Auditory Learners: Traits, Types, and Teaching Strategies

Introduction

The academic recognition of differences in learning styles has generated a large amount of research attention. The literature suggests that learning styles play an important part in learning, information processing, and academic performance. Tests designed to determine learning styles have also become increasingly sophisticated. Even within the main learning styles themselves, differences in particular learning preferences have emerged. Of all learners, those with an auditory learning preference benefit the most from the traditional "talk and chalk" instructional method, whereby students are expected to listen to and memorize new information.

Background on Auditory Learners

Auditory learners, as the phrase suggests, prefer to learn by listening to the spoken word. According to Pengiran-Jadid (2003), these learners can remember at least three quarters of what they hear during 40 to 50 minutes of lecture time. Interestingly, a study conducted with Bruneian students revealed that auditory learning was the least common preference among young school children. Female Bruneian students, however, showed significantly stronger auditory learning preferences than their male counterparts.

According to Eide and Eide (2005), the fact that auditory learners thrive under traditional teaching methods has resulted in comparatively less research attention being directed at this learning style. Auditory learners generally prefer to process information through a sequence of listening, speaking, and listening again. They tend to be strong speakers and like to participate in learning by talking about the information they receive. In addition to lecture-based instruction, they therefore enjoy activities such as group discussions and interactive teaching.

Auditory learners enjoy talking and tend to talk to themselves. In a classroom setting, they may have difficulty remaining silent for extended periods, and they are easily distracted by background noise. Their strongest skills lie in the auditory verbalization of information.

Auditory learners are less adept when required to follow written instructions or to read independently. When reading, they tend to whisper words to themselves, read slowly, and often prefer that others read to them. To help auditory learners succeed in school, teachers and parents are advised to teach reading through the phonetic approach and by encouraging children to read aloud. For younger children, rhyming word games can also help ease the difficulty that some auditory learners experience with the written word.

Auditory learners have specific strengths in terms of the spoken word. These learners typically possess strong speaking skills, a well-developed vocabulary, and a genuine appreciation for words and their sound. Being orally and aurally oriented, they often demonstrate strong communication skills, which they use to express ideas clearly and engagingly. Many auditory learners excel at foreign language learning and display considerable musical talent. They therefore tend to exhibit strong verbal intelligence — that is, the ability to use words and language effectively. Their skills may include listening, speaking, storytelling, explaining, teaching, using humor, and promoting ideas.

These students benefit from auditory learning materials such as videos, audio recordings, books on tape, and musical props that create melodies and rhythms to reinforce information. To an auditory learner, written language is far less vivid than spoken language. They rely on a speaker's tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other auditory cues to interpret the underlying meaning or intention behind what is said.

In terms of assessment, auditory learners excel at tasks that require a verbal response, such as oral reports and answering questions aloud in class. Directions should be given verbally, and key information should be paraphrased for clarity.

Conclusion

Determining a student's learning style can help both teachers and parents optimize the learning conditions for the learners they work with. Although most classroom setups make it difficult to accommodate all learning styles at all times, an awareness of learning styles at least helps teachers develop a deeper understanding of how learners acquire knowledge, and how to support them in processing information more effectively.