How to Read Books for a Brain Damaged Person
Traumatic brain injury is a complex disability that can make the most common task incredibly difficult. Reading a book can be especially challenging, particularly if you enjoyed reading before your head injury. However, there are many adaptive techniques and technologies that can assist in easing this frustration. Using an audio book in addition to a physical book and taking notes while reading stimulates multiple senses at once and eliminates many potential cognitive issues. If you have a brain injury, this method can help you read successfully while retaining the information you've read.Things You'll Need
- Book
- Audio copy of the same book
- Notebook
- Pencil
Instructions
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Giving yourself prompts makes a blank page seem much less daunting. Write the following headings on a page in your notebook: Who, What, When, Where and Why. Leave room after each heading for notes.
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Audio books can be found on tape, CD or MP3. Play an audio book, and read a hard copy of the book at the same time. Pause the audio often and allow yourself to replay sections that are lengthy or complex.
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Take your time and write clearly. Take notes each time you pause. Try to answer the Who, What, When, Where and Why questions, and write down any other information that strikes you as important or interesting. If chapters or sections are titled, write the titles down as well.
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Don't get frustrated. Give yourself a chance to process. Stop and review what you've written after each chapter or section ends. If you find the material confusing, rewind and review again. Take additional notes or clarify what you've written down. Once you feel your notes are clear and you can recall what you've read, move on.
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Don't be afraid to ask for help. Pace yourself. Do not try to read an entire book in a single day -- go easy on yourself. Stop whenever you begin to feel tired and come back to it in a day or two. Ask someone for help if you feel overwhelmed or confused.
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