Questions about Auditory Learners

[....]

Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

My youngest daughter (age 6) seems very different from her brother and sisters.  The older two (age 12 and 11) are kinesthetic and visual learners.  Ordinary methods and traditional curricula do NOT work with them.  So, for the last five years, our homeschool has been a 3-ring circus, complete with circus music, disco lights and projects everywhere.   :glare:  I guess I assumed the little one was the same.  

 

Activities that the older kids liked when they were her age are ending in crying and frustration (and confusion on my part).  Eek!  

 

The youngest did a learning style quiz and it said that she is an auditory learner.  Does anyone have an auditory learner?  One website said that they are actually very compatible with the Charlotte Mason or literature-based method of homeschooling.  Has CM worked for your AL?  Another website said that many of them are very good at music.  It said to have background music playing for them while they work.  It also talked about them needing to read out loud to themselves when they read something (and she does do this).  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I would love to hear what kind of homeschool methods worked for your auditory learner!        

[OneStepAtATime]

My son is an auditory learner.  I discovered that when he was doing math problems, for instance, he needs to talk his way through the process, and usually out loud.  Sort of subvocalizing.  If I don't give him the time to talk his way through he doesn't always retain the information that well.  In fact, I try to give him a chance to just talk through whatever is on his mind at least once a day so that he can process everything.  I am basically just a sounding board.  I do discuss where he seems to be seeking input, but mainly he just needs to talk everything through.

 

He also does well with documentaries and I have found if he can watch and listen more than once he can quote back verbatim and understand the content quite well.

 

Music distracts him, but I know others that do better with low music playing in the background.  I guess you could try it to see if it helps.

 

DS LOVES Immersion Reading on our Kindle Fire.  He listens to books all the time but having the text linked up to the audio has helped tremendously with reinforcement of vocabulary, concepts, sentence structure, spelling, etc.  Far more effective for him than just an audio book or just reading without the audio component.

 

HTH...

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I'm looking up "Immersion Reading" right now.  That looks incredible.  It highlights the text as it reads?  

[OneStepAtATime]

I'm looking up "Immersion Reading" right now.  That looks incredible.  It highlights the text as it reads?  

Yes.  You buy the Kindle version of the book, then if your kindle has the ability to do Immersion Reading you then have the option to purchase the audio component at a reduced rate.  It automatically syncs the audio with the text so the word being spoken is highlighted in gray.  You can pause, move around in the book, etc.  Personally, the gray causes me eye strain but I have poor eyesight.  DS isn't bothered by it at all.

[mamabear2three]

my daughter is an auditory learner - she is easily distracted by other noises in the house so I use classical music softly and that seems to help her focus. I have her read directions out loud to be sure she understood them. I just make sure that there is plenty of "out loud" learning happening - She loves read alouds. I also allow her to stand/move about as needed, but that may be more an age thing than a learning style thing.

[....]

Thank-you for your suggestions!  After thinking about it yesterday, I think I'm going to switch homeschooling styles with the younger two kids.  I think I might try something like the Charlotte Mason approach with them.  Also, I'm thinking the youngest might like First Language Lessons next year.

[Soror]

My son learns very well by listening and loves anything based on a story. RS Math was great when he was younger because so much of it we did orally. BA is now his favorite math and he enjoys LoF on the side.  MCT for grammar has been fabulous because I'm reading him a story. He reads a lot and before he could read I read tons to him, he also loves audio books. Documentaries and educational shows are good. He thrives on discussion. My husband does electrical and programming engineering and is very similar to ds, he drives me a bit crazy as he tends to be very long-winded when answering questions or explaining but ds eats it up and asks for more. He enjoys doing because he is an active kid but I've come to realize that is not something he has to do necessarily.

 

My ds was my first so I assumed, like you, that his sister would be similar, they are complete opposites. She loves workbooks, she wants to do it on her own. She enjoys stories but not near the same level as he does, his listening comprehension has always been on the advanced end. 

 

One caution I would throw out on CM is that ds really prefers to do bigger chunks at a time, rather than lots of little lessons. Also, a lot of current CM sites seem to advocate older books, which can be good, we love classics but a lot of the books are just old and some can be rather quaint but not necessarily interesting to him. So, for science and history I often look for more modern books that are good. 

 

FLL didn't work well for ds, he doesn't memorize well out of context. If I was doing grammar on the younger end I would stick to Ruth Heller (and perhaps the Lively Language Lessons to go with them) or Brian Cleary books. I have The Sentence Family as well which I think would have been good, although I think the drawing would have annoyed him- otherwise I would wait until she was old enough for MCT. Oh, and then there is Grammarland, which I never did but I think would have been perfect for ds. Ds did like the poetry memorization in FLL but the grammar he found to be boring and it didn't stick. The sentence analysis and discussion with MCT is perfect for him but of course that aspect could be applied to other programs.

 

So-

- books, books, and more books- RA, Audios and Independent reads when they are old enough- I cannot hardly keep ds stocked in books

-Talk it out and discussion, we discuss everything from politics, mechanics to how to do mental math for various problems, the structure of a sentence 

[happypamama]

Some of mine do learn very well by listening; I can read a story aloud to them, and they repeat it back easily. They do well with audio books and often prefer them over visual reading books. My DH is the same way, for the record. DH and DD do better with music playing while they read or work. I do not understand how my DD, age 12, can listen to music (with words, not instrumental) and read a novel or Kingfisher and still retain the info, but she really can. DH writes proposals for his job with music playing in the background. DH and DD are also both very kinesthetic learners, very much into doing and moving.

 

(My one son and I are not auditory learners at all; we prefer to see it. We don't follow audio books well at all and need quiet while reading. Headphones are helpful in this house. :) My visual memory is excellent, as is my son's, but I'm forever asking the kids "what happened" when we're listening to audio books.)

[....]

So-

- books, books, and more books- RA, Audios and Independent reads when they are old enough- I cannot hardly keep ds stocked in books

-Talk it out and discussion, we discuss everything from politics, mechanics to how to do mental math for various problems, the structure of a sentence 

 

This is what I'm thinking, too.  We had crying *again* during schoolwork today.  :(  I packed it all up and put it away in the schoolroom.  I can not figure this kid out.  I turned on the Story of the Orchestra CD, she jumped around while listening to Ride of the Valkyries and then she played on the piano.   :blink:   

 

Thanks for the ideas, Everybody! 

[Lori D.]

Our oldest is a very auditory learner. He was really quite flexible with types of materials used, and didn't need us to make special accommodations for him. In the early elementary years, DS enjoyed learning songs (skip count songs, Schoolhouse Rock music videos, etc), and all throughout the years, he enjoyed documentaries or educational videos because of the auditory portion. In the high school years he sometimes liked to have me read aloud the informational part of the math or science so it was more auditory for him, as well as lecture series (Teaching Company Great Courses, Khan Academy, etc.) on DVDs or videos for the auditory lectures.

 

 

One thing I did throughout the homeschooling years, but especially in the elementary grades when their brains are developing in all the areas was to be sure to include a MIX of learning styles in the materials we used for every subject. Younger DS is very VSL, and that way not only were both DSs were getting instruction in their primary learning style, BUT it also helped strengthen their weaker learning areas, too, and helps them become stronger learners and not so reliant on a single way of in-taking information. :)

 

So, for first exposure and major exposure to new material it works best to provide that in their primary mode of in-take (for auditory DS, I read aloud the instructions or teaching portion). Then supplement to flesh out and "cement" the new material with supplements in various other modes (for auditory DS, that was games and manipulatives. Also, some occasional creative writing or other out-of-the-box approaches, but always with gentle guidance/boundaries for him to feel "safe" and not stupid).

 

The list below says auditory learners are poor with maps -- so NOT a weakness for our auditory DS. But if it is for your DD, just be sure to include 1-2 map skills workbooks each year as part of your school work; and use maps and globes a lot during history to help strengthen visualization skills of where things are in relationship to one another.

 

Also, strengthen visual and visualization skills with visual logic and critical thinking skills:

- hidden picture puzzles

- determining the next thing in a sequence or pattern

- visualizing how a 3-D shape will look when turned at a different angle

- visual logic/critical thinking games like Mastermind, Set, Duo, and Amazing Labrynth

 

 

Here are some other ideas for auditory learners from the Konos people:

 

Auditory Traits:

- remembers commercials

- uses rhyming to remember

- talks aloud doing math

- a better listener than reader

- reads aloud

- has difficulty reading maps

- very verbal

- likes to talk to people

 

Auditory Helps:

- make audiotapes (esp. for spelling)

- set learning to music

- talk to them through writing a paper

- read aloud

- study groups

- have a quiet place for study/learning

- watch videos (for audio narration)

 

Have fun stretching your older VSL (visual-spatial learner) students with auditory supplements, and your ASL (auditory-sequential learner) with some hands-on supplements! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Soror]

This is what I'm thinking, too.  We had crying *again* during schoolwork today.   :(  I packed it all up and put it away in the schoolroom.  I can not figure this kid out.  I turned on the Story of the Orchestra CD, she jumped around while listening to Ride of the Valkyries and then she played on the piano.   :blink:   

 

Thanks for the ideas, Everybody! 

I understand that feeling, it took me 4 tries to find a math program that worked for dd.

 

What are you using now? Is anything working? With my son at 5 school consisted of a huge stack of read alouds, games for math and a short period of reading practice- I See Sam, otherwise it was walks in the woods and around the house hunting for various things in nature and just playing around. We start RSB after he turned 6 and continued on w/ I See Sam and did lots of books. I tried doing some formal history and science but mostly we just did nature study, read books and followed our interest. In hindsight I think my biggest fails with him have been overthinking it and trying to make things too complicated, it works best when I stick with what works lots of books and discussion. 

 

Perhaps you should just put it all away for awhile and try to just focus on finding things that work for her.

[Lori D.]

Perhaps you should just put it all away for awhile and try to just focus on finding things that work for her.

 

Yes! She is very young, and it won't hurt anything to put aside formal work for the rest of the year.

 

Just do loads of read aloud lots, play games, go for nature walks or get some other type of outside activity/exercise, listen to music and let her play the piano, do some baking together, give her a few "fun pages" a day to enjoy (mazes, hidden picture puzzles, very simple word search, critical thinking puzzles for a 6yo, etc.), and enjoy talking about everything. :)

[....]

What are you using now? Is anything working? 

 

She only does about 40-60 minutes of "school" each day.   :D  She's really bright and it's easy for me to get carried away with the academics.  I did pack it all up and put it away in the schoolroom.  I told her that she can have a huge break.  

 

I've spent hours online over the past couple of days - researching and reading.  I think I am going to switch to a more read-aloud and music-focused homeschool for her this fall.

[dovrar]

Our oldest is a very auditory learner. He was really quite flexible with types of materials used, and didn't need us to make special accommodations for him. In the early elementary years, DS enjoyed learning songs (skip count songs, Schoolhouse Rock music videos, etc), and all throughout the years, he enjoyed documentaries or educational videos because of the auditory portion. In the high school years he sometimes liked to have me read aloud the informational part of the math or science so it was more auditory for him, as well as lecture series (Teaching Company Great Courses, Khan Academy, etc.) on DVDs or videos for the auditory lectures.

 

 

One thing I did throughout the homeschooling years, but especially in the elementary grades when their brains are developing in all the areas was to be sure to include a MIX of learning styles in the materials we used for every subject. Younger DS is very VSL, and that way not only were both DSs were getting instruction in their primary learning style, BUT it also helped strengthen their weaker learning areas, too, and helps them become stronger learners and not so reliant on a single way of in-taking information. :)

 

So, for first exposure and major exposure to new material it works best to provide that in their primary mode of in-take (for auditory DS, I read aloud the instructions or teaching portion). Then supplement to flesh out and "cement" the new material with supplements in various other modes (for auditory DS, that was games and manipulatives. Also, some occasional creative writing or other out-of-the-box approaches, but always with gentle guidance/boundaries for him to feel "safe" and not stupid).

 

The list below says auditory learners are poor with maps -- so NOT a weakness for our auditory DS. But if it is for your DD, just be sure to include 1-2 map skills workbooks each year as part of your school work; and use maps and globes a lot during history to help strengthen visualization skills of where things are in relationship to one another.

 

Also, strengthen visual and visualization skills with visual logic and critical thinking skills:

- hidden picture puzzles

- determining the next thing in a sequence or pattern

- visualizing how a 3-D shape will look when turned at a different angle

- visual logic/critical thinking games like Mastermind, Set, Duo, and Amazing Labrynth

 

 

Here are some other ideas for auditory learners from the Konos people:

 

Auditory Traits:

- remembers commercials

- uses rhyming to remember

- talks aloud doing math

- a better listener than reader

- reads aloud

- has difficulty reading maps

- very verbal

- likes to talk to people

 

Auditory Helps:

- make audiotapes (esp. for spelling)

- set learning to music

- talk to them through writing a paper

- read aloud

- study groups

- have a quiet place for study/learning

- watch videos (for audio narration)

 

Have fun stretching your older VSL (visual-spatial learner) students with auditory supplements, and your ASL (auditory-sequential learner) with some hands-on supplements! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

So, how did you teach DS to write a paper? My DS loves to discuss topics to no end but really has trouble with getting it on paper. He's in 9th this year. DH is trying to talk through a paper with him now, but any tips would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

[dovrar]

Oh, and did he ever learn to take notes?

[....]

This is an old thread!

[Lori D.]

So, how did you teach DS to write a paper? My DS loves to discuss topics to no end but really has trouble with getting it on paper. He's in 9th this year. DH is trying to talk through a paper with him now, but any tips would be appreciated.

 

We used several programs in the elementary/middle school years, which gave us something to work from. You might look into Power In Your Hands (Sharon Watson), or The Elegant Essay (Leisha Meyers) as helpful high school programs. Or even Jump In, which is Sharon Watson's the middle school writing program, and like Power In Your Hands really helps students think through what they want to say and how to organize their thoughts to then move on to rough draft writing. 

 

Also, from the late elementary grades up through about halfway through high school, I walked alongside closely for the writing process. We did the brainstorming (discussing the topic) and organizing together. As we brainstormed, we would jot down the major ideas on the white board. Then DS (with a little bit of guidance from me) circled the major points or examples or facts that he wanted to include in the paper, and then we worked together to list those major thoughts into a key word outline. Then we used the "Goldilocks" test -- is the overall topic too big, too little, or juusstt right (lol) for the required length of the paper, and we'd also double check that all of the supporting examples, facts, details, etc. actually were about the topic. From there, DS was able to work more solo, turning the key-word outline into complete sentences and paragraphs for his rough draft. Then we worked together again for discussing, and then we'd move to revision (add/subtract as needed, major changes as needed, fix major wording errors, etc.). DS made his revisions, we would proof edit together, and DS made those final corrections.

 

 

Oh, and did he ever learn to take notes?

 

We did a study skills co-op class to learn various types of note-taking, and then both DSs and myself practiced whatever method worked for them while we did 1-2 Teaching Company lecture series. They both managed to figure out what worked for them, as neither seemed to have problems once they moved on to Community College and University classes… ;)

Edited July 27, 2016 by Lori D.