#32 Are Audiobooks Cheating?

Are audiobooks and immersion readers just a new way to cheat? The short answer is no. In this episode, I share information on audiobooks and immersion readers, and the positive impact they can have on reading difficulties for dyslexic students. 

 

Research shows that using audiobooks and immersion readers (also called ear readers) can only help increase your child’s reading skills. Reading difficulties can lead to anxiety, specifically for students with dyslexia. Audiobooks can alleviate this anxiety by providing an alternative way of accessing information and contributing to the development of vocabulary and pronunciation. Since students with dyslexia may struggle with reading and decoding unfamiliar words and phrases, hearing words can be particularly beneficial. 

 

Audiobooks can also help develop background knowledge and support grade-level content. A dyslexic spends so much trying to decode words in a sentence they often can't fully comprehend what they read, but audiobooks bypass this challenge. They also allow dyslexic students to stay on track with their peers and fully participate in class. Our goal is to teach students how to learn on their own, not to regurgitate information. 

 

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Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcast platform.

 

Topics Covered:

  • Are audiobooks and immersion readers cheating?
  • A 2007 study on “listening to learn”
  • A 2013 study on audiobooks for reading comprehension
  • Benefits of audio learning 
  • How dyslexic students respond to audio learning 

 

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