Did you know that reading is primarily an auditory process? In addition to the words on the page, the sounds that the words make in our minds are just as essential. Even when we read silently to ourselves the brain’s auditory centers are very active, according to research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI.). This is due to the fact that most people have a silent inner voice that allows them “hear” the words in their mind as if the text were being read aloud. When reading, imaging shows that the brain’s auditory regions actually become more active and show up brighter than the visual centers. This auditory processing is what helps us make sense of the text and comprehend its meaning.
The auditory regions of our brain are important for reading comprehension in addition to aiding in reading acquisition. Many people are unaware that by strengthening our auditory memory and practicing listening comprehension exercises, we can improve our brain’s ability to comprehend and retain what we read.
Listening to audiobooks is one way to do this. Auditory skill development can be enhanced by the distinct clarity of speech and the slight amplification provided by audiobooks. Also, since children learn language through listening, hearing actors read aloud with expressiveness and clear enunciation of speech sounds in audiobooks can aid in the learning of phonemes (speech sounds in a language), vocabulary, sentence structure, and aspects of voice tone that alter the meaning of speech.
In fact, audiobooks can help children learn to read, even if they just listen to the audio version without reading the accompanying text. This is due to the fact that listening to audiobooks frees up the mental load involved in sounding out new words so that we can focus on forming better mental images of what is happening, like a movie in our mind. These mental pictures are essential for helping us remember the details of what we read, comprehend the text’s content, and grasp the overall main idea of the text. In addition, benefits in reading accuracy and attitude toward reading have been demonstrated.
Overall, the fascinating connection between auditory processing and reading comprehension suggests that we may enrich our reading experience by engaging in activities to boost our listening comprehension.
