The Auditory Child
(Series: Understanding Your Child’s Communication/Modality/Learning Style)
Through life coaching, we learn to identify communication styles or "modality" in adults and children. Modality is defined as: "A particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed." Our modality, communication or learning style, is how we operate, communicate and learn in life. It is inherent, and just part of who we are. A child's primary modality is central to how they experience and interact with the world, and can be indicative of their greatest strengths. Identifying and learning how to communicate and teach our children through their strongest modality, is the best way to help them reach their full potential.
There are four communication styles or modalities, they are: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, & Digital. We all have all four of them, but the two we assess highest in are usually indicative of how we move about and operate in life.
Through life coaching, we learn to identify communication styles or "modality" in adults and children. Modality is defined as: "A particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed." Our modality, communication or learning style, is how we operate, communicate and learn in life. It is inherent, and just part of who we are. A child's primary modality is central to how they experience and interact with the world, and can be indicative of their greatest strengths. Identifying and learning how to communicate and teach our children through their strongest modality, is the best way to help them reach their full potential.
There are four communication styles or modalities, they are: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, & Digital. We all have all four of them, but the two we assess highest in are usually indicative of how we move about and operate in life.
The Auditory Child
About 20% of the population rate highest in the Auditory modality. Auditory learners are the kids who love to talk, hum outloud and move their lips while reading silently. They prefer to sit where they can hear best. They enjoy listening and learn well by oral discussion. Listening to audio recordings and watching videos are good ways to teach an auditory learner. They remember what is told or taught to them by hearing, recording or repeating it. They also like to read the material outloud themselves or listen to others read.
Auditory learners need to hear to understand, they may have trouble with information that is primarily presented in pictures or drawings. They do better with writing that is straight forward and printed in black and white. Too many pictures or color in a presentation will be distracting to an auditory learner. They can be distracted by noises. They notice, and may be distracted by tone and inflection in speech. Auditory learners may remember names but not faces. They need quiet learning areas. Encourage them to read their school work outloud, or teach it to others, to reinforce the material. Auditory learners are sequential learners, they learn in a linear fashion where new learning builds off of understanding from previous learning. They often do well in school where auditory instruction and lecture are the primary mode of instruction.
To Engage An Auditory Child Try:
About 20% of the population rate highest in the Auditory modality. Auditory learners are the kids who love to talk, hum outloud and move their lips while reading silently. They prefer to sit where they can hear best. They enjoy listening and learn well by oral discussion. Listening to audio recordings and watching videos are good ways to teach an auditory learner. They remember what is told or taught to them by hearing, recording or repeating it. They also like to read the material outloud themselves or listen to others read.
Auditory learners need to hear to understand, they may have trouble with information that is primarily presented in pictures or drawings. They do better with writing that is straight forward and printed in black and white. Too many pictures or color in a presentation will be distracting to an auditory learner. They can be distracted by noises. They notice, and may be distracted by tone and inflection in speech. Auditory learners may remember names but not faces. They need quiet learning areas. Encourage them to read their school work outloud, or teach it to others, to reinforce the material. Auditory learners are sequential learners, they learn in a linear fashion where new learning builds off of understanding from previous learning. They often do well in school where auditory instruction and lecture are the primary mode of instruction.
To Engage An Auditory Child Try:
- Using verbal instruction
- Encouraging their participation in dialogues, discussions, and plays
- Musical presentations and expression
- Having them explain their ideas and reasoning outloud
- Practicing oral presentations
- Using tapes and audio books
When you know a child's communication and learning style, or modality in life, it makes it much easier to work with them. With this newfound knowledge, things that were seen as problems before, are now understood as just being part of who your child is. When working with auditory children, try making adjustments to your parenting or teaching routine that support the child's need for:
Small adjustments in your parenting or teaching style that take into consideration the special needs of Auditory learners, can lead to big improvements in the child's outlook and well being, soon resulting in a child who is engaged, excited and happy about life and learning.
Hugs & Happy Parenting!
Julie L Gibson-Vasquez
The Proactive Parenting Coach
- Learning through listening and speaking
- Opportunity to engage in dialogues and discussion
- Building understanding off previous learning
- Black and white written instruction or limited visual distractions
- Repeating or reading outloud
- Quiet learning areas
Small adjustments in your parenting or teaching style that take into consideration the special needs of Auditory learners, can lead to big improvements in the child's outlook and well being, soon resulting in a child who is engaged, excited and happy about life and learning.
Hugs & Happy Parenting!
Julie L Gibson-Vasquez
The Proactive Parenting Coach