With the long periods of time that children have spent learning from home over the past year, there has been a surge in the use of all digital resources in schools, including ebooks and audiobooks, as teaching tools.
In many schools teachers have been using audiobooks in new ways to teach material and help children build literacy skills. Audiobooks can also be used as a social-emotional tool by playing guided mindfulness sessions to help children to relax and focus.
New technological resources, such as the wider distribution of Chromebooks across the year groups here at Barrow Hills, have made it easier for us all to access audiobooks both at school and at home. Hopefully this has enabled families to listen to books together and has also given parents more insight into what their children are choosing to read themselves, as well as the teacher-led choices of class reading books.
Audiobooks themselves have been around for decades, but the format really took off in the 1990s when companies became able to compress files and release books digitally. With the rise of smartphones and audiobook apps, audiobook sales have grown rapidly in recent years, fueled by companies such as Audible and Apple. In 2020, audiobook sales rose by over 17% on the previous year, according to a recent report, the data also shows that one in six books sold last year was in the digital audio format. Some authors are now skipping print altogether and writing content that goes straight to Audible (owned by Amazon). The production level has also improved with high sound quality and many being read by well-known actors.
There are many advantages to using audiobooks in conjunction with traditional reading. Children who are reluctant to pick up a book can often be persuaded to listen to an audiobook instead, still developing a love for literature but through a different channel. And, really all we want as parents and teachers, is for our children to love books and reading. If audiobooks can increase their love of literacy, then this must be a good thing.
When it comes to using audiobooks as a learning tool in schools, there has long been debate about whether audiobooks count as ‘real’ reading, since it does not require children to decode words using traditional phonic methods. However, researchers and educators now recognize the many benefits of audiobooks for learners of all ages and abilities.
Denise Johnson, a professor of reading education in the US, is quite clear in her assertion that ‘audiobooks are reading.’ Professor Johnson studies literacy and learning, and conducts research on the uses of technology in education. She believes, “the idea that we must decode in order to read is an unfair way to think about it’ because the goal when reading is actually to achieve a level of comprehension”.
When children struggle to decode, it can make a book inaccessible to them, but just because a child cannot read at a high level, doesn’t mean they cannot understand and comprehend at a high level. Using audiobooks opens up access to a wider range of books and levels the playing field. Everyone can listen to the same book and can subsequently discuss it as equals. Listening to an audiobook version alongside a traditional book can bring benefits for all ages and abilities.
In my opinion, one of the best things about audiobooks is the opportunity to listen as a family, without the use of screens, whether that is around the dinner table or in the car, creating fabulous opportunities to discuss shared experiences of the same story and I have many happy memories of listening to Agatha Christie stories (on audio cassettes!) as a child with my family on long car journeys.
Here are a few resources links for audiobooks;
Audible by Amazon
Audible has the world’s largest selection of audiobooks. Offerings for young people include a selection of free audiobooks that became available during the pandemic. Audible requires an individual membership, and each title must be purchased.
Alexa
Try asking your Alexa device to ‘Read me a story’ or ‘Read bedtime stories’ or ‘Open Disney Stories’ for a selection of free content. The content changes regularly.
Harper Collins Children’s Books
UK based publisher with s selection of free audio books and sample books. Scroll to the bottom of the page linked above. Many for younger children.
LibriVox
This site provides free public domain audiobooks that is based in the US but are read by volunteers from around the world. It has hundreds of books for children, including many classics.
Storynory
A selection of free audio-stories for all ages. Navigate the site using top bar for categories.
Mrs Emmett, Librarian
