“Hi Ollie, I'm Nicholas from Argentina. I'm 15 years old and I've been learning Chinese for about a year and a half. I wanted to ask you: is it better to read out loud or in your head?”
This brilliant question from Nicholas touches on one of the most common language learning techniques that teachers and students have used for decades. But here's the thing – what I'm about to tell you might not be what you're expecting.
The short answer? Reading aloud has only one genuine benefit for language learners. And it might actually be holding you back in other crucial areas.
Let me explain why this widely-accepted practice deserves a much closer look.
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If you prefer watching videos to reading, hit play on the video version of this post at the top of this page. Otherwise, here's what you'll discover in this post:
Table of Contents
What We Mean By “Reading Aloud”
Before diving into the research, let's clarify what we're discussing. When I talk about reading aloud, I mean the practice of taking a text – whether it's a story, textbook passage or novel – and reading it out loud for language learning purposes.
This isn't about rehearsing a speech or presentation (that's a different skill entirely).
We're talking about the everyday classroom activity where students take turns reading passages aloud, or when you're studying alone and decide to vocalise the text you're reading.
I've observed this practice in language classrooms across the globe. It's also something most of us remember from our school days – going around the classroom, each student reading a paragraph aloud while others followed along.
The One Real Benefit Of Reading Aloud
Here's where reading aloud genuinely shines: pronunciation practice.
If your primary goal is to improve how you pronounce words in your target language, then reading aloud can be incredibly helpful.
When you read a text out loud, you're intensely training your mouth to form unfamiliar sounds and produce them accurately.
Key Benefits for Pronunciation:
- Muscle memory development – Your mouth learns to form new sounds
- Intonation practice – You can work on natural rhythm and stress patterns
- Sound familiarisation – You become comfortable with the phonetic patterns of the language
- Immediate feedback – You can hear when something doesn't sound right
This is particularly valuable when working with a teacher who can correct your pronunciation in real-time, or when you're using audio resources to compare your pronunciation with native speakers.
Important Note: If pronunciation is your main concern, reading aloud is genuinely useful. But if you're looking to improve other language skills, keep reading – you might be surprised.
Olly Richards, Linguist and Author
Why Reading Aloud Doesn't Improve Speaking Skills
Now, here's where many language learners (and teachers) get it wrong. There's a widespread belief that reading aloud helps develop speaking fluency. Unfortunately, this simply isn't true.
The Fundamental Problem
Have you ever experienced this? You're reading something aloud, you reach the end and suddenly realise you can't remember anything you've just said.
This happens to me every single time I read aloud – I get so focused on pronouncing words correctly that I pay no attention to the meaning.
This experience highlights the core issue: reading aloud has virtually nothing to do with the skills you need for real conversation.
Real Speaking vs. Reading Aloud
When you're having a genuine conversation in your target language, you need to:
- Generate ideas spontaneously
- Choose words from your vocabulary in real-time
- Handle interruptions and false starts naturally
- Manage cognitive load whilst processing and producing language
- Deal with uncertainty when you don't know exact words
- Maintain conversation flow despite mistakes
None of these skills are practised when reading aloud. Instead, you're simply reproducing pre-written text, which requires a completely different set of abilities.
The Cognitive Reality
When reading aloud, all the linguistic work has already been done for you. The words are chosen, the grammar is correct, and the ideas are organised. Your only job is to pronounce them accurately.
Real speaking, however, requires you to:
- Access vocabulary from memory
- Construct sentences in real-time
- Express original thoughts
- Adapt to your conversation partner's responses
Bottom line: If you want to improve your speaking skills, you need to practice actual speaking – not reading pre-written text aloud.
The Reading Speed Reality
Here's perhaps the most surprising revelation: reading aloud can actually damage your reading comprehension skills.
The Verbalisation Trap
Think back to when you were a child learning to read in your native language. What did poor readers do? They verbalised – they formed words in their mouth as they read, even if they didn't speak them aloud.
Many adults still do this, and it's a habit that seriously limits reading effectiveness. Here's why: You can only read as fast as you can speak when you're verbalising. This creates a significant bottleneck in your reading speed and comprehension.
The Key to Effective Reading
Successful reading in any language requires you to:
- Process words visually without verbalising
- Understand meaning directly from text to brain
- Increase reading speed beyond speaking pace
- Improve comprehension through faster processing
Foreign Language Reading Challenges
When learning a foreign language, we're naturally more inclined to verbalise because:
- The language feels unfamiliar and uncertain
- Verbalising provides a sense of security
- We want to “hear” the words to understand them better
However, this instinct actually works against developing strong reading skills in the target language.
Key Insight: Reading aloud is the enemy of effective reading. If you want to improve your reading abilities in a foreign language, you need to train yourself to process text silently and efficiently.
Olly Richards, Linguist and Author
The Verdict: Is It Better To Read Out Loud Or In Your Head?
So, is it better to read out loud or in your head? The answer depends entirely on your specific goals:
Choose Reading Aloud When:
- Your primary focus is pronunciation improvement
- You're working with a teacher who can provide feedback
- You're preparing for a specific speaking performance
- You need to familiarise yourself with the sounds of the language
Choose Silent Reading When:
- You want to improve reading comprehension
- Your goal is to increase reading speed
- You're trying to develop general language fluency
- You want to build vocabulary through extensive reading
Practical Recommendations
Based on this analysis, here's how to approach reading in your language learning:
- For pronunciation practice: Use reading aloud strategically and intentionally
- For reading development: Train yourself to read silently and efficiently
- For speaking improvement: Engage in actual conversation practice, not text reading
- For overall fluency: Focus on input methods that match your learning goals
Is It Better To Read Out Loud Or In Your Head? FAQ
Is reading out loud good for your brain?
Yes, reading out loud can be beneficial for your brain. It improves memory, boosts comprehension and strengthens focus by engaging multiple senses at once.
Is it better for the brain to read in silence or out loud?
Both methods have benefits, but reading out loud often enhances retention and understanding, especially for learners. Silent reading is quicker and preferred for deep concentration or longer texts.
Which is better, reading in your head or reading out loud?
Reading out loud is better for memorisation and language learning, while reading silently is faster and better for absorbing large amounts of information. The best choice depends on your goal.
Should I read in my mind or out loud?
If you want to improve pronunciation, memory, or understanding, read out loud. If you’re focused on speed or reflection, reading silently might be more effective.
Final Thoughts On Reading Out Loud vs Reading In Your Head
The key takeaway is that there's no universal “better” approach – it depends on what specific skill you're trying to develop.
Reading aloud has its place in language learning, but it's a much more limited tool than most people realise.
For the majority of language learning goals – improving reading comprehension, developing fluency, and building overall language skills – silent reading will serve you far better.
Effective language learning comes from matching your study methods to your specific goals.
Don't just follow traditional practices because “that's how it's always been done” – question everything and choose techniques that actually support your learning objectives.
The key is to be intentional about your approach and honest about what's actually helping your progress.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
