Auditory Language Style

Those who would rather listen than read:

• Read softly to self when you really want to concentrate
• Understand spoken directions better than written ones
• Learn better if someone reads to you that if you read silently to yourself
• Remember things you hear better than things you read

Auditory Numerical Style

Understand numbers best if spoken or heard

• Say numbers to yourself when figuring math problems in your head
• Can add three numbers in your head without writing them down
• Saying times tables helped you remember them better than writing them
• Learns math better from spoken explanations than written ones

Study Strategies

Textbooks

• Try reading some textbook information out loud
• Try listening to some of your text material on tape

Lectures

• Attend every lecture.  Your learning style depends on this.
• Tape record selected lectures and listen to them again
• Classes with oral discussion of important information will help you learn and retain.
• Choose some classes that use this teaching style

Review

• Review text material out loud
• Tape record important information and review by listening to your tape
• Form study groups
• Make index cards of important information and recite from them
• Review sessions will be especially valuable to you; the oral discussion will help you remember important information.

Math Concepts

• Verbalize what you are doing when solving math problems

Confounding Factor

Poor Auditory Short-Term Memory

You may be verbalizing as you read and study because you have poor short-term memory.  You are actually using the sound of your voice to extend a thought and give yourself time to grasp it. If this is a serious problem you may want to come to Student Academic Services for ideas. Multi-sensory learning techniques will be very important to you.

Adapted from :  Laskey, Marcia l. and Paula W. Gibson, College Study Strategies.  Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1997.