AUDITORY: THE 3rd OF THE LEARNING STYLES

This is the third of three posts about helping our children succeed in learning according to their dominant learning style. The last two were on the kinesthetic and visual learning styles. Check out the posts here: kinesthetic and visual

Whether we are kinesthetic, auditory or visual learners, we all need to know how we best learn. There are different strategies and tips that help with this. We don’t need to flounder and struggle. When we can use specific strategies for our learning style then school and learning can be easier.

What are auditory children like? They need to hear or listen to a concept in order to understand it. Learning by rote and memorizing things is easier for them. Here are some characteristics of auditory learners:

• Are talkative and often talk to themself
• Have difficulty being quiet
• Memorization is easier, and usually done by speaking out loud
• Can be distracted by background noise, esp if it is people talking
• Gain a greater understanding of concepts by talking about it
• Do better on tests if they can verbally answer the question
• Will whisper while reading without knowing they are doing it
• Will often hum or sing without realizing they are
• Like being read to

I have an earlier video on the auditory learning style. Check it out here.

Strategies to Help Auditory Learners Succeed:

These are strategies that you can use with your child whether or not you homeschool. Some of these might need some approval from your child’s teacher, but they really are in the best interest of your child. 

Read aloud.

Whether your child is starting to read or is an older competent reader, reading aloud is the best way to learn.

Phonics.

When teaching your child to read the phonetic method is best as it breaks words down into the sounds.

Rhyming.

Creating little rhymes for learning information is a fun way to learn. Auditory learners remember rhymes well (and this is why you will find them often easily reciting a children’s book that is in rhyme). 

Repetition and rhythm.

Use repetition to remember key facts, or invent songs or riddles about them. Clapping or beating out a rhythm can also be helpful. When going over facts and information close your eyes so you can focus on the auditory process without distraction.

RCRC.

Read, Cover, Recite, Check. This is a great little mnemonic tool that works well for auditory learners (well, with all learners). This video I made goes over this tool. The key thing is speaking out loud.

Record.

Use a recorder (hooray for smartphones) to record lessons and then play them back to study from. 

Study with other people.

A study buddy or a group of people is best. Discussion happens and through this, facts and concepts are reinforced.

Answer questions.

If possible, to help your child study, ask them questions they can answer. This is instead of trying to pour over all the information and text. They will do better by answering questions.

Verbal directions.

Auditory learners do better following verbal instructions, so even if they are provided in written form, just speaking them out loud will help these learners.

I hope these tips and strategies have helped. I would love to assist you more, so if you have any questions, please just ask! And don’t forget to get your auditory learner’s hearing checked regularly!