Auditory learning
{{Short description|Type of learning style}}
{{tone|date=December 2016}}
{{outdated|date=April 2025}}
Auditory learning or auditory modality is one of three learning modalities originally proposed by Walter Burke Barbe and colleagues that characterizes a learner as depending on listening and speaking as a main way of processing and/or retaining information.{{cite book |last1=Barbe |first1=Walter Burke |title=Teaching through modality strengths: concepts practices |last2=Swassing |first2=Raymond H. |last3=Milone |first3=Michael N. |date=1979 |publisher=Zaner-Bloser |isbn=0883091003 |location=Columbus, Ohio |oclc=5990906}}Kostelnik, M.J., Soderman, A.K., Whiren, AP. (2004). Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Best Practices in Early Childhood Education (3rd ed.). Columbus: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.
According to the theory, auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said to understand, and may have difficulty with instructions that are written or drawn. They also use their listening and repeating skills to sort through the information presented to them.{{cite journal | last1 = Vincent | first1 = A. | last2 = Ross | first2 = D. | year = 2001 | title = Learning Style Awareness | journal = Journal of Research on Computing in Education | volume = 33 | pages = 1–10 }}
Although learning styles have "enormous popularity", and both children and adults express personal preferences, there is no evidence that identifying a student's learning style produces better outcomes. There is significant evidence that the widely touted "meshing hypothesis" (that a student will learn best if taught in a method deemed appropriate for the student's learning style) is invalid.{{cite journal
|title=Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence
|issn=1539-6053
|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest
|doi= 10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x
|pmid=26162104
|volume= 9
|pages= 105–119
|issue=3
|author1=Harold Pashler |author2=Mark McDaniel |author3=Doug Rohrer |author4=Robert Bjork |year=2009|doi-access=free
}} Well-designed studies "flatly contradict the popular meshing hypothesis".
Characteristics
Auditory learners may have a propensity for using audible signals like changes in tone to aid in recollection. For example, when memorizing a phone number, an auditory learner might say it out loud and then remember how it sounded to recall it.
Auditory learners may solve problems by talking them through. Speech patterns include phrases such as "I hear you; That clicks; It's ringing a bell", and other sound or voice-oriented information. These learners may move their lips or talk to themselves to help accomplish tasks.
Recommended techniques
Lack of evidence
Although learning styles have "enormous popularity", and both children and adults express personal preferences, there is no evidence that identifying a student's learning style produces better outcomes. There is significant evidence that the widely touted "meshing hypothesis" (that a student will learn best if taught in a method deemed appropriate for the student's learning style) is invalid.{{cite journal
|title=Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence
|issn=1539-6053
|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest
|doi= 10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x
|pmid=26162104
|volume= 9
|pages= 105–119
|issue=3
|author1=Harold Pashler |author2=Mark McDaniel |author3=Doug Rohrer |author4=Robert Bjork |year=2009|doi-access=free
}} Well-designed studies "flatly contradict the popular meshing hypothesis". Rather than targeting instruction to the "right" learning style, students appear to benefit most from mixed modality presentations, for instance using both auditory and visual techniques for all students.Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., Ecclestone, K. (2004). [http://www.lsda.org.uk/files/PDF/1543.pdf Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning. A systematic and critical review] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205043419/http://www.lsda.org.uk/files/PDF/1543.pdf |date=December 5, 2008 }}. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre.
Few studies have found validity in using learning styles in education.{{cite journal |last1=Willingham |first1=Daniel T. |author-link1=Daniel T. Willingham |last2=Hughes |first2=Elizabeth M. |last3=Dobolyi |first3=David G. |date=July 2015 |title=The scientific status of learning styles theories |journal=Teaching of Psychology |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=266–271 |doi=10.1177/0098628315589505 |s2cid=146126992}}
See also
{{Portal|Education|Psychology}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auditory Learning}}