Back in the old days they were known as “books-on-tape”. Back then, of course, we didn’t even have CDs never mind streaming services. Nowadays, people refer to them as audiobooks (which, to be honest, is a far better name).
An audiobook allows you to read a book by, well, listening to it. It’s kind of like having someone read a book out loud to you (okay, it’s exactly that). You’ll be able to learn new things, get lost in an enchanting story, and explore ideas you were never aware of. Audiobooks are a wonderful way to pass the time and enrich your mind.
And they’re also a terrific tool for audio training.
What’s auditory training?
So you’re most likely pretty curious about exactly what auditory training is. It sounds tedious like homework.
As a skilled form of listening, auditory training is designed to give you a stronger ability to perceive, process, and distinguish sounds (known medically as “auditory information”). One of the principal uses of auditory training is to help individuals 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 grow out of practice. So your brain will have to deal with a big influx of new auditory information when you get new hearing aids. When this occurs, your brain will find it difficult, at first, to process all those new sounds as well as it should. Consequently, auditory training often becomes a worthwhile exercise. (As a side note, auditory training is also worthwhile for people who have language learning difficulties or auditory processing disorders).
Think of it like this: Audio books won’t necessarily make you hear clearer, but they will help you better understand 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. If you think about it, people have a very complicated relationship with noise. Every sound signifies something. Your brain has to do a lot of work. 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.
Here are a few ways audiobooks can assist with auditory training:
- Improvements of focus: With some help from your audiobook, you’ll remain focused and involved for longer periods of time. After all, if you’re getting used to a new set of hearing aids, it may have been a while since you last took part in and listened to a complete conversation. You might need some practice tuning in and staying focused, and audiobooks can help you with that.
- Improvements in pronunciation: Sometimes, it’s not only the hearing part that can need some practice. Individuals that have hearing loss often also suffer from social isolation, and that can leave their communication skills a little out of practice. Audiobooks can help you get a grip on the pronunciation of words, making basic communication a lot easier!
- A bigger vocabulary: Most people would love to broaden their vocabulary. The more words you’re subjected to, the larger your vocabulary will become. Surprise your friends by throwing out amazingly apt words. Perhaps those french fries look dubious, or you’re concerned that bringing your friends to the bar will really exacerbate your problems with your boyfriend. Either way, audiobooks can help you find the right word for the right situation.
- Perception of speech: When you listen to an audiobook, you gain real-time practice understanding someone else’s speech. But you also have a little more control than you would during a normal conversation. You can listen to sentences as many times as you need to in order to distinguish them. It’s an excellent way to practice understanding words!
- Listening comprehension: It’s one thing to perceive speech, it’s another to understand it! When you follow the story that the narrator is reading, you will get practice distinguishing speech. Your brain needs practice linking words to concepts, and helping those concepts remain rooted in your mind. In your day-to-day life, this will help you understand what people are saying to you.
Using audiobooks as aids to auditory training
Reading along with a physical version of your audiobook is highly recommended. 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 bolster your auditory training. That’s because audiobooks enhance hearing aids.
Audiobooks are also great because they’re pretty easy to come by right now. There’s an app called Audible which you can get a subscription to. You can easily purchase them from Amazon or other online vendors. Anywhere you find yourself, you can cue one up on your phone.
And there are also podcasts on pretty much every topic in case you can’t find an audiobook you feel like listening to. Your mind and your hearing can be enhanced simultaneously.
Can I listen to audiobooks through my hearing aids
Lots of contemporary hearing aids are Bluetooth equipped. So all of your Bluetooth-enabled devices, including your phone, your television, and your speakers, can be paired with your hearing aids. This means you don’t need to place cumbersome headphones over your hearing aids just to listen to an audiobook. You can utilize your hearing aids for this instead.
You’ll now get superior sound quality and increased convenience.
Consult us about audiobooks
So if you think your hearing might be starting to go, or you’re worried about getting used to your hearing aids, consult us about audiobooks.