Auditory Learning Style -
Verbal / Linguistic Intelligence

Auditory learners, or those with "Verbal / Linguistic Intelligence" according to Gardner's Model of Multiple Intelligences, prefer "to hear or read information. They look for explanations with words," (Mindtools, n.d.). "This intelligence, which is related to words and language both written and spoken, dominates most Western educational systems. Verbal linguistic intelligence is awakened by the spoken word, by reading someone's ideas thoughts, or poetry, or by writing one's own ideas, thoughts, or poetry, as well as by various kinds of humor such as "plays on words," jokes, and "twists" of the language," (Learning Styles).

According to Nusa Maal (2004), 20% - 30% of people are auditory learners. Even though less than one-third of the population learns auditorily, this is the way almost all schools provide instruction. Auditory instruction involves lecture, recalling information in sequence, and teaching through reading. It is important to note, "Although reading might seem, on the surface, to be a 'visual' activity, research indicates that making sense of a string of syllables, words, sentences, and paragraphs is a left-brain (linear-sequential-analytical) function. Other types of information such as pictures, images, maps, charts, diagrams, and melodies are primarily processed in the part of the brain that specializes in perceiving patterns and integrating component parts into a recognizable whole," (Dalton & Farmer, 2002, p. 389) . Since reading processing takes place in the language center of the brain, reading is an Auditory activity, not a visual activity.

Auditory learners prefer to learn by having someone verbally teach them, or through reading. If your child is an auditory learner, standard curriculum materials and traditional teaching methods are likely to be effective for helping your child learn.