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Benefits of Audio Books for Children Learning to Read

These days, audio books are becoming more and more available. Their increase in popularity shouldn’t come as a surprise — they provide a range of benefits that many people are only now discovering. Aside from being enjoyable, audio books are great for teaching reading and spelling.

For students who are struggling with these subjects, audio books can really make a difference in their educational experience. Keep reading to discover all the benefits that you and your children or students can enjoy by listening to audio books.

  1. Convenience

    One of the first benefits of audio books that most people think of is convenience. As great as it is to enjoy some quiet time with a book, it’s hard to find free time to set aside for reading. However, even if you don’t have extra time in your schedule to dedicate to reading, you can try to find ways to combine it with other elements of your daily routine, such as when you’re in the car. Because you don’t need to hold audio books in your hands or look at them as you listen, they can be enjoyed in situations where reading is not possible. As long as you have a phone and a set of headphones, you can listen to audio books as you walk or drive to school, do chores outside, tidy your room, or clean up around the house. These are just a few of the situations where audio books are very convenient!

  2. Immersive and Engaging

    Many people think of convenience when they think of audio books, but a lot of audio-book listeners also find them to be more immersive and engaging than reading. Nowadays, a large percentage of audio books are recorded with professional voice actors and narrators that do a lot more than simply read the words on the page. These professionals bring life to the stories they narrate, adding emotion, excitement, and tension that fits perfectly with what they’re reading. This can greatly add to our enjoyment. In fact, many people like to listen to audio books as they read along with a physical book, saying that it helps them focus and creates a more immersive experience.

    In addition to increasing our enjoyment, the ability for audio books to make reading more immersive and engaging is very important for young readers. Audio books can be a great way to build a love of reading for students who struggle to read on their own or simply have a hard time sitting still for long periods of time. It can encourage their imagination and help them picture the vivid worlds and stories that books contain.

  3. Helps Build Listening Comprehension

    Listening comprehension is a vital skill for young children. Children naturally build listening comprehension as people talk to them and around them, but when audio books are added to their learning routine, kids benefit from hearing vocabulary, accents, tones, and inflections that are not part of the way their family, friends, and teachers usually speak. This can greatly help with their confidence and comprehension as they face new challenges throughout their education.

    (Check out our blog post on other ways to build listening comprehension!)

  4. Helps Develop Fluency

    One of the most important benefits of audio books, especially for children who are learning how to read, is their ability to serve as fluency role models. When we learn to read, it is important to hear others read well. This demonstrates what is possible and provides a target level to aspire to. When children hear fluent reading, it becomes easier for them to mimic the tone, speed, and inflections that contribute to fluency. It can also make it much easier for them to remember the meaning and pronunciation of new words. This is a big part of why parents and teachers are encouraged to read aloud to their children and students.

    a girl and her mom reading together in bed

  5. Gives Your Voice a Rest

    Many children love being read to, and reading aloud to children is highly recommended. Just like listening to audio books, this cherished activity builds listening comprehension and provides children with fluency role models. However, reading aloud for long periods of time can be tiring for your voice. Adding the occasional audio book to your read-aloud time can give you a break, and it lets you and your student or child enjoy listening together. That means you can laugh together at the funny parts, react together to exciting moments, and turn reading from a solitary activity into something you enjoy together!

Resources

Ready to get your hands on some audio books yourself? Thankfully, we have some great resources and examples to get you started. Take a look at some of our favorite audio books and audio-book providers:

  • The Ramona Quimby Collection by Beverly Cleary (narrated by Stockard Channing)
  • Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (narrated by George Plimpton)
  • Redwall by Brian Jacques (narrated by full cast)
  • KidsRead2Kids – KidsRead2Kids was founded by siblings with dyslexia and ADHD to bring joy and confidence to struggling readers. They provide free video/audio books read by kids for kids, filmed chapter by chapter for easy listening. This is a great resource for homeschooling parents and primary teachers.
  • Learning Ally is a non-profit organization committed to helping dyslexic, blind, and visually impaired students thrive. Check out our blog post for more information on how to get a membership with Learning Ally.

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Shannon

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We love to check out playaways from the library for our audiobooks- they’re simple enough that even my three year old can use them. And as a bonus, when my six year Olds began reading chapter books, they started with some they had already listened to a lot which made them more familiar with the characters and plots so they could focus on the words.

Nichole Casula

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Im so exited to try the AAR level 1 collection

Nichole Casula

says:
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Im so exited to try this!!

Patricia Barrett

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Some great ideas. I think my grandchildren would like these.

Adrian Bold

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I know that my nephew loves audio books.

Amy

says:

We are an audio book loving family! My eldest daughter has always loved books. We gifted her a Yoto player for her 4th birthday and we have all discovered a love for audio books! We love charlottes web and Heidi is a family favourite! I myself have grown to love books now! I catch myself wanting to listen with her to find out what happens next!
We have started the All About Reading Pre-reading program and hope to encourage a love for reading!

Stacey

says: Customer Service

That’s so wonderful, Amy! I’m so glad your family has truly enjoyed audio books. Charlotte’s Web was a family favorite of ours too. It sounds like you are doing a great job encouraging a love of reading in your children!

Morgan

says:

I’m really excited to use this course with my kids!

Stacey

says: Customer Service

Thank you, Morgan! Please let me know if I can help in any way!

Natosha

says:

Really great info and helpful. Audio books to read along or listen and visualize is a nice way to fall in love with reading.

Stacey

says: Customer Service

You’re so right, Natosha! Audiobooks are such an amazing way to fall in love with reading.

maria

says:

My niece loves audio books, I think it has definitely helped her to learn words and certain pronounciations

Stacey

says: Customer Service

That’s wonderful, Maria! Audiobooks are a great way to help with vocabulary and pronunciation of words. I’m so happy to hear your neice is really enjoying them.

Miranda

says:

My oldest loves audio books I need to find some that my youngest will like also! Thank you for the suggestions!

Stacey

says: Customer Service

You are so welcome, Miranda! I hope you find some that your youngest enjoys!

Susie

says:

My daughter loves audio books so it was great to read this!

Bethany A

says:

My 7 year old is obsessed with audiobooks- sometimes we have to limit them so other things get done, lol! It’s nice to see that it’s really beneficial.

Stacey

says: Customer Service

What a wonderful problem to have, Bethany! I’m so glad to hear that your 7 year old loves audiobooks!

Johana Santos

says:

Audiobooks can be such a great tool at any age.

Stacey

says: Customer Service

You’re so right, Johana! They are so great!

Courtney C

says:

We use them daily!

Johana S

says:

Audiobooks are such a great tool and so engaging for children.

Tammy Tudor

says:

I remember listening to tape books as I child and now I love reading and audiobooks!

Robin E. Williams

says: Customer Service

Tammy,
I had The Hobbit on cassette! I love how much more convenient audiobooks are now that they are digital.

Tara

says:

Audiobooks have been such a great resource for my 6 children. Especially the ones who are auditory learners!!

Robin E. Williams

says: Customer Service

Tara,
Yes! Such a great resource!

Allie Cull

says:

We love audiobooks for car rides and at bedtime!

Robin E. Williams

says: Customer Service

Those are great times for audiobooks!

Stephanie

says:

Ohh! Thanks for the resources!

Robin E. Williams

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Stephanie!

Susan B

says:

An interesting post. Thank you. It is clear just watching children enjoy audio books that they are an excellent source of entertainment and education. They are also an excellent base for channels of learning as children grow up: doing, seeing and hearing should carry equal importance though children will subconsciously default to the channel with which they are most comfortable.

Robin E. Williams

says: Customer Service

Yes, great points, Susan! While people do move toward the learning method they are most comfortable with, but it is possible with practice to become just as comfortable with the other way too. That’s why it’s so important to expose our children to both!

Jennifer

says:

Love this program!

Kate

says:

I have very pleasant memories of audiobooks in the car when I was young. I am looking forward to using them in the very near future with my children too.

Noelle

says:

Audio books are a great no screen story time. We use them daily while I make lunch

Gina

says:

We love using audiobooks, especially in the car!

Korrie Pyeritz

says:

We love to use audio books!

Lindsey

says:

My boys absolutely love audiobooks. The Yoto player has been a game changer!

Sara Bennett

says:

We love audiobooks! It helps my dyslexic kid expand her vocabulary and comprehension!

Charly

says:

We started audio books a couple of months ago!

Margaret gallagher

says:

Great ideas for the girls – sure they’d love so much

Margaret gallagher

says:

Great ideas for the girls – sure they’d love