No Way!
There are those who believe that sitting down and reading each word on the page is only way to read. The first of several definitions of read on Dictionary.com is this: to look at carefully so as to understand the meaning of (something written, printed, etc.): to read a book; to read music. This certainly implies that reading requires physical examination of the written words.
Some teachers say that they won’t allow students to read with audiobooks because it is cheating. To them, reading without a physical book is not actually reading at all.
Audio Books for Academics
Of Course!
The 4th definition of read is: to apprehend the meaning of (signs, characters, etc.) otherwise than with the eyes, as by means of the fingers: to read Braille. To me, that implies that listening to book is also reading.
There are obvious cases where listening to books is acceptable. In the case of visually disabled students, this is a suitable option. Learning disabled students often utilize audio options as well. For some reason, there seems to be discrimination against those who choose alternative means of obtaining an author’s information.
My Take:
Children (who are able) must learn to visually interpret the written word in the form of reading. Once they have acquired the skill, audio options can be considered. Keep in mind, that in a testing situation as well as in multiple school circumstances, children will be required to physically read. But for supplementary reading, there is no reason to avoid using audio.
My preference is for my children to combine visual and audio reading. If they are struggling, often adding the audio component as they follow the written words will help them to comprehend the meaning of the book. What’s your take?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I would love to be able to get audio textbooks for my son, who is ADD but not on meds. He is in Honors classes and he has a hard time keeping up with the focus it requires to complete all of the reading. I think this would be a fantastic tool for schools to incorporate for those children who don’t learn the traditional ways the schools teach.
I am 24 years old and have never listened to an audio book before, until recently. I’ve found that it has changed the way I read generally – for the better.
I used to read very quickly. I adopted the notion of getting from point A to point B in the quickest time possible while comprehending meaning. Needless to say I started becoming impatient at times; skipping over a few words; not giving myself enough time to comprehend meaning. I became frustrated when I realised I had read a whole page, yet conjored no meaning what so ever! This inevitably forced me to read the whole page again slowly, which only exacerbated my frustration at myself.
After listening to a few audio books, I finally appreciate the art of words. No longer is my goal to reach point B – it is now to absorb the beauty of the authors art.
However, allowing young children, still learning to read, to supplement literature with audio books is another matter altogether. I have no opinion on this at the moment.
Hi Jaspal,
I find your comment very interesting, as I am very much like you. I am by nature very impatient and when reading a book, I have a tendency to read very quickly and at times not fully comprehend what I have just read. I then find myself needing to go back and read perhaps two or three paragraphs again, very frustrating. Did you know that some media players have the ability to speed up the narration slightly! Perhaps this would be a feature that would be ideal for you and me
In reference to children learning to read, I believe that Audiobooks are a great tool for assisting children too hear a word being pronounced correctly and in context. Many teachers at schools encourage children to listen to an audio book while following along with the unabridged traditional book. This method apparently has proven to be very beneficial in helping children learn to read, as well as encouraging them to read more.
Pete