The right-brain vs left brain debate appears to focus on whether a person uses their left or right-brain. The 3D Learner Program ® was developed and improved based on three key premises:
- While we all use both sides of our brain, most people have a preference for either
- Logical, sequential and auditory learning — which we consider to be a left-brain approach
- Visual, hands-on and experiential learning, which we consider to be a right-brain approach
- Students who learn best with a right-brain approach can do far better when taught to their strengths
- Parents often make the difference. A psychologist had just recommended to one mom that she try another left-brain program. The mom asked, “Can you recommend a program that teaches to my child’s strengths?”. He recommended 3D Learner. With our approach her son was able to improve from the 58th to the 99th percentile in reading and later graduate from Harvard.
1. The Historical Context Challenging Right-Brain Vs Left-Brain Learning
For decades, education systems have favored left-brain dominant thinking — sequential, verbal, auditory, and analytical. This bias has shaped how schools teach reading, math, and even test intelligence.
The result: many smart, very smart, and gifted children who learn differently — often right-brain learners, kinesthetic learners or visual-spatial learners — are misunderstood, mislabeled, or underachieve vs their potential. While others may argue about the distinction between right-brain vs left brain learning, at 3D Learner we focus on identifying the right-brain learner and helping them to be all they can be with a right-based approach, that is a strength-based approach.
2. Dr. Linda Silverman’s Groundbreaking Work
Dr. Linda Silverman, founder of the Gifted Development Center, introduced the concept of the Visual-Spatial Learner (VSL). Her research revealed that some children think in pictures rather than words.
Key characteristics include:
- They visualize concepts and solve problems holistically.
- They excel in spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and intuitive insights.
- They often struggle with sequential tasks like phonics-based reading or rote memorization.
- They show remarkable creativity but may appear inattentive or unmotivated in traditional classrooms.
They often have excellent visual memories, but struggle with auditory memory and processing speed — with test scores often far below their other scores.
Silverman’s key insight is that schools are designed for auditory-sequential learners, not visual-spatial thinkers. Without recognition and adaptation, right-brain learners’ true potential remains hidden.
3. Jeffrey Freed’s “Right-Brain Learner in a Left-Brain World”
Building on Silverman’s research, Jeffrey Freed applied this understanding to practical education.
He described right-brain learners as:
- Highly intuitive and visual, often “seeing” the answer before others can explain it.
- Frustrated by repetition and drill-based instruction.
- Prone to anxiety or disengagement when their learning style isn’t honored.
Freed emphasized hands-on, visual, and experiential methods — teaching spelling through imagery, math through visualization, and reading through context and meaning — not rote phonics.
His call to action: change the system to fit the child, not the other way around.
4. The 3D Learner Perspective: Seeing It, Experiencing It, Mastering It
At 3D Learner, we’ve seen this firsthand with thousands of students and our own children.
Our core insight: the right-brain learner doesn’t need to be fixed — they need to be understood, engaged, and empowered.
From our experience:
- Many students diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD, or anxiety are actually right-brain learners who process information visually and kinesthetically.
- When they are taught using visual imagery, experiential learning, and movement, progress accelerates dramatically.
- Their confidence and self-esteem rebound as they finally learn in ways that make sense to them.
- The right-brain vs left-brain debate focuses on the wrong issue — we think the key issue is that many people tend to learn best with either a right-brain approach (i.e. more visual and hands-on) while others fare better with a logical, sequential and auditory approach. The students who we described as a right-brain learner have done far better with a visual, hands-on learning approach
Our Transformational Strength-Based Approach integrates:
- Visual-Spatial and Kinesthetic Learning Strategies
- Cognitive Skills Development (e.g., visual processing, working memory, attention)
- Parent Coaching to help families become Transformational Strength-Based Parents
The result: children not only catch up academically — they thrive.
5. The Implications for Education and Parenting
- The education system must change, but that will take a long time. We must move from “fixing weaknesses” to leveraging strengths.
- Parents must lead.
Schools rarely identify right-brain learners effectively. Parents who understand their child’s learning profile can become their most powerful advocate.
- The goal is transformation, not compensation
With the right approach, these learners often outperform their peers in innovation, leadership, and problem-solving.
6. The Future of Learning
As the world shifts toward visual media, design thinking, and artificial intelligence — right-brain strengths like visualization, creativity, and pattern recognition are becoming the superpowers of the 21st century.
The challenge is helping these children thrive now, not just later.
Conclusion on the Right-brain vs Left Brain Controversy
Dr. Silverman gave us the language to understand visual-spatial learners.
Jeffrey Freed showed us how to help right-brain learners succeed in a left-brain world
At 3D Learner, we’ve proven that when parents and educators see through a strength-based lens, remarkable things happen. Right-brain learners can do far better when they are taught to their strengths
The case for right-brain vs. left-brain thinking isn’t theoretical — it’s transformational.
