The Auditory Learner

Sources: http://www.cuyamaca.edu/eops/dsps/resourcesaud.asp, http://www.studytechniques.org/learning-styles-auditory.html, http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/Ed_Resources/TASC/Training/Auditory_Learning.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_learning.

Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which include hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. These three methods, also known as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but most people will usually learn more effectively using one method than they would using either of the other two methods. Individuals that learn more effectively by hearing the information are referred to as auditory learners.
Auditory learning is a learning style in which a person learns through listening. They may struggle to understand a chapter they've read, but then experience a full understanding as they listen to the class lecture. An auditory learner may benefit by using the speech recognition tool available on many PCs.
The best way to determine whether or not you or another individual is an auditory learner is to ask yourself or the other individual some simple questions. First, when you are checking over an essay that you have written, do you go back and read the sentences aloud to see if they sound right? Secondly, when you have to learn to use something new, do you like someone to explain how to do it? Finally, do you have difficulty reading or spelling certain words if you cannot sound them out aloud? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes," or if you find that you use sound in similar ways, there is a very good chance that you are an auditory learner.
One should have in mind, however, that each one of us has the three learning styles within. The case is one of them is predominant. Nevertheless, it does not impair you from working out the other two and eventually achieve balance.
Auditory learners may have a knack for ascertaining the true meaning of someone's words by listening to audible signals like changes in tone. When memorizing a phone number, an auditory learner will say it out loud and then remember how it sounded to recall it.
Auditory learners tend to:
• Read to self out loud.
• Not be afraid to speak in class.
• Like oral reports.
• Be good at explaining.
• Remember names.
• Notice sound effects in movies.
• Enjoy music.
• Be good at grammar and foreign language.
• Read slowly.
• Follow spoken directions well.
• Have trouble keeping quiet for long periods.
• Enjoy acting, being on stage.
Auditory Learners Can Benefit from:
• Using word association to remember facts and lines.
• Recording lectures.
• Watching videos.
• Repeating facts with eyes closed.
• Participating in group discussions.
• Using audiotapes for language practice.
• Taping notes after writing them.
Worst test type: Reading passages and writing answers about them in a timed test.
Best test type:
Auditory Learners are good at writing responses to lectures they’ve heard. They’re also good at oral exams, effectively by listening to information delivered orally, in lectures, speeches, and oral sessions. Auditory learners make up about 20% of the population. Auditory learners use phrases such as "Sounds good to me" and "It's starting to ring a bell." When describing memories they will often focus on the sounds they heard, or what people were saying.
It is believed that when an auditory/verbal (i.e. listening to information delivered orally) learner reads, it is almost impossible for the learner to comprehend anything without sound in the background. In these situations, listening to music or having different sounds in the background (TV, people talking, etc) will help learners work better.
Auditory learning can also be considered a different style of learning. Some people are visual learners, some kinesthetic learners, some tactile learners, and some are auditory learners. This is explained as a person who depends on hearing and speaking as a main way of learning. Auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said in order to understand and may have difficulty with instructions that are written. They also use their listening and repeating skills to sort through the information that is sent to them.
Characteristics of auditory learners
• good at storytelling
• solves problems by talking them through
• speech patterns include “I hear you; that clicks”
• moving their lips or talking to themselves to help accomplish tasks.
Teaching auditory learners
• verbal direction
• group discussions
• verbal reinforcement
• group activities
• reading aloud
• putting information into a rhythmic pattern such as: rap, poem, or song.
Techniques for the Auditory Learner
In the article Learning Style Awareness by Annette Vincent and Dianne Ross they explain techniques that auditory learners can use to gain information more effectively. They state “Advice to auditory learners” should include:
• Make tapes of class notes and then listen to them.
• Remember details by trying to "hear" previous discussions.
• Participate in class discussions.
• Ask questions and volunteer in class.
• Read assignments out loud.
• Whisper new information when alone
• Chew gum and talk to yourself during class breaks like lectures and language classes.
Keep fighting. Keep dreaming. Keep loving.