These days, you can easily find most books in audiobook format as well. However, the charm of reading a paper book is undoubtedly hard to resist.
What if you read and listen to an audiobook at the same time?
At first, this might sound a bit unusual, but there are quite a few reasons why you should read and listen to an audiobook simultaneously.
In fact, due to these advantages, most audiobooks these days allow you to read the text simultaneously as well.
Before you make up your mind regarding this, take a look at the reasons why you should do so.
1. Easier to concentrate
If you just read a book or listen to an audiobook, you might get distracted. A book is easily over 200 pages, or even if you take the audio file into account, it can be more than a couple of hours. It is easy to get distracted during this time.
When reading the text along with listening to the audiobook, you are fully immersed in the book. That way, you won’t get distracted. Not only that, you will be able to follow every sentence as well.
If you experience the book through a single medium, you might skip a sentence or two. In that case, you might have to listen to the audiobook again or read that sentence once again.
With the dual approach described above, you will be able to follow every sentence. That way, concentrating on the book becomes easier.
2. Consume audiobooks faster
At the start, an audiobook might seem quite interesting. You might listen to every word spoken in the audio.
Sooner than later, you might get distracted. The problem with distraction is that you will have to rewind the audiobook and listen to it again. Unlike a physical book, you might not be able to find the exact line. It means that you will have to rewind a few seconds extra to reach the proper line.
While doing so once or twice is okay, when you rewind the audiobook again and again, it can take you 25% to 40% extra time to complete the audiobook.
However, when reading the text in the audiobook app simultaneously, you will complete the audiobook faster. That is because reading the text at the same time will increase your comprehension level.
If you’re an avid reader, it can make a lot of difference in the time it takes to complete the audiobook.
3. Useful for children learning to read
Books are a useful tool for children to learn how to read as well. However, if they listen to the audiobooks, they will not know the spelling or written words. That way, it can take them longer to master the language.
Wondering what the solution to this problem is?
When children read the text along with listening to the audiobook, it becomes easier for them to know quite a few things like:
· How is the word pronounced?
· How is the word spelled?
· What kind of punctuation to use?
· How to use the word in the sentence?
Once a child knows all this, they can easily add that word to their vocabulary. Also, since they become aware of the words in so many different aspects, they can recall the word quickly. If they recall the word easily, they are likely to use it in the spoken or written format.
This will happen over and over for every word that they encounter in the audiobook or the accompanying text. When that happens, they will be able to pick up the language at a fast pace. Not only that, their vocabulary will be much larger than just listening to the audiobook.
As you can see, listening to the audiobook and reading the accompanying text simultaneously can undoubtedly help children pick up a language faster.
4. A tool for people with dyslexia
Most dyslexics find it difficult to read a book. They will need extensive practice and help to learn how to read.
They can solve this problem with the help of audiobooks. Still, it will take them some time to get accustomed to audiobooks as well.
However, this problem will not exist if they can listen to the audiobook and read the text at the same time. In that case, they will be able to read and listen to the book faster and comprehend the book as well.
Not only the comprehension of the book will increase among people with dyslexia when they read the text while listening to the audiobook, but their command of the language will also increase.
It means that they will benefit from this approach rather than just listening to the audiobook.
5. Helpful if you want to learn a new language
Many individuals listen to audiobooks to pick up a new language. The task of picking up a new language is not an easy one. However, with proper practice, they can certainly do so.
This task can be made easier by reading the text along with listening to the audiobook as well. That is because doing both simultaneously can provide you with a three-pronged approach to learn a new language.
Spelling comprehension
If you listen to the audiobook in a new language, you will have no idea regarding the spelling. The problem is that if you genuinely want to learn a new language, you need to know the spelling of the words. Only then you will be able to read the words.
Not only that, when you know the spelling, you will be able to know the language and write it as well. That is why; your command over the language will undoubtedly increase if you listen to the audiobook and read the text at the same time.
Sentence comprehension
Knowing just the words in a foreign language is not good enough. If you want to master a foreign language, you need to understand how to use them in sentences.
Audiobooks can be pretty fast to understand how to use the words in sentences.
Not only that, if you want to form sentences or write something down, you will need proper punctuation as well.
When you read the text and listen to the audiobooks, you will know how to use the word in the sentence appropriately. That way, it becomes easy for you to pick up a language fast.
Pronunciation
Another advantage of listening to the audiobooks and reading the text is that you will be able to know the pronunciation right away. Many times, you might know the spelling of the word but pronounce it entirely wrong. Then, you will not be able to speak that language.
When you listen to the audiobook and read the text, you will know the pronunciation right away.
As you can see, if you’re serious about picking up a language, reading the text at the same time as listening to the audiobook certainly helps.
There are numerous reasons why you should follow this strategy while going through a new book.
The next question which arises is, does this strategy work every time?
We will answer that below.
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Reading while listening to audiobooks is NOT for everyone:
Reading while listening to audiobooks is a great solution. However, it is not suitable for everyone.
Many individuals cannot increase their comprehension power by such an amount that they can follow both. Not only that, they aren’t able to associate reading with the audiobook track either. In that case, they won’t be able to follow the text and audio track. That is why; they won’t be able to understand the book at all.
While it does take some practice, if you aren’t able to follow what you’re reading with what you’re listening to even after 4 to 5 days of practicing the same, it might be a good idea to skip reading and stick to the audiobook.
The truth, however, is that 80% of the people get accustomed to doing both after a while.
Does it depend on the type of audiobook that you are listening to?
Yes, a lot also depends on the type of audiobooks you are listening to. There are certain types of audiobooks best, if only in audio form. For these books, you need not read the text simultaneously. We will share with you a couple of examples of such books.
Numerous books narrated by the author
To understand humor, it must be spoken in the right form and context. If the audiobook you are listening to the spoken by the author, he/she will be able to convey the sense of humor in the best way. An example of such a book is What to Say When You Talk to Yourself. Reading the same will not induce the same sense of humor. Thus, if you’re listening to a humorous book narrated by the author, it is best to stick to the audiobook.
Full cast audiobooks
These days, many audiobooks are such that different speakers narrate different characters. If you’re listening to a full-cast audiobook such as American Gods or The Handmaid’s Tale, it is best to stick to them. That is because you will be able to easily decipher between the characters, and you will put the voice behind them. This will fuel your imagination and allow you to understand the story in a much better way.
If you’re listening to these two types of audiobooks, it is best to stick to the audiobooks rather than reading the text simultaneously.
Final thoughts
In many cases, reading and listening to an audiobook at the same time can increase your comprehension. It has numerous other advantages as well. That is why, if you haven’t been practicing the same, now is the time to do so. It can take your learning experience to a whole new level while listening to an audiobook.