Visual Learners learn through visual displays and diagrams. (They think in words or pictures.)
Auditory Learners learn by listening, talking, and interpretation. (They dialog in their heads.)
Kinesthetic Learners learn through hands-on interaction and activity. (They think about how things feel and like activity while learning.)
I have found some quizzes online so that you may be able to determine your or your child's style of learning or teaching.
Charlotte Mason Method
This approach advocates reading good books from original sources and spending lots of time in nature. They use short topics, is literature based incorporating copywork and narration. Great for writing and combining with unit studies.
Many Christian and other families prefer a liberal arts education for their children, including lessons in Greek and Latin, as well as formal instruction in logic. This method also embraces the one-room schoolhouse approach.
Companies and schools that provide teaching assistance as well as learning materials. These schools vary widely in their choice of method, let alone formality.
Some like to pick and choose among various methods, enjoying the flexibility it affords.
Enki Education Method
Enki is it's own wonderful thing. Besides drawing from the best of Waldorf, Enki also draws from Montessori, the United Nations International School, Theme Studies and even the discovery learning of John Holt.
Maria Montessori advocates observing your child, removing obstacles to learning and providing children with real, scaled-to-size tools to use.
Resource Centers & Cottage Schools
Mini-schools are springing up among homeschoolers all over the world. South Florida has the Sunshine Learning Center, Alpha Academics, and EQUIP Education. Classical Conversations is also similar.
Young entertainers and athletes often need especially accommodating tutors, willing to travel with them.
Thomas Jefferson Education
Jefferson hypothesized that literacy and self-government work hand in hand and was a key component to self-preservation.
Hiring a tutor makes a family (and the tutor) fall under the tutoring laws of a state's education code, rather than under homeschooling laws, especially if they intend to hire a tutor full time.
Independent Study Programs, Distance Learning Programs, Virtual or Cyber Schools, Charter Schools, Learning Centers
Unit studies are under the applied learning style. They are theme-based and when teaching, theatrics in the learning is often applied.
There are two types:
The Christian Unschooler directs their child by enhancing their natural strengths while still building upon their weaknesses. If their child loves math and science, then they will move the child to excel in those abilities rather than teaching them to be the best in every subject.
The Secular Unschooler uses this model as well, however, they allow the child to learn in the way they WOULD go rather than embracing the Biblical scripture, "Teach a child in the way he SHOULD go and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
example: A child loves Harry Potter, warfare, and the like. The secular homeschooler would move their child deeper into their love of these things rather than steering them to the things of God.
Developed by Rudolf Steiner, this method emphasizes arts and crafts, music and movement. Students learn to read and write by making their own books.
some credit: http:/homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/methods/methods.htm
Traditional Homeschool Method
The Traditional Homeschool Method uses the same materials that are presented to students in public school. They use textbooks and is teacher-directed.
Accelerated Learning Homeschool Method
The Accelerated Learning Homeschool Method is perfect for students who get bored in public school. It simply means that when a child has learned a subject and is ready to move on, they do. These homeschoolers gradulate high school earlier than their public-schooled peers and get admitted to universities early.
The Principle Approach Homeschool Method
The Principle Approach Homeschool Method is Christian based. Students learn about research, reasoning, relating, and recording. All subjects revolve around God's Word. They learn how to think on their own.
There is also online homeschooling, where your child learns through the internet with classes. They can chat with other students. This is a popular method for parents who want to homeschool, but lack time.
Delayed Learning Style
This approach is based-on allowing the child to learn at their own pace.
The Way They Learn - Cynthia Tobias
Better Late than Early - Dr. Raymond Moore
(I have not personally read these books.)
If a child is struggling with attentiveness, trying a different approach is key.
Sometimes children may need more interactives through Montessori, notebooking, or unit studies if they are losing interest with traditional methods. Maybe they need encouragement in an enviornment where there are other children through resource centers, maybe they just need you to be more hands-on-- they tend to repeat their parents actions. Mix it up early and they will learn to enjoy all learning styles! Try new things and keep it interesting as you go but don't give up. Toss out what it definitely not working.