Do you have a pile of "tsundoku" (books bought but unread) gathering dust? In our information-saturated modern society, finding time to deeply engage with a single book can be incredibly challenging. But what if a book could open up your world, introduce you to new peers, and help you discover a side of yourself you never knew existed? This potential lies within a groundbreaking reading method: **Active Book Dialogue (ABD)**. This is far more than just a book club. It's a method where all participants become key players, collaboratively deciphering a single book and creating new knowledge through dialogue—truly embodying the concept of "future learning."
No Preparation Needed! The Magic of Deep Learning, Hands-Free
The greatest appeal of ABD is that absolutely no prior reading is required. Even thick specialized books or complex academic texts can be tackled on the spot, with participants dividing up the reading. By approaching it "hands-free," the burden of preparation is lifted, making it accessible to more people.
Here's the concrete process:
- Co-summarizing: First, participants divide a book among themselves, each reading their assigned section. The clear objective of "conveying the content to others" naturally encourages active and deep comprehension. They then create a summary of their section within a short timeframe.
- Relay Presentation: Next, following the book's order, each person presents their summary in a relay format. Like fitting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, fragmented information connects, and the overall structure of the book emerges before everyone's eyes.
- Dialogue with Everyone: Finally, all participants engage in a lively dialogue about the entire book. Sharing impressions, raising questions, and encountering diverse interpretations leads to a multifaceted and profound understanding that could never be achieved by reading alone.
This entire process ensures "psychological safety" for participants. Since everyone starts on the same footing, there's no concern about differences in knowledge, allowing everyone to feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and deepening their learning.
Why is ABD so Effective? Education Science Reveals the Secret
The astonishing effects of ABD are not mere coincidence. Its design ingeniously incorporates the principles of two established educational methods: the "Jigsaw Method" and the "KP Method (Kamishibai Presentation Method). "
- Jigsaw Method: By dividing a book and having each person become an "expert" on their section, an active interdependence is fostered: "This book cannot be completed without you." This strongly motivates collaborative learning.
- KP Method: The act of summarizing within a limited space is a direct training in distilling information and structuring thought. This naturally cultivates the ability to think logically and communicate concisely.
In other words, ABD is a highly sophisticated learning system that allows participants to simultaneously experience "why they learn (purpose of collaboration)" and "how to convey (logical expression)."
ABD and Team Building—When a Book Becomes a Common Language
To implement ABD more effectively, conducting a simple team-building exercise beforehand can be very beneficial. Introducing icebreakers that help participants recognize each other and communicate in a relaxed atmosphere can lead to more active discussions and dialogues during the ABD session itself.
However, the truly remarkable aspect of ABD is that **ABD itself serves as a powerful opportunity for team building**. As participants collaboratively read, analyze, and discuss a single book as a common theme, the following bonds naturally deepen within the team:
- Generation of a Common Language: By collectively deciphering a book, keywords, concepts, and the author's ideas from that book become a "common language" within the team. This forms a foundation for smooth communication in subsequent projects and activities.
- Deepening Mutual Understanding: Through the process of each person summarizing and presenting their section, their thought processes, perspectives, and preferred modes of expression are naturally shared. Furthermore, by respecting each other's opinions and embracing different viewpoints through dialogue, mutual understanding deepens.
- Cultivation of Unity: By collaborating towards a single goal (understanding the entire book and creating new knowledge), a sense of unity is fostered within the entire team. The joy of overcoming challenges together and sharing new discoveries strengthens the bonds between participants.
Thus, ABD transcends mere reading; it is also an extremely effective tool for **building trust among participants and forming high-performing teams.**
Students Change, the Future Changes—Practical Examples at Setsunan University
ABD has achieved significant results in actual educational settings. For instance, Setsunan University has introduced ABD as part of its active learning initiatives to promote students' proactive learning. The implementation in the first-year education course "Introduction to University Studies" within the Faculty of Contemporary Sociology is particularly emblematic.
Participating students have offered comments such as:
- "I grew to like reading."
- "I gained confidence in organizing my thoughts and conveying them clearly."
- "By listening to diverse opinions, I discovered the joy of looking at things from multiple perspectives."
This demonstrates that ABD is not merely about transmitting knowledge but is extremely effective in installing the "OS of learning"—reading comprehension, critical thinking, and logical expression—which are indispensable for the coming era. Through this experience, students are not passively consuming information but are actively developing the ability to select, analyze, and reconstruct information themselves.
Step into the World of ABD
ABD can be implemented in various settings, from corporate training to local communities, and of course, university seminars. All you need is a book and peers with intellectual curiosity.
Reading a book is a dialogue with the author. However, ABD adds a new dimension: "dialogue with peers." When the interpretation of a text intersects with others' perspectives, a chemical reaction occurs, leading to unexpected "emergence" (new insights). That moment is the true essence of ABD and the most creative moment of learning.
If you've read this essay, why not take the plunge into the world of Active Book Dialogue? You'll likely find that books, learning, and the world itself will look a little different than they did yesterday.
Through ABD, why not embark on a rich learning journey of "encountering books, connecting with peers, and creating yourself"?
Published: July 30, 2025
Author: Masato Otsuka