The Auditory Learner

How do you know if your child is an auditory learner? If you’ve observed that your child learns better through tapes, songs, stories and discussion than through visual reception of information, chances are he is an auditory learner. While we all use three major learning styles – auditory, visual and kinaesthetic – to some degree, many individuals do best with one style or another.

Here are some methods you can use at home if your child is an auditory learner:-

• Give directions verbally and ask your child to repeat them
• Use tape recorders for homework assignments. Ask your child’s teacher if your child can sometimes complete assignments orally instead of in writing to maxmise your child’s strengths and reduce frustration.
• For written assignments, have your child first express her thoughts verbally and tape-record her ideas before writing them. Use the tape recorder as a stimulus for writing.
• Find time to discuss homework and make a plan you discuss verbally. Don’t depend on writing out to-do lists. Instead, frequently ask your child to repeat the steps or tasks he needs to complete; this will help to reinforce strong auditory memory skills.
• Ask your child to summarise ideas verbally or prepare a brief ‘talk’ about the content he’s studying. Tape-record the summary and listen to it together for reinforcement.
• Pair your child with another child who also has auditory strengths. Provide opportunities for them to discuss schoolwork and share ideas in conversation.
• Play auditory memory games and keep a progress chart. For example, when learning facts, organise a mini-challenge to see how many items your child can remember and repeat back in sequence.
• If music is not a distraction, see if playing music quietly has a calming influence during study time.
• When material is presented in visual format, ask your child to explain or discuss it verbally. Obviously, your child’s teacher has a mix of children in the class, so she will not always be able to focus on the needs of your auditory learner.
• Encourage oral recitation. One of the most powerful memory devices is reciting out loud; auditory learners should do as much of this as possible.

This article is an excerpt from ‘The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child’ by Robert Frank with Kathryn E Livingston, published by The Philip Lief Group. Dr Frank is an Educational Psychologist and Family Therapist whose own dyslexia was undiagnosed until graduate school. Kathryn E Livingston is a respected author who has been writing on parenting issues for more than 17 years.