Everyone learns in a different way, so the specific methods that an individual should use to study a particular subject can vary from person to person. However, there are three primary ways that an individual may learn information, which include hearing the information, learning about something by touching or using it, or by actually seeing the information or seeing the information applied. These three methods, also known as learning styles, are the three main ways that people learn information, but most people will usually learn more effectively using one method than they would using either of the other two methods. Individuals that learn more effectively by hearing the information are referred to as auditory learners. Auditory learners are individuals that learn effectively by hearing spoken descriptions or instructions such as an individual might hear in a class lecture or discussion, by hearing a demonstration of a particular sound such as a musical sound or a sound that is an indication of a problem with a piece of machinery, or by reading the information aloud. Auditory learners often have difficulty learning by simply reading about a particular subject or using a particular object without hearing how the written words sound or without verbal instructions explaining the use of the object. As a result, individuals that learn most effectively by hearing information may find that studying with a study group, reading passages aloud, listening to audio tapes, and other similar study activities that involve listening to information regarding a particular subject may all be extremely useful study tools.
The best way to determine whether or not you or another individual is an auditory learner is to ask yourself or the other individual some simple questions. First, when you are checking over an essay that you have written, do you go back and read the sentences aloud to see if they sound right? Secondly, when you have to learn to use something new, do you like someone to explain how to do it? Finally, do you have difficulty reading or spelling certain words if you cannot sound them out aloud? If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes," or if you find that you use sound in similar ways, there is a very good chance that you are an auditory learner.