There are many things that you may be trying to do to get your kids turned on to reading. Reading to them out loud from the time they are babies is one way to spark their interest. But, there are other ways to show children that books are their ticket to greater imagination and enhanced learning. Books on audio are tools that you can use to further your child’s interest in the written word. Let your child listen to his favorite stories at home, in the car or even on the school bus. It helps to also have a hardcopy of the book available so that he can follow the narrator’s words as the story is being told. His language and comprehensive skills will be enhanced with each word that he hears and reads. He will also learn much as he integrates the words with his real life events and experiences.
Older children also will get benefits from listening to audio books. As children grow up, there is less time spent reading aloud. By having your older child listen to an audio book, his learning continues to accelerate. And, how cool is it to have headphones on and no one really knows you are actually enhancing your brain cells? It also gives you an excellent opportunity to promote an open discussion about the story he has just heard. Many real life events in a teenagers life relate directly to a story being told on audio.
Audio books are suitable for people of all ages and skill levels. They are used readily in schools for things such as second-language skills and for students with a variety of reading problems. They also are used quite often for special education students because of the auditory stimulation they provide. These students sometimes have no other way to enjoy written books and audio books give them this great opportunity for learning. More gifted students can also use audio books to enhance their knowledge base and provide them with more challenges for their inquisitive minds. Books on audio are appropriate and recommended for everyone as a way to light their literary fire!