How to Teach an Auditory Learner – Language Learning

What is an Auditory Learner?

An auditory learner is someone who learns by hearing and listening. They store information by the way it sounds, and have an easier time understanding spoken instructions than written ones.

How do I know if my child is an auditory learner?

Take the Quiz below.

Child's Learning Style Quiz

'Learning Styles' is a term that refers to different ways in which human beings learn, process, and retain information. Though we use all of the learning styles, we tend to be stronger in and prefer one above the others. Discovering your child's preferred learning style will help you know how to teach them better you as well as assist them in developing the lesser used styles. 

1 / 7

If you are teaching about geography, your child would learn best by:

Creating a map out of playdough or construction paper.

Reading an atlas or looking at the internet for photos.

Watching a video or talking with you about the lesson.

2 / 7

You are teaching new vocabulary words about the topic, ‘family.’ Does your child:

Ask to see photos of your family?

Want to sing a song about family?

Act out different family member roles?

3 / 7

You are reading a story. What is your child doing?

Listening intently.

Being really wiggly.

Pointing at the pictures.

4 / 7

When in a group with other children, your child…

Observes what other children are doing and copies them.

Talks a lot and tells a lot of stories, real and imaginary.

Wants to play an active game, like tag or hide and go seek, or connect over a toy.

5 / 7

When doing an art project with your child, they….

Concentrate more on the art materials (paint, glue, paper,...) rather than focusing on the outcome of the art.

Are easily distracted by background noises.

Put a lot of time and effort into how the project looks.

6 / 7

When your child is not sure how to spell a word, what are they most likely to do?

Trace the letters out in the air (finger spelling).

Write it down to see if it looks right.

Spell it out loud to hear if it sounds right.

7 / 7

Which statement best represents your child?

They can often repeat back what I have said and are very aware of verbal tones and cues.

My child likes to get their hands on everything and seems to have trouble sitting still for long periods of time.

My child can read my body language and facial expressions well and likes to see charts, visuals, and images during lessons.

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Signs of an auditory learner include:

Moving lips when they read

Talking out loud to themselves and enjoy telling stories

Can remember and repeat what they’ve been told

Enjoy being read to

Are skilled at picking up on tone, pitch, and other changes in sound to understand someone’s emotions and intentions better

Like listening to music and may have a good sense of rhythm

Are easily distracted by silence or background noises

How to teach an auditory learner?

Congratulations, you’ve determined your child/student is an auditory learner! Now how do you move forward with that information while teaching them a new language? Here are some suggestions:

1. Encourage Active Listening

Active listening is a key skill for auditory learners. It involves paying close attention to what is being said and actively engaging with the material. Encourage active listening by asking your child to repeat vocabulary words out loud and provide opportunities for reflection and discussion after reading a story in another language. 

2. Incorporate Sounds and Audios into Lessons

The right kind of noise will help an auditory learner excel and retain information better. Incorporate songs that go along with the language lesson and let dance parties happen. Don’t be surprised if you hear them singing the song later in the day. Put soft background music in the background while they read or do homework. Have them listen to audiobooks and watch Netflix/YouTube videos in the target language. 

3. Provide opportunities for discussion

Auditory learners thrive in group discussions. Allowing a question and answer time in the middle of or after a lesson is critical for your child to verbalize their questions and interact with the material out loud. Oral presentations are also a good way to get them talking to start that ‘audio-memory’ feedback loop. 

4. Don’t neglect the other styles of learning!

While it’s important to understand and play to the strengths of your child’s preferred learning style, children will actually learn best through multisensory learning when all the sensory modes (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) are engaged. Adding visual aids such as diagrams, charts, and pictures will help develop their visual perception. Adding hands-on activities, such as crafts and games will get their bodies moving.

Did you know that Cultural Bytes incorporates all three types of learning (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) in our In Person and Online Classes? Don’t wait another day to sign your child up and find out what the fun is all about. 

We play games like balloon toss (Kinesthetic).

We color and draw almost every day (Visual).

We play music and language games (Auditory).