Audio books are becoming more and more popular as people with no time to sit down and read a book take advantage of iPods and MP3 players to listen to the latest bestseller as they rush through their daily lives. Where is the place of audio books for kids though, at a time when we are struggling to promote literacy for all and encourage kids to read?
Audio books can work very well alongside printed books for kids that have grasped the basics of reading but need to develop vocabulary. They can sit down with the printed book and follow the text as they listen to it being read on a CD or MP3 download.
Not only does the reading aloud bring the story to life, at a time when slowness of reading skills can frustrate children when they are trying to make out a plot line, but it means that they can cope with more complicated vocabulary than they might otherwise be able to.
Hearing a book read aloud as an audio book teaches them the correct pronunciation of words that might otherwise be hard to work out from the complexities of English spelling.
By listening to the same story over and over as children love to do, they can memorize it and will suddenly find that they can actually 'read' the printed book with the help of their memory. This soon translates to real reading as word recognition increases.
Of course if parents have time to read aloud to their children this is invaluable in developing a love of reading, but today when we are hard-pressed to find the time for more than a quick bed-time story, audio books give us another way of satisfying our children's demand for more stories and give them the love of good books and the motivation to learn to read themselves. I don't think that audio books should replace reading to your children, nothing can be better than snuggling up to Mom or Dad on the sofa, but they can supplement reading time when Mom or Dad are too busy to sit still!.
Another perfect way to use audio books for kids is on long car journeys. Take along a few favorite audio books as MP3 downloads and as long as each child has his own MP3 player you can get through hours of tedious driving with barely a complaint!
I really do recommend that each child should have their own system though. If you expect them to use the car CD system you'll end up listening to endless squabbles over what to listen to next. Either that or you'll be screaming with boredom as they repeat the same favorite story for the ninety-ninth time!
The huge range of books available as audio books, from Harry Potter to Roald Dahl, means that there is something for each age group and endless variety, from the classics like Winnie the Pooh and the Narnia series to the latest Philip Pullman.
If you want to build up a collection of kids' audio books in an affordable way consider joining an online audio book club, where for a reasonable monthly fee you can download one or more books every month, according to your membership plan. Your only problem will be in resisting the enticing books on offer for adults and heading over to the kids' section!
However, the creators of such books are making an effort to make the experience as attractive, interesting, and as interactive as possible. They are also coming up with fully dramatized versions of books packed with sound effects and music.
These books started off as audiocassettes, however, with the technological advancement they are being distributed as CDs and in digital formats. CDs are more popular than audiocassettes and take a major share of the audio book market. Major publishers release new audio books with the release of every successful title.
Parenting groups recommend reading at a very early age. Parents who want to make their children read but find the kids very reluctant to do so, can make use of such audio books. Some parents who are unable to give much time to their kids can make it up by using such audio books. These books can be used even while traveling to and from schools or even on drives during vacations. Rather than just tuning in to the radio, the audio books make the drive livelier.
These books can be interesting, not just for the kids but for the parents also. Audio books can be used to make reading an enjoyable family activity. These books inspire children to imagine characters. It helps build up strong relation between audio and visual. They can learn proper sentence structure and correct grammar usage.
Teachers in the schools also use the audio books. They are using them to improve listening and comprehension skills. They also assist in increasing the students' vocabulary and improving the students' pronunciation of words. Audio books aid the teachers in teaching second language learners and students with learning disabilities and non-readers.
These books have allowed the teachers to introduce the students to literature and make reading books more captivating. Though there are benefits of such books, the schools tend to keep away from them as they are expensive and need support like a cassette player or a CD player, headphones etc.
However, with the cost coming down of late there is an increased acceptance. It is important for schools and school libraries to research before they buy audio books. Single author, whole length books read by the author are preferable. Even sources such as online audio books are gaining popularity. Many audio books can be downloaded from an online store to an iPod, MP3 player or can be put on a CD.
Audio books are no replacement for reading from a book, but they can help develop a love for reading and build self-confidence among the children. More and more teachers are also finding this technique useful and are introducing it in the classrooms.
Both Kit Heathcock & Victor Epand are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kit Heathcock has sinced written about articles on various topics from Audio Books, Photography and Cooking Tips. Kit Heathcock is a freelance writer, editor and mother of three currently collaborating on ,. Kit Heathcock's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
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