According to Linda William, author of Teaching for the Two-Sided Mind: A Guide for Right Brain/Left Brain Education, "If all children are to have the maximum opportunity to learn, linear, sequential techniques must be paired with approaches that enable students to see patterns, make use of visual and spatial thinking, and deal with the whole as well as the parts." Presenting information in a variety of ways, such as reading aloud written instructions for auditory learners or diagramming key lecture points for visual learners helps both types of learners make sense of new material.
Much of the time, students are forced to learn material in a way that conflicts with their learning style---auditory learners may be required to read silently when they would benefit from sounding out words, and a visual learner may have oral exams on complex, abstract ideas that they cannot understand without a chart or graph. They may struggle and fall behind for no reason other than they can't relate to the information as it is presented.
Auditory learners rely on hearing to process information. Sounding out words, spelling out loud and hearing patterns of sound help them learn. Working in groups or giving oral reports allows them to talk out their ideas and to listen to the ideas of others, engaging them in the learning process. Williams reports that "Students may remember points made in connection with the songs that they would not retain from a textbook." Singing helps them to remember information, such as names and places, dates and vocabulary.
Visual learners benefit from seeing ideas represented in image form. Drawing pictures of new words and diagramming, mapping or charting new concepts helps them visualize and understand relationships, such as how parts work to make up the whole. Providing handouts with key lecture points or asking students to write summaries help visual learners review what they've learned and keep track of important information. Fantasy is another way to engage these learners, as students must visualize verbal ideas and create mental images.
Technology is an effective way to balance visual and audio experiences. People can select the information that best suits their learning style to ensure mastery of a subject. Auditory learners might watch online videos or listen to audio books, and visual learners might combine watching a film with reading the screen play, using these as sources for assignments. Projects might involve writing a song and performing it for the class or creating a short film instead of writing a paper, allowing perceived shortcomings to become strengths.