Do you prefer lectures over long reading assignments? Are you great at following verbal directions? Do you benefit from in-class discussions and receive great marks for class participation? If so, you may be an auditory learner.
Everyone has their own unique ways that they learn. These learning styles are critical for finding success in the classroom—students and teachers who understand different learning styles are able to focus their education and use different strategies to find the greatest success in the classroom.
Auditory learning is one of the three learning styles established by the VAK model of learning. In essence, auditory learners retain information best when it is presented through sound and speech.
Auditory learners generally remember what their teacher says and readily participate in class. They are good listeners and often very social, which means they can sometimes get distracted from the lesson by everything else going on in the classroom. Auditory learning methods range from studying with voice recordings to memorising vocabulary words by inventing short songs.
What is auditory learning?
Auditory learning means that a student learns most effectively by listening. They would prefer listening to a lecture over reading a textbook, or hearing the instructions for a project instead of figuring it out hands-on. For example, a visual learner will want to see an example of the project, while someone who has an auditory focus will prefer to hear about the project. A kinesthetic learner wants to try it out for themselves, different from the visual learner and the auditory focused learner. There’s not a right or wrong learning style—visual isn’t better than the kinesthetic learning style or vice-versa. What’s important is to understand learning strategies and study tips that can help you in a classroom environment.
Students who prefer auditory learning over tactile or visual will be focused on listening instead of seeing, reading, or physically trying in order to learn. Auditory learners like to hear things in order to process the information best, which is often a good option for classroom learning.
Auditory learning characteristics.
There are many great characteristics that auditory learners have them help them thrive in classroom settings. Some of their characteristics include:
- Good memory for spoken information
- Good public speaking abilities
- Eloquent
- Strong listening skills
- Excel in oral presentations and exams
- Good at telling stories
- Good ability to read aloud and retain information
- Distracted by background noises
- Distracted by silence
- Enjoys conversations
- Unafraid to voice their thoughts
- Good members in study groups and collaboration projects
- Able to understand and process changes in tone
- Works through complex problems by talking out loud
- Able to explain ideas well
- Solid communication abilities
Auditory Learning Tips for Students
Each of the four learning styles has its own characteristics. Knowing you’re an auditory learner can make the learning process easier for you. Auditory learners can simplify how they learn inside and outside the classroom in the ways we’ll discuss next.
1. Study with a friend
Studying with a friend provides opportunities for discussion. You can quiz each other and practice verbalizing the material. By engaging in conversation and practicing verbally, you can improve your retention and application of knowledge. For instance, if you’re studying literature, you will benefit from working with a study partner to read aloud and discuss important passages or themes. This way, you’ll better understand and internalize key information.
2. Record class lectures
Recording class lectures is a good way to improve your performance because it allows you to listen to the material multiple times and at your own pace. As an auditory learner, hearing information multiple times enables you to grasp the key concepts fully. It may also help if you struggle to take notes while listening to class lectures. For example, if you’re studying history, you can record history class lectures and listen to them again while commuting to and from class, exercising, or doing chores around the house. This repeated exposure to the spoken directions will simplify learning and help you remember important details.
3. Listen to classical music
Listening to classical music can help you focus and reduce distractions. This is because classical music is often instrumental, meaning there are no lyrics to distract you. The tempo and melody of the music are also soothing. Classical music has been shown to positively affect brain function and cognitive performance. Studies suggest that listening to classical music stimulates the brain’s alpha waves which improves memory, learning, and information processing. For example, if you’re studying for an exam, you can listen to classical music to help you focus and reduce distractions. The music creates a calming atmosphere that promotes concentration and focus, which helps you better absorb and retain what you study.
4. Repeat facts with your eyes closed
Repeating facts with your eyes closed allows you to focus solely on the sound of your own voice, which can help improve your retention. By closing your eyes and repeating facts aloud, you’re engaging your sense of hearing and blocking out visual distractions, which promotes focus. For example, if you’re studying for a history exam, you can close your eyes and repeat important dates, events, and names aloud to better remember and recall the information.
5. Participate in group discussions.
Participating in group discussions can help improve your performance because it provides an opportunity to engage through conversation and active listening. Participating in group discussions allows you to ask questions, share your own perspectives, and listen to the perspectives of others. This will help you gain new insights and ideas. It also helps practice verbalization, reinforces memory, and improves information retention for auditory learners. For example, participating in a group discussion with classmates about a specific topic, such as a historical event, can deepen your understanding and help you gain new insights that may not have been apparent to you through individual study.
6. Use word association and mnemonics.
Word associations and mnemonics help auditory learners remember new concepts by linking information to familiar sounds, words, or phrases. Word associations connect ideas through sound, such as linking “solid” with “stiff” or “liquid” with “flowing,” making concepts easier to recall. Mnemonics use rhymes or phrases, like “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos” for the planets, to simplify complex information. By creating catchy phrases and repeating them aloud, auditory learners can strengthen memory and recall information more easily.
7. Watch videos
Watching videos helps auditory learners understand concepts because they combine spoken explanations with visuals, making learning more engaging and memorable. Unlike reading, which may feel challenging without sound, videos keep auditory learners focused through narration, dialogue, and real-life examples. However, videos can be distracting if they include unnecessary visuals, so it’s best to choose concise, relevant content and set clear learning goals before watching.
Auditory Learning Tips for Teachers
Auditory learners need to listen, speak, and interact with others verbally in order to learn. As a teacher, you can employ some auditory learning strategies to help your auditory learners excel.
1. Call on auditory learners to answer questions
Calling on auditory learners to answer questions in class can boost their learning and confidence. It supports their preferred learning method and motivates them to participate. Hearing the information again as they think and respond helps them remember it better. For example, if you’re teaching about the causes of World War II, you can ask the class to name one cause and explain its role. When you call on an auditory learner, they can summarize and explain what they heard in their own words, strengthening their understanding of the topic.
2. Encourage class discussions and reward students who participate in class
Leading class discussions and rewarding participation is a great way to support auditory learners. When students know they’ll be part of the discussion, they listen more carefully, which helps auditory learners remember and understand the material better. Class discussions also help auditory learners practice expressing their ideas and responding to others, improving their communication skills. Rewarding participation shows students their contributions matter, boosting their confidence to share more.
3. Encourage auditory learners to explain ideas in their own words
As mentioned, repetition helps auditory learners reinforce their understanding of the topic. Therefore, asking them to repeat ideas in their own words can help improve their performance. Repeating ideas in their own words means they’re processing and expressing the information in their own way, which makes them more likely to remember it in the future. If they are struggling to explain a concept, it’s an indication that they need to review the material further.
4. Record your lectures so that auditory learners can listen later
Recording your lectures so that auditory learners can listen later can help improve their performance in various ways. By providing recordings of lectures, you can support the preferred learning style of auditory learners. These students can listen to the material multiple times, helping them solidify their understanding of the topic. It also encourages self-paced learning, which helps auditory learners who may need more time to process information or prefer to learn slower.
5. Incorporate social elements in your lesson plans
Creating lessons with a social element can help improve auditory learners’ performance by promoting classroom engagement. Auditory learners tend to thrive in group settings and enjoy participating in class discussions and activities. By creating lessons with a social element, you can encourage students to collaborate. Hearing different perspectives and engaging in discussion can help auditory learners understand better. The auditory learners in the class are more engaged and perform better on related assignments and assessments.
6. Use technology
Technology helps auditory learners connect with sound, music, and speech. Tools like computers, CDs, videos, and musical instruments can make learning more engaging by providing different types of auditory experiences. For example, educational software can offer lessons with spoken instructions, audiobooks make stories easier to follow, and online videos help explain complex ideas more simply. Adding music, sound effects, or podcasts to lessons can also make learning more enjoyable and easier for auditory learners to remember. Technology can help auditory learners in:
Language learning: Language apps or audio recordings help practice speaking and listening.
Literature and storytelling: Audiobooks, apps, or podcasts allow auditory learners to explore stories.
Science or history lessons: Videos or podcasts with discussions or interviews help students understand difficult concepts.
Technology gives teachers many ways to present lessons, making them more engaging and easier for all students to understand. It also allows teachers to adjust lessons to meet the needs of different learners. Students benefit from a more interactive and personal learning experience, especially auditory learners who learn best with sound.
7. Provide individual attention and instruction
Individual attention is very important for auditory learners because it helps them get spoken instructions and feedback that suit their learning style. Unlike visual learners, who may understand better with written instructions or pictures, auditory learners need clear spoken explanations and discussions to fully understand and remember information. Giving them one-on-one instruction helps make sure they don’t fall behind in a class with many different learning styles. Here are some ways teachers can give individual attention:
One-on-one discussions: Teachers can give personalized explanations and answer questions to help students understand better.
Verbal feedback: Instead of writing notes, teachers can give feedback by speaking with the student.
Mentorship or tutoring: Teachers can create a quiet space where auditory learners can ask questions and talk through their ideas without distractions.
In a classroom where individual attention is lacking, auditory learners may have trouble understanding information that isn’t spoken out loud. They might miss important details or not fully grasp what’s being taught in written form. But, when teachers provide one-on-one instruction, auditory learners can focus on the material in a way that fits their style, helping them understand better, remember more, and feel more confident in their learning.
Disadvantages of Auditory Learning Style
While many benefits come with an auditory learning style, there are also a few disadvantages. Awareness of these potential downfalls of the auditory learning style can help you prevent them from affecting your productivity and success in your classroom.
1. Susceptibility to distractions
Auditory learners are easily distracted by sounds in their environment. Since they rely on hearing to process information, background noise or disruptions can make it hard for them to focus and retain what they’re learning. For example, when listening to lectures or podcasts in a noisy environment, they might miss key details. To avoid this, auditory learners can create a quiet study space, use noise-cancelling headphones, or play soft classical music to block out distractions and stay focused.
2. Lower attention span
Another disadvantage of the auditory learning style is a lower attention span. Auditory learners rely heavily on their sense of hearing and may find it more challenging to maintain focus for extended periods. This can result in a shorter attention span and may make it difficult for them to fully engage in the learning process. For example, an auditory learner listening to a long lecture or audiobook may struggle to maintain their attention and focus throughout the recording. This can lead to missed information and incomplete understanding. To overcome this, break up auditory learners’ study sessions into shorter, more manageable chunks. You can also encourage them to take breaks to rest their ears and recharge their attention span.
3. Causing disruptions
Auditory learners learn through spoken directions and discussion, making them more likely to speak aloud or ask questions during class or group study sessions. This can be disruptive to others with a different learning style or trying to focus on their work. For example, an auditory learner participating in a group study session may ask many questions or make frequent comments, which can interrupt the flow of the lesson and disrupt the learning environment for others. Auditory learners must be mindful of others’ learning preferences when participating in group discussions to limit the disruption of lessons.
4. Lack of retaining information
Auditory learners excel at understanding information through listening. However, they may struggle to retain information not delivered in auditory form. In a classroom setting, teachers must incorporate other learning styles into their teaching strategies, and auditory learners may struggle in such instances. Students with auditory learning skills may need to find ways to reinforce their learning through other sensory experiences or study techniques, such as taking notes or creating visual aids.
5. Difficulty working alone
Auditory learners often thrive in environments where they can engage in discussions, share ideas, and receive verbal feedback. They are naturally inclined to absorb information through listening, making studying in groups or with a partner more effective. Working alone can be challenging for auditory learners because they miss out on the verbal interactions that help reinforce their understanding. If you have to study alone, set aside specific times during the day to focus on studying, and make sure it’s a time when you can speak or listen aloud. Find a quiet environment where you can focus. Turn off background noise unrelated to studying (like TV or music), and remove distractions such as phone notifications. Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or recorded lectures related to the subject you’re studying. You can also try recording your own notes or concepts and playing them while studying. Even if you’re alone, try explaining concepts or reading aloud. This verbal processing can help reinforce what you’ve learned.
In conclusion, the auditory learning style identifies individuals who learn best by hearing and speaking, excelling in lectures, discussions, music, and language, but can be distracted by noise. Effective strategies involve lectures, Q&A, group talks, podcasts, and reading aloud, while educators must create inclusive environments to support verbal learning, improving comprehension, memory, and communication skills, though written materials can be a challenge.
–Carol Marina Dsouza
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