If you have never listened to an audiobook, you likely have heard YouTubers who are sponsored by Audible.com. Audiobooks are fantastic to have on a long road trip, when trying to learn a new language, or as some noise in the background while you work. Emerging in 1932, audiobooks were first recorded on vinyl records by the American Foundation for the Blind. These days, audiobooks are most commonly used for leisure or educational purposes.
But exactly how effective are audiobooks when it comes to developing literacy? One of Book Bears’ missions is to find the best ways to promote literacy in the community. Let’s start with the definition of literacy. Oxford defines literacy simply as “the ability to read and write.” So, specifically, the question to answer is whether or not audiobooks can be a useful tool in teaching reading and writing.
READING
Audiobooks may be only sound, but that doesn’t mean they cannot be useful in improving reading skills. Of course, audio alone will not teach someone to read, but audiobooks truly shine when paired with a physical copy. For me, this was especially apparent in my Spanish classes when we needed to read a text that was especially difficult. Having a voice read out each word as I scanned the page almost always made the reading much more comprehensible, and even helped me remember how certain words were pronounced. These "Audiobooks" aided me in improving my Spanish reading skills when I had the text handy.
The same goes for English, or whatever one's first language might be. When younger children are first learning to sound out new words, it is likely beneficial to have a recording (or even a parent!) reading out loud, along with the child. Hearing how some words are pronounced can help children learn to speak as well, especially since language acquisition is based on repetition and replication.
WRITING
A fundamental aspect of writing is having diverse vocabulary, which audiobooks can help with! Not surprisingly, hearing and reading at the same time make vocabulary acquisition much easier. Activating two (three, if you count touch) of the five senses during the process makes it more likely for new vocabulary to stick. Because reading and writing are so closely connected, it may help some students to have a voice in their head that helps them remember vocabulary and maybe even spelling.
Audiobooks might not be replacing paper copies any time soon, but they are a fantastic resource to help anyone gain literacy skills quickly. Their wide accessibility and environmental friendliness make them a great resource for someone at any language level. From vinyl records to smart devices, audiobooks have developed into a learning resource for all.
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