An Ear for Reading: Audiobooks Take
Center Stage in the Classroom
SLJ:
5.04.2021 by Melanie Kletter
As educators adjusted to a radically
altered learning environment last fall, high school librarian Erin Cassaro
realized she needed to do something different to support the literacy needs of
her students.
“We knew it would be difficult for
kids to have access to physical books, so we invested a lot in ebooks and
audiobooks,” says Cassaro, who works in Dublin (OH) City Schools. “What we have
seen this year is that when kids are exposed to audiobooks and get a chance to
experience them, they are hooked.”
Cassaro is one of many librarians and
classroom teachers around the country who are increasing their use of
audiobooks as a teaching tool. With many students learning from home this year,
there has been a surge in the use of all digtal [sic] resources in schools,
including ebooks and audiobooks. According to SLJ’s 2020 School Library Budget
& Spending Survey, about 30 percent of respondents reported that they
planned to spend more on audiobooks this school year.
Educators are using audiobooks in new
ways to teach material and help students build literacy skills. Instead of
using audiobooks as a learning station, where one student at a time or a few
students listen to them during reading time, many educators are using them for
entire class reading assignments and class discussions. Teachers in some
schools are using audiobooks as a social-emotional tool by playing guided
mindfulness recordings to help students relax and focus in class. New tech
resources have made it easier for students to access audiobooks both at school
and at home, enabling families to listen to books together and practice and
reinforce skills that students are learning in class.
🔽
New uses in schools
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 students are not decoding and figuring out the
words as they read. However, researchers and educators now recognize the many
benefits of audiobooks for learners of all ages and abilities.
“Audiobooks are reading,” says Denise
Johnson, a professor of reading education at William & Mary who studies
literacy learning and conducts research on the uses of technology in education.
“The idea that we must decode in order to read is an unfair way to think about
it. The goal is comprehension.”
When kids can’t decode, it can make a
book inaccessible, says Johnson. “But just because a kid can’t read at a high
level, that doesn’t mean they can’t understand and comprehend at a high level.
Using audiobooks opens up access and levels the playing field. Kids can all
listen to the same book and then can talk and discuss it and have rich
conversations.”
Audiobooks also help with fluency,
since students hear the way a story should sound when it is read. This benefits
students who struggle with reading as well as students who are English language
learners.
Resources
Audible
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.
Bookshare
Bookshare provides ebooks and audiobooks for students and adults with diagnosed
reading disabilities. Free for students and schools.
Follett
Follett offers an array of print and digital resources for schools and
libraries, including a large selection of audiobooks. Subscribers pick the
titles and collections they want to purchase.
Learning Ally
This nonprofit organization provides audiobooks and other resources to students
and adults who have a diagnosed reading difficulty. Its reading app for schools
includes more than 80,000 audiobooks available for a fee.
LibriVox
This site provides free public domain audiobooks that are read by volunteers
from around the world. It has hundreds of books for kids, including many
classics.
Libro.fm
This is a subscription audiobook service like Audible, but purchases benefit
the indie bookseller of the buyer’s choice.
Mackin
Mackin has a variety of print and digital resources available for schools and
libraries, with many audiobooks. Subscribers choose titles and collections for
purchase.
Sora
This OverDrive reading app designed for schools has a large selection of
audiobooks and ebooks. The content available for student use is selected by the
district or school.
Storynory
This site provides free audio stories for kids, including many classic fairy
tales, original stories, and some nonfiction. The stories can be accessed
through the Storynory website or app.
SYNC
AudioFile magazine runs this free audiobook summer reading program
for teenagers. Participants 13 and older receive two free audiobooks a week
during the summer, accessible through the Sora app.
Tales2go
An audiobooks subscription service for schools through which subscribers get
full access to more than 10,000 titles.
READ
MORE ➤➤
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 11
Reading Level: fairly difficult to
read.
Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old
(Tenth to Eleventh graders)
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