| Ever wonder if children get any benefit from listening | | | | child feels as though they're actually reading. This is |
| to audio books as compared to reading a | | | | an enormous benefit when encouraging a life-long |
| book.There's been studies done that show that | | | | love of books and reading in the very young. |
| children as young as 5 years old do gain a variety of | | | | A more obvious, but no less important benefit of |
| benefits from listening to audio books. | | | | listening to stories is that it improves a child's listening |
| Some of the benefits include: | | | | skills. More than half of our learning or accumulation of |
| - Improving listening and comprehension skills | | | | knowledge is achieved through just listening. Through |
| - Increasing vocabulary | | | | just listening to audio books on CD or cassette |
| - Learning the proper pronunciation of words | | | | children's concentration is improved and they become |
| - Learning to "see" a story by using imagination | | | | better listeners and thereby better learners. Listening |
| instead of illustrations | | | | to stories is still a great way to spend quality time |
| - Getting motivated to read more by an author | | | | together as a family and it has been shown to |
| they've been introduced to through an audiobook | | | | improve a child's conversation skills and to encourage |
| - Engaging a child's interest in a way that a parent | | | | them to express themselves. |
| reading aloud may not | | | | Children are encouraged to use their imaginations and |
| - Providing an enjoyable family activity | | | | "paint" their own pictures of characters and places. |
| By listening to audio books children are presented | | | | The overall effect of this is one of entertainment |
| with an opportunity to hear language thereby | | | | and enjoyment thereby strengthening the link |
| providing them the correct use of grammar and also | | | | between books and pleasure. This is particularly |
| giving them the chance to hear the correct | | | | important for parents struggling with reluctant or |
| pronunciation of new or difficult words. | | | | problem readers. |
| Another benefit of audio books is that they can play | | | | BENEFITS FOR PARENTS |
| a vital role in bridging the gap in young children whose | | | | One last benefit is for the parents. Audio books can |
| understanding and comprehension is greater than | | | | give often exhausted parents a break from reading |
| their reading skill. In allowing them to "read" along with | | | | to their child. What better way to relax and end the |
| an audio book this frustration can be avoided as the | | | | day than to cuddle up together and just listen. |