In the past they were known as “books-on-tape”. Back then, obviously, we didn’t even have CDs never mind streaming services. These days, they have a much better name; audiobooks.
An audiobook allows you to read a book by, well, listening to it. It’s a lot like having somebody read a book aloud to you (okay, it’s just that). You can connect with new ideas, get swept up in a story, or discover something new. Audiobooks are a wonderful way to pass time and enrich your mind.
And they’re also an ideal tool for audio training.
Auditory training – what is it?
So you’re probably rather interested about exactly what auditory training is. It sounds complex and a lot like school.
As a specialized kind of listening, auditory training is designed to give you a better ability to perceive, process, and distinguish sounds (medically known as “auditory information”). One of the main uses of auditory training is to help people learn to hear with their new hearing aids.
Because neglected hearing loss can cause your hearing to get used to a quieter environment and your brain can get out of practice. So your brain will have to deal with a significant influx of new auditory signals when you get new hearing aids. When this occurs, your brain will find it hard, at first, to process all those new sounds as well as it should. Consequently, auditory training frequently becomes a helpful exercise. Also, for people who are coping with auditory processing disorders or have language learning challenges, auditory training can be a helpful tool.
Think of it like this: Audio books won’t necessarily make you hear clearer, but they will help you better distinguish what you’re hearing.
What happens when I listen to audiobooks?
Auditory training was designed to help your brain get accustomed to making sense out of sounds again. People have a fairly complicated relationship with noise if you really think about it. Every single sound you hear has some significance. It’s a lot for your brain to process. So if you’re breaking in a new set of hearing aids, listening to audiobooks can help your brain become accustomed to hearing and understanding again.
Audiobooks can assist with your auditory training in a number of different ways, including the following:
- Perception of speech: When you listen to an audiobook, you get real-time practice understanding somebody else’s speech. During normal conversations, however, you will have a lot less control than you will with an audiobook. You can listen to sentences as many times as you need to in order to distinguish them. This works really well for practicing making out words.
- Listening comprehension: Hearing speech is one thing, understanding it is another thing entirely. Audiobooks help you practice processing and understanding what is being talked about. Your brain requires practice helping ideas take root in your mind by practicing joining those ideas to words. In your day-to-day life, this will help you distinguish what people are saying to you.
- A bigger vocabulary: Most individuals would love to broaden their vocabulary. The more words you’re exposed to, the larger your vocabulary will become. Let your impressive new words impress all of your friends. Perhaps that guy standing outside the bar looks innocuous, or your food at that restaurant is sumptuous. With audiobooks, you’ll have just the right words ready for any situation.
- Improvements of focus: You’ll be able to pay attention longer, with some help from your audiobook friends. After all, if you’re getting used to a new set of hearing aids, it might have been a while since you last took part in and listened to a full conversation. You may require some practice tuning in and remaining focused, and audiobooks can help you with that.
- Improvements in pronunciation: In some cases, it’s not just the hearing part that can need a little practice. Hearing loss can often bring on social solitude which can cause communication skills to atrophy. Audiobooks can help you get a grip on the pronunciation of words, making basic communication much smoother!
Audiobooks as auditory aids
WE suggest that, as you listen to your audiobook, you read along with a physical copy of the book as well. This will help make those linguistic associations stronger in your brain, and your brain could adapt more quickly to the new auditory inputs. In other words, it’s a great way to strengthen your auditory training. Because hearing aids are complemented by audiobooks.
It’s also really easy to get thousands of audiobooks. There’s an app called Audible which you can get a subscription to. Many online vendors sell them, and that includes Amazon. Anyplace you find yourself, you can cue one up on your phone.
And there are also podcasts on just about every topic in case you can’t find an audiobook you want to listen to. You can improve your hearing and improve your mind simultaneously!
Can I utilize my hearing aids to play audiobooks?
A wide variety of modern hearing aids are Bluetooth equipped. So all of your Bluetooth-equipped devices, including your phone, your tv, and your speakers, can be connected with your hearing aids. With this, when you listen to an audiobook, you won’t need uncomfortable headphones over your hearing aids. Instead, you can listen directly with your hearing aids.
You’ll now get better sound quality and increased convenience.
Ask us about how audiobooks can help with your auditory training
So if you think your hearing may be on the way out, or you’re uneasy about getting used to your hearing aids, talk to us about audiobooks.
