This is the third part of a five part series about learning styles where we cover Auditory Learners
Follow this link to Part One of the series: Learning Styles Summary
Follow this link to Part Two of the series: Visual Learner Summary
Your child is obsessed with music! Too bad they seem to mostly be obsessed with the jingles from the latest commercials and Baby Shark (ugh). There’s probably a good chance your child is an auditory learner.
Characteristics of an Auditory Learning Style:
Learns best through listening to the content
- Can be through technology such as podcasts, radio, video, music or an in-person teacher.
- Read information out loud to themselves.
Asks for repetition: “Tell me again.”
- Frequently ask things to be repeated so they can store them in their mind.
- May repeat information several times to themselves aloud to fully process information.
Learn best when new information is paired with music or clapping
- Lessons are retained easier when paired with a song, beat, or clapping pattern.
Has difficulty when reading silently
- May find it difficult to remember or understand information that is simply read to oneself.
- Much stronger ability to remember if someone reads it to them.
Tips and Tricks to Help Your Auditory Learner:
Reading through these characteristics probably gave you some ideas of what you can do to help your Auditory Learner in your homeschool. Here’s some that I want to share.
- Encourage saying information out loud
- Have a mini spelling bee to practice sight words
- Read aloud and follow along with audio books on tape
- Audio lessons
- Pre-record the lesson on voice memo or video so they can listen to the information.
- Hold conversations with them about their lessons so they can hear themselves saying what they are thinking out loud.
- Incorporate debates into your lessons. Take advantage of your child’s argumentative attitude.
- When memorizing information, have them pair it to a made up song or clapping beat
- Use the patterns found in beats and rhymes in your lessons so the topics will stick in their brains.
- Jack Hartmann has a fantastic YouTube channel for this.
- Give them calm background noise
- If your child is having trouble focusing or seems lost in space, put on some quiet instrumental music and it could help them regain attention
Wrapping Up
Teaching an auditory learner can be a lot of fun if you put them in a position to succeed. Who doesn’t like sing silly songs (hello, Veggietales) or making music!? Just remember, using tips and tricks like the ones described here is a good way to help your auditory learner when they’re struggling with a topic, but it’s not meant to avoid teaching in other ways. Make sure your child is still getting practice learning in a variety of ways so they can develop and become strong, independent learners!
Stay tuned for Part 4 of the series: Kinesthetic Learners! Sign up for my newsletter using the button below and have every new post delivered straight to your inbox! Plus get a free state by state homeschool guide covering the different laws for you to homeschool!
Do you have an auditory learner at home? Tell me how you help them succeed in homeschool!