Audiobook Benefits and Resources

When I was growing up, I was led to believe those who listened to audiobooks were taking the "easy way out"--they didn't have to actually flip pages and read through the story. However, the more I investigate audiobooks, the more my eyes are opened to the benefits of providing these for your children. Here are just some of the benefits I can see:

1. Ear training--helps students listen, focus, and hear the details of the stories.


2. Fluency--if providing high quality audiobooks, students will learn how words connect within sentences and sentences connect within paragraphs and how paragraphs connect within a story.


3. Pronunciation and grammar skills--students will learn the correct way to pronounce words.


4. Vocabulary--Broadens student vocabulary.


5. Critical Thinking Skills--go ahead, discuss the audiobooks after you listen to them with your children.


6. Time Saver--Let's face it; we always seem to have less and less time. Instead of feeling guilty for not reading as much to your children as you would like, read to them as much as you can and play an audiobook when you need to get other things finished.

When can you listen to audiobooks?

• When you're doing chores, such as the laundry, or making dinner.


• While running errands.


• While planning school activities.


• While the kids are doing chores.


• While gardening.


• Road trips!

Here are some great FREE audiobook links:

Storynory.com

Audiobookscorner.com

Kids Learn Out Loud

Free Audiobooks

Librivox (my favorite!)

My daughters listened to part of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on satellite radio today in the car when we were on a long drive. I didn't tell them it was on, but after a few minutes, Lovely started asking me questions about it. Then... it became silent in the backseat for the rest of the drive! You can only imagine how excited I was!

You can also check out lots of audiobooks at local libraries, and some libraries have audiobooks on their websites. Remember to help your children select an appropriate audiobook and try to listen to it before your child listens to it. Then, you can listen to it together and discuss it afterward, perhaps notebooking about it!