Last year, some of my patients with TBI, who had previously enjoyed reading (sometimes reading up to 3-5 books per month), told me that reading had become more difficult and less enjoyable after their TBI.
After a lengthy literature review search on the topic of audio assisted reading AND using audiobooks in rehab, it appeared at the time that results were inconclusive. There wasn't strong evidence either way that listening to an audiobook or listening to an audiobook WHILE reading the print version of a book simultaneously actually helped improved COMPREHENSION. It was, however, conclusive that doing so improved EFFICIENCY.
There is still a lot of emerging research in this area, but I would like for you to consider these things if you choose to trial audiobooks with your patients with neurological impairment:
1. Are we selecting the best platform for this patient (consider features like note taking capability, speed adjustment, playback intervals, bookmarking) ?
2. Will this patient actually BENEFIT from both reading and listening (multisensory learning) or will this be "too much" for them attention wise?
3. Will there need to be speed adjustments? Will I need to change speed of speech to match pace of reading? In contrast, will the default speed of speech help guide pace of reading and make their reading more fluid?
4. There is conclusive evidence that it helps with reading efficiency, is there a chance it might also help with reading comprehension? Can we trial it and see?
5. Would hearing the correct stress and intonation patterns in sentences and words help the patient with “emotional prosody or “affective prosody)?
6. Would errors be reduced?---For example, “Is what I just read the same as what I just heard?”
7. Might having words highlighted one by one help with pacing?
8. Could this promote vocabulary acquisition?
9. Does the patient have access audiobooks with the devices they have? Can I help them with this (ie, help them obtain a library card)?
10. Do they know how to operate an audiobook or text to speech feature? Can they learn?
Hope this all gave you food for thought!
*If you have patients this might be good for, don't be nervous to try audiobooks in sessions with patients.... or do your own literature review.
*If you want to know how to get FREE AUDIBOOKS for patients, read this ASHA article by HERE!
Have a great therapy visit!
-Dana
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