Back in the old days they were known as “books-on-tape”. Naturally, that was well before CDs, not to mention digital streaming. These days, people refer to them as audiobooks (which, to be honest, is a much better name).
An audiobook gives you the ability to read a book by, well, listening to it. It’s kind of like having somebody read a book out loud to you (okay, it’s exactly that). You can engage with new ideas, get swept away in a story, or discover something new. Listening to audiobooks when you’re passing time will be a mentally enriching experience.
Turns out, they’re also a wonderful way to accomplish some auditory training.
Auditory training – what is it?
Wait, wait, wait, what’s this auditory training thing, you ask? It sounds tedious like homework.
Auditory training is a special form of listening, created to help you improve your ability to process, comprehend, and interpret sounds (known medically as “auditory information”). One of the primary uses of auditory training is to help individuals learn to hear with their new hearing aids.
Because untreated hearing loss can cause your hearing to become used to a quieter environment and your brain can get out of practice. So when you get a new pair of hearing aids, your brain suddenly has to cope with an influx of additional information. Practically, this often means that your brain can’t process those sounds as well as it normally does (at least, not initially). As a result, auditory training often becomes a helpful exercise. Also, for those who are coping with auditory processing conditions or have language learning challenges, auditory training can be a useful tool.
Another perspective: Audio books won’t really make you hear clearer, but they will help you better understand what you’re hearing.
What happens when I listen to audiobooks?
Helping your brain distinguish sound again is exactly what auditory training is created to do. People have a pretty complicated relationship with noise if you really think about it. Every sound means something. It’s a lot for your brain to process. The concept is that audiobooks are an excellent way to help your brain get used to that process again, especially if you’re breaking in a new pair of hearing aids.
Here are a few ways audiobooks can assist with auditory training:
- Improvements in pronunciation: You’ll often need practice with more than just the hearing part. Individuals who suffer with hearing loss frequently also deal with social isolation, and that can leave their communication skills a bit rusty. Audiobooks can make communication much easier by helping you get a grip on pronunciation.
- A bigger vocabulary: Who doesn’t want to improve their vocabulary? The more words you’re exposed to, the larger your vocabulary will become. Let your stunning new words impress all of your friends. Perhaps those potatoes 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 pick the right word for the right situation.
- Listening comprehension: It’s one thing to hear speech, it’s another to understand it! When you follow along with the story that the narrator is reading, you will get practice distinguishing speech. Your brain needs practice helping concepts take root in your mind by practicing linking those concepts to words. In your everyday life, this will help you understand what people are saying to you.
- Perception of speech: Audiobooks will help you get accustomed to hearing and comprehending speech again. But you also have a little bit more control than you would during a normal conversation. You can listen to sentences numerous times in order to understand them. This works quite well for practicing following words.
- Improvements of focus: With a little help from your audiobook, you’ll remain focused and involved for longer periods of time. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been able to participate in a full conversation, particularly if you’re breaking in a new set of hearing aids. You may require some practice tuning in and remaining focused, and audiobooks can help you with that.
Audiobooks as auditory aids
WE suggest that, as you enjoy your audiobook, you read along with a physical copy of the book too. Your brain will adjust faster to new audio inputs making those linguistic connections stronger. It’s definitely a great way to enhance your auditory training experience. Because hearing aids are enhanced by audiobooks.
It’s also very easy to get thousands of audiobooks. There’s an app called Audible which you can get a subscription to. Many online vendors sell them, including Amazon. And you can hear them anywhere on your phone.
And you can also get podcasts on just about every topic in case you can’t find an audiobook you feel like listening to. You can sharpen your hearing and enrich your mind simultaneously!
Can I listen to audiobooks with my hearing aids
Bluetooth capability is a feature that comes with many contemporary hearing aids. So all of your Bluetooth-equipped devices, including your phone, your tv, and your speakers, can be connected with your hearing aids. This means you don’t need to put huge headphones over your hearing aids just to play an audiobook. Rather, you can listen directly with your hearing aids.
This leads to a simpler process and a better quality sound.
Ask us about how audiobooks can help with your auditory training
So if you believe your hearing may be starting to go, or you’re concerned about getting accustomed to your hearing aids, consult us about audiobooks.
