AUDIO BOOKS
How are audio books used?
Audio books are used with the actual book. A child listens to a recorded story while reading the words on the page. Then a passage is selected to be read aloud and discussed. Audio books, when used correctly, will increase your child’s vocabulary, comprehension and language development. Just as importantly, audio books increase children’s love of reading.
Do I have to buy the audio books?
No. High quality children’s books are available free at public libraries and can be checked out as CDs or electronic downloads. For a list of audio books by grade level click here. This list of 235 audio books is organized by grade level. These are all high quality children’s books and most of the titles are available through Hillsborough county library and other libraries.
TumbleBooks is an excellent online program and is available free through Hillsborough and Pasco libraries. Books are read aloud as text is highlighted.
Why audio books?
Our brains are hard-wired to create meaning from the sound of human voices (not from printed symbols). Many children have trouble connecting written words to spoken words, and this difficulty can continue for many years. The visual stimulus (printed words) only has meaning for them when words are heard and seen at the same time.
Audio books are used to bring children’s literature into the daily program. Children show a growing interest in books and a general growth in language skills, which helps in all areas of school work. You may think: This takes too much time or, I want my child reading independently, not listening to a recording. But these objections will melt away once you experience the effectiveness of audio books.
Reading by Design shows you how to use this material in the most effective manner and incorporate it into a balanced reading.
Learning to track text in a book while listening to a story is an important skill, which can be taught using a hand-over-hand technique. Have your child place an index finger on top of yours as you track the text and read slowly. Practice together. After your child is able to read one sentence back, gradually extend the amount of text to two and then three sentences. Be sensitive to possible frustration. This work is difficult for some children and must be introduced slowly.