Every day, knowledge of the English language and language translation api is becoming more and more in demand in the modern world, which is moving along the path of integration. Foreign language proficiency is now an indispensable requirement when applying for a prestigious job and moving up the career ladder. Meanwhile, the knowledge gained at school or institute is not always sufficient for the development of a conscious, lasting language skill.
Most of those who want to master a foreign language do not have the opportunity to communicate with its natural speakers. Not all of us can afford to pay for tutors. In the absence of practice, speech skill is lost, knowledge fizzles out. In order for the language not to be forgotten, it is necessary that the English language be constantly heard. It is thanks to this condition that many people who find themselves abroad learn the language of a foreign country in a very short time. For those who do not have the opportunity to live in the country of the target language, audiobooks are a good help in learning it.
Audiobooks are a synthesis of written and spoken text. The listener simultaneously follows the text on the screen and listens to the announcer reading this text. It is firmly established that listening to audiobooks read by professional narrators, together with reading their text in parallel, facilitates language learning. Various studies of British and American scientists have proven that this method of presenting educational material reduces up to 30% of the time required to memorize new words. This is facilitated by various factors, the most significant of which is the synchronous work of the left (mainly responsible for decoding visual signals) and right (focusing on the perception of sounds, pauses, stresses, etc., similar in meaning) hemispheres of the brain. This allows you to increase the perceived amount of knowledge and serves as an auxiliary method of training speech memory.
Thus, audiobooks provide an opportunity to expand the listener’s vocabulary, make it easier to understand both oral and written speech. They can serve as a tool for making progress in the areas of pronunciation and diction. Audiobooks are a strong, flexible system, the structure of which contributes to the rapid understanding and assimilation of information. Today, more and more educators are realizing the value of incorporating audiobooks into the learning process.
What results can you expect from using audiobooks?
Audiobooks improve language skills and literacy. They build vocabulary, stimulate imagination, and improve reading fluency. With the help of audiobooks, you can get acquainted with the frequency structures of the sentence, pronunciation models.
Audiobooks increase the volume of perceived information per unit of time and develop a love of reading.
Audiobooks even out opportunities for listeners in the classroom. They provide us with complementary, state-of-the-art linguistic expressions and phrases, stimulating the ability to understand, regardless of individual ability. As a result, students become capable of joint learning, happily participate in joint activities in a friendly atmosphere.
Also, audiobooks contribute to the development of the ability to highlight the main thing and exclude details, develop the skills of transforming the linguistic and structural design of sentences in the direction of normativity, simplicity and brevity.
Technique for working with audiobooks
To begin with, concentrate on your general understanding of the text. Try to catch his main point. If you do not understand what is at stake, you can check the meaning of individual words in the dictionary.
As you listen, concentrate on the exact pronunciation of each word.
Follow the principle “Better a little, but thoroughly, than a lot, but superficially.” After you understand the text in general, in order to replenish the active vocabulary, clarify the meaning of incomprehensible words. To do this, select an excerpt and translate it completely into Russian. You will learn many new words: epithets, synonyms of words you already know.
Exercise regularly. Set aside time for your studies and practice every day. Remember that a little, but often, is better than a lot, but sometimes.
When the oral text sounds to you as clear and understandable as the text in Russian, go on to passive listening: driving a car, doing some work, resting. The more time you spend on this activity, the deeper and more effective your training will be.
In order to translate words and expressions from passive to active, do the following: read aloud, memorize syntactic constructions, record your speech on a phonorecord in order to compare your pronunciation with the pronunciation of the speaker.
Audiobooks are one of the most effective ways to improve your English proficiency. Of course, the learning process will take your time and effort. But the goal you end up with is worth it!