Explore the best tips for students who excel in auditory learning.
If you’re an auditory learner, chances are you’re naturally prepared for most of college’s challenges. Lectures and class discussions are ideal auditory learning formats, and socializing comes easy to people who learn by hearing.
However, some auditory learners may have a bit more trouble with other aspects of school. For example, reading may not come as easily, and memorizing details can be difficult.
You might be an auditory learner if:
- You’re musically or rhythmically oriented.
- You remember lots of conversational details.
- You love being social.
- You tend to hum to yourself when you’re alone.
- You find it easy to sing along with music.
If any of that sounds familiar, then you might be inclined toward auditory learning. We’ve put together some study tips for auditory learners that can help you use your learning style to your advantage, and make the most out of your college experience.
1. Eliminate Sonic Distractions
A downside of auditory learning is being easily distracted by sounds. If you find that this is the case, try studying in the quietest library on campus, or using a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to block out the white noise in the room. Additionally, while listening to music helps some people focus, we wouldn’t recommend it as one of our study tips for auditory learners. Many auditory learners like listening to music so much that they focus on that instead of their work!
2. Create Mnemonics
Not many people take advantage of them, but mnemonics can be effective study tips for auditory learners. Come up with a little rhyme or tune to help you remember a concept, and it’s more likely to stick with you. This is a good auditory learning tool for subjects like history, where you have to remember a lot of specific facts.
3. Be Active in Discussion
Since conversation is a great device for auditory learning, be sure to ask questions in lecture when appropriate, and engage in your discussion sections. Not only will it help you remember the material, it will also ensure that you fully comprehend it.
4. Go to Office Hours
This is a good idea in general, but it’s especially important with regard to study tips for auditory learners. Office hours give you the opportunity to have face-to-face time with your professor, ask them questions directly, and engage with the material in a conversational setting. Also, having personal relationships with your professors will prove useful when you need letters of recommendation.
5. Record Lectures and Discussions
Recordings are an auditory learner’s secret weapon. Particularly for exams, few study tips for auditory learners are more effective than having a cache of recordings from which to refresh your memory. This is also a good way to flesh out your notes, as everyone gets distracted during class from time to time.
Sources:The Study Gurus, Learning Styles Online