charts, colour coding
• Auditory – Prefers talking, listening to explanations, reading aloud
• Reading/Writing – Thrives with written text, note-taking, lists
• Kinesthetic – Needs to move, make, build, or physically interact with material

Many teens are a blend of styles, and preferences can shift depending on the subject. When I did the quiz linked below with my kids, we found out that we were all Multimodal – basically we had stronger preference for at least 2 of the different types. What was useful for us was giving my kids the chance to explore what works best for them and the support to try and find how that works outside the normally system of learning.

Is VARK the Same as Learning Styles Theory? Not quite though they’re often confused.

Learning Styles Theory suggests that students learn best when teachers adapt their instruction to match each learner’s preferred style (e.g., visual or auditory). It’s a theory that was strongly pushed when I did teacher training, I remember having to plan for most of the boys in my class being Kinaesthetic learners and ensuring I had movement and doing in my lessons. But, actually there’s little evidence this improves learning outcomes and it’s difficult to apply consistently, whether you are teaching a class of 30 or supporting your teen at home to study.

VARK, on the other hand, takes a more practical, student-led approach.

Instead of prescribing how teachers should teach, VARK helps learners reflect on how they learn best so they can adapt their own study habits. That might mean using more diagrams, recording notes aloud, or physically interacting with ideas through hands-on work.

It’s not about putting kids into boxes it’s about empowering them with awareness and tools that actually work. Knowing yourself helps you to move forward quicker and it works with study as well.

How to Explore Study Styles with Your Teen

Here’s a gentle and collaborative way to get started:

1. Start with a conversation

Ask your teen what helps them remember things best:

• “When you’re learning something new in science, what helps it stick?”
• “Do you prefer watching videos or writing things down?”

Avoid labelling them too quickly, just observe and reflect together. You may find that different subjects they prefer different methods and even within a subject.

2. Try a quiz together

Take a VARK-style quiz and talk through the results. It’s not a diagnostic tool, but it’s a great conversation starter. The VARK website offers free resources you can explore together including a quiz for young learners.

3. Test out different strategies

Try a few activities based on each preference:

• Visual – Create a mind map for a science topic
• Auditory – Record and replay a short explanation
• Reading/Writing – Summarise key facts in a list and rewrite it
• Kinesthetic – Build a model or act out a process (great for biology or geography!)

4. Reflect together

At the end of a session, ask what felt easiest or most helpful. Was it the colour coding? Talking it through? Getting hands-on?

With time, your teen will naturally lean into what suits them best.

More Study Skills Tips for Teens

• Helping your teen with Time Management Skills
• Creating a productive study space for your teen

Reference

1. Furey, W. (2020). The stubborn myth of “learning styles”. Education Next. Retrieved from https://www.educationnext.org/stubborn-myth-learning-styles-state-teacher-license-prep-materials-debunked-theory/