We all read differently and there’s really no method of reading books that’s better than the other.
Some methods may offer certain advantages but at the end of the day,
It all comes down to preference.
If you prefer to mouth your words as you read because it works for you then stick with it.
if you prefer to read in your head or verbally then stick to that.
The last thing you want to do is read in a way that makes it complicated for you to understand what it is you may be reading.
This post will discuss whether reading in your head is better because most people prefer to read out loud..
Of course it comes down to preference but it’s good to shed some light on reading silently and loudly to provide context.
With that said, Is it better to read in your head?
Reading in your head or reading silently is better because it allows you to center your focus, concentrate and go through text faster without worrying about pronunciation. Reading loudly can be distracting and can greatly slow down reading for most people that aren’t used to it.
Therefore, you’re better off using a reading method you’re comfortable with.
Benefits of reading silently
Let’s get deep into some of the benefits of reading books silently.
Concentration
The first benefit of reading silently is Concentration.
When you read books silently you can easily focus and concentrate on the reading without your own voice getting in the way.
Which means you can fully immerse yourself in the text and not easily lose track of any information that you’re consuming.
This is important because some books are harder to read than others.
You can read some books loudly, and not have to worry alot about understanding because the books may be fairly easy to understand.
However, some books require not only your full attention but your concentration as well.
This is because some books are not easy push overs, some require your full effort and concentration due to their complex nature.
Books Like this are certainly harder to read.
Therefore, reading silently so you can focus your attention and fully immerse yourself in a book, can be the best way to read challenging books.
Read faster
If you’ve ever studied any speed reading techniques, then you know that speed reading is done silently and doesn’t usually involve reading out loud.
Speed reading has to be done silently or in your head because it’s much easier to go through text silently than out loud.
Not everyone speed reads of course, but most people like to read at a fairly good speed.
Which means reading loudly in situations where good reading speed is a factor, can be difficult and not so effective.
Read anywhere
Let’s face reading loudly is great but you can’t really do it anywhere.
For example, libraries are basically quite reading spaces …and you probably wont last 5 minutes reading out loud before you’re kindly asked to leave.
Therefore, reading out loud has this major downside. While it may be an effective way to understand or learn things.
It can only be done in selective settings or spaces.
For example, if you’re at home… you can pretty much take the edge off and read as loud as you want because technically it is your home and you have the freedom to do anything you feel like doing.
With that said, reading silently or in your head can be done pretty much anywhere.
And you won’t have to worry about disturbing people around you either.
This makes it a more convenient way of reading.
Increases comprehension
Reading silently is less distracting as compared to reading out loud as we’ve fairly established in this post.
One advantage of reading silently is that it helps your brain work better by limiting its focus only on the words, visually.
This kind of focus easily improves and increases your ability of comprehension.
With reading out loud, your focus pretty much has to be split across two things which are speaking and reading.
Unless you’re able to be work with split focus you may find it challenging to comprehend material when you read this way.
Developed reading skills
Reading silently also allows you to develop your reading skills by finding your inner voice as well as discovering your pace.
These reading skills are essential in your development as a reader because they can make it easy for you to create a personified system around reading.
No need to worry about pronunciation
Another reason why reading silently can help you read quicker is because you don’t have to worry about pronunciation.
Which means you can get through reading quicker without being too focused on how words are pronounced.
This is essential in focusing on understanding the ideas being conveyed and what they mean rather than focusing on things like pronunciation.
Application for reading out loud
Reading out loud also has its positives. There are several of these and I’ll discuss some of them below.
Vocabulary improvement
Reading, with no doubt is one of the habits that can help you improve your vocabulary.
When you do it mentally you can easily see words and understand their meanings.
Reading words out loud takes this understanding further because it makes you pay attention to the pronunciation of the words.
This is a great deal for people that wish to deepen their understanding of vocabulary as well as become more articulate by knowing how to use words verbally.
Attention span increase
As the Internet and technology advances we are bombarded with information everyday all over the Internet.
With too much information available everywhere, the attention span of most people has drastically dropped.
Which has made activities like reading for long hours become a difficult task.
Reading aloud can be the remedy in such situations.
Being an involving and engaging activity, reading aloud allows you to lengthen your attention span.
This is for the simple fact that, when you read aloud, you use your mind, mouth and ears which keep you alert and in the moment.
It’s not easy for you to lose attention when you read like this.
Enjoyable for some
For others, reading silently is the preffered way of reading. Mostly because it allows them to focus and have control around their reading.
This is understandable and is actually my preferred way of going about reading.
However, through out my years as a reader and having spent a lot of time around readers and various libraries.
Some people actually enjoy reading out loud and prefer it.
Strengthens memory
When you read out loud you basically receive information visually as well as verbally.
This can boost your ability to remember things that you’ve read by relying on more than one way of receiving information.
Which is why group study discussions in which students discuss things verbally …are advisable because they can easily help them remember everything discussed.
Increases comprehension for some
Reading out loud can also help you understand things better.
For certain people, expressing ideas verbally is helpful in understanding.
Such people are usually able to concentrate in a class and remember things that are taught to them verbally.
Fluency
Reading books aloud can improve your vocabulary and improve your Fluency in any language.
Of course reading silently can help you learn a lot of words.
However, reading them out loud can cement your knowledge of vocabulary and make it easy for you to articulate yourself more fluently.
Related Articles You Should Read
Is It Possible To Remove Sub-vocalization?
How Long Can A Person Concentrate When Studying?
Should I Highlight My Reading Books?
Additional Helpful Resources
Why you should read this out loud – BBC Future
Is it Better to Read Silently or Out Loud When Studying? – Exploring Your Mind
The Little-Known Truths About Reading Aloud – Scilearn
7 Benefits of Reading Out Loud That Improve Your Life | Voices
Why Reading Aloud Helps You Remember More Information
