Are you an auditory learner? If you learn better by listening, then here are the best study tips for auditory learners!
If you are struggling with learning or studying better, it may have to do with your learning style.
Finding the right learning style can drastically help you learn better and more efficiently.
Unsure if you are an auditory learner? If you answer yes to one or more of the questions below, then you are most likely an auditory learner.
Do you prefer to listen compared to reading material?
Are you good at remembering people’s names but sometimes forget their faces?
Do you enjoy talking and engaging in conversations?
Can you remember the lyrics of a song faster than others?
Do you have trouble working with a noisy background?
Study Tips for Auditory Learners
If you think that you don’t match the descriptions above, check out 13 Genius Study Tips for Kinesthetic Learners.
Or, take a learning style quiz before returning to get the most out of the tips!
1. Record lectures or classes
If you are in high school and often feel behind with taking notes, ask if you can record in class.
You can also audio record on your phone app and replay it when you get home.
If you are in college, there are usually podcasts or recorded lecture videos for you to watch.
You can listen to the recording whenever you have time or even if you are doing something trivial like doing your laundry or taking a walk.
Coordinate with your teachers and professors if there are no recordings available and seek a different method.
You can usually set up a system or alternative way if you communicate with your teachers or professors.
2. Read aloud
If you find yourself reading the same section of text over and over again, stop.
Take a deep breath or a sip of water and try to read it out loud.
Instead of wasting time repeating what does not work, try a different method.
Also, reading aloud can immerse yourself more in the text since you are engaging with it in multiple ways.
Not only are you reading it, but you are also listening to it.
Besides reading out loud, you can also use technical devices to help.
If you have an online textbook, you can have it read to you by highlighting the text you want to be spoken.
I usually like to do ctrl + a to highlight the entire section and right-click to have the menu pop up.
Then, I select speech and start speaking to have the text read out loud to me.
3. Group Study Session
Auditory learners also learn better if they can voice their thoughts or listen to others.
If you have a test or quiz coming up, set up a group study session with friends or classmates.
You can also do it virtually if it is difficult to meet in person all the time.
Then, use that time to:
- create a group study guide
- converse with each other on questions that might pop up
- ask each other questions or parts that are confusing
- quiz each other
- come up with different ways to solve a problem
Once the study guide is complete, you can create a copy of the version for your use.
Use google docs and leave comments on parts that you need more clarification on.
Plus, you can highlight areas that you need to focus more on studying.
4. Participate in Class
If there are any discussions or seminars, make sure to participate as much as you can.
By contributing, you are more likely to stay engaged with the conversation and do better with retaining the information.
For instance, if you don’t speak at all throughout a class discussion, your mind can wander off or get distracted.
However, if you actively contribute and participate, you need to focus on what the conversation is about in order to engage.
If you are afraid to speak, try your best to participate by building up your confidence.
You can try:
- speaking once then increasing gradually in future discussions
- join a debate club
- take on a public speaking or marketing role in a club
- work part-time in a customer service position
- become friends or become more familiar with others
If you become familiar with most people in your class, you will be less nervous about speaking out.
Try to talk to one or two people per day and get to know the people in your class better.
5. Repeat Study Materials
If you are studying for an exam that involves memorization, try repeating them out loud.
For vocab and terms, try to say out loud the word and then the definition.
Then, try to repeat it several times without looking at it.
You can try it with different flashcards or terms.
Next, for mathematical formulas or procedures, you can try saying the steps out loud.
For instance, if you have a math problem, write out the ways to solve it.
Then, jot down each step that you used and explain it out loud.
If you are able to understand each step and explain it without confusion, then you are solid for the exam.
And if you want to take it one step further, check with your teachers or professors to see if you are well-prepared.
You can go in during office hours and ask if the material you are studying is sufficient for the upcoming test or exam.
6. Listen to Lectures During Bedtime
Do you have a lot on your plate and don’t have much free time during the day to study?
If so, you can listen to podcasts or recordings during bedtime.
Usually, it takes around 15 to 20 minutes for one to fall asleep.
So, try to have 30 minutes to an hour of podcast or lecture prepared.
You can use it as a ‘bedtime story’ and continue it each night.
Moreover, you can also record your own voice reading aloud study materials and listen to them before bed.
You can also listen to it when you are getting ready in the mornings.
Don’t waste any free or trivial time that you have and fill it up with meaningful study time.
This way you can spend more valuable time doing other things that you enjoy instead of studying all day.
Interested in more posts like study tips for auditory learners? Check out Genius Study Skills for High School Students.
7. Record Yourself
And this brings us to the next hack-recording yourself!
This is like a second helpful barrier to help you retain information.
The first part is reading aloud any text that you need and the second part is reinforcing it by listening to it again.
Similar to how some people review their notes before a test, you can try listening to it.
And if you keep up the pattern of listening every day, you can form an awesome study routine.
In addition, the repetitive audio will help you further retain the material since you are listening to it every day.
It will also be more powerful if you read your notes while listening to your recording.
All this will help reinforce the information as you are using multiple senses to complete the task.
8. Watch Instructional Videos
Auditory learners also do better with watching videos since it has both images and audio.
If you have a topic that you are studying, write out the main subject and branch separate parts.
For example, if you are learning about parts of the brain, your study map might look something like this:
- Parts of the brain
- cerebellum
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
A hack is to find the topic that you are learning currently and google videos with popular views.
Then save the videos that have great comments and high views.
Go through 2-3 videos and pick out the one that you learn or understand the best.
Do this for each area that you need to learn until you have a playlist of videos.
You can watch them while you study or listen to them when you are free.
9. Create a Story
One of my top study tips for auditory learners on retaining information is creating a story.
Or more broadly, semantic learning where you assign meanings to material or information to make it more important for you to remember.
And this can be a great hack for auditory learners too.
You can create a story, assign meaning to each part, and read it out loud.
Moreover, this is a fun study hack for memorization or vocabulary-related tasks.
Interested in more posts like study tips for auditory learners? Check out How to Study Last Minute and Still Ace Your Test.
10. Make a Video
Instead of just watching online videos, create your own video!
You can combine all the material and resources that you have learned and create a video.
It could be a presentation in the form of google slides or PowerPoint with you explaining each key point.
Or, you can even act it out and take on the role of the teacher.
Practice a couple of times and film it, edit it, and watch it.
The amount of effort that you take to create that instructional video will equal your study time.
Since you are getting involved with the material multiple times, you are basically studying it along the way.
So if you dislike basic studying where you review notes over and over again, try to create a video.
11. Create a Song
Do you know what else can be catchy?
Songs!
Make some lyrics based on mathematical rules, scientific restrictions, or vocabulary terms that you have to study.
Whichever the topic may be, focus on one topic at a time.
Furthermore, you can use songs that you like to fill in the lyrics.
For example, a song that most people know is twinkle, twinkle little star.
Then, instead of those lyrics, replace them with your study information.
It will be way easier to remember the tune and familiarize yourself with the lyrics than trying to just remember it.
12. Participate on Your Own
Similar to participating in class, you can also do it on your own.
Even if you raise your hand to answer questions or participate, chances are you won’t get called on every single time.
In these cases, make sure to jot down the question and check if you can answer it.
If not, study and review it after class.
Make sure to star or highlight it so you know to go back and answer it.
If someone else answers the question, jot down the answer and any extra notes that the instructor writes down.
And if the question does not get answered and you are still confused, then:
- try to find it in your notes
- if it isn’t in your notes, ask a friend
- check online resources
- find an instructional video
- ask your teacher
Try not to ask your teacher the first time you get stuck because if it was in your notes or your friend has the information, then it looks like you were not paying attention in class.
If you can not find the information still, then you should ask your teacher for help.
13. Recite
Whenever you have time, try to recite any material that you have difficulty with.
If you made songs, hum them when you are taking a walk, getting ready, going to the next class, cleaning your room, or lining up.
And if you made a video, watch it on your way to school or before bed.
If you have recordings or podcasts, you can listen to them while exercising, brushing your teeth, scrolling on your phone, doing chores, or taking a break.
Try to multitask as often as you can when the tasks are repetitive or do not require your entire focus.
Usually, listening to or watching the material three or more times will be enough to engrain the material in your mind.
Have fun with these study tips for auditory learners and make sure to try a mix of them to find the best hack for you!
