See It and Hear It: Why Multimodal Studying Helps Students Remember More

You have probably heard that some students are visual learners and others are auditory learners. It is a popular idea, but research has not found that teaching to a single preferred style improves results.

What research does support is something more useful: most students learn better when information comes in through more than one channel at the same time.

Why combining channels helps

When a student sees a diagram while hearing an explanation, the brain builds two connected memories instead of one. Psychologists call this dual coding. Each path gives the student another way to retrieve the idea later.

What this looks like at home

• Draw it: turn a process into a quick sketch or diagram.

• Say it: explain the concept out loud, as if teaching someone.

• Hear it: listen to notes or flashcards read aloud during a walk or a car ride.

• Connect them: look at the diagram while explaining it.

Preferences still matter

Students do have preferences, and comfort matters for motivation. A student who struggles with reading, for example, may stay engaged much longer with audio support. The goal is to give them more ways in, not to limit them to one.

How TutorLoop uses this

TutorLoop, built by the educators at Einstein Tutoring, offers a Visual Mode with infographics, animations, and diagrams, and an Auditory Mode with voice-guided explanations and read-aloud. Students can switch between them or use both, along with flashcards and quizzes for practice.

Download TutorLoop free

TutorLoop is free on iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play). Snap a homework problem, make flashcards in seconds, and study the way your child learns best.

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