People always seem to assume that listening to an audiobook doesn’t “count” as reading. I suppose there is some truth to this. You aren’t actually reading any words. But I am of the opinion that they most definitely count! And they are sometimes a far better option than reading the hard copy! There are many audiobooks whose narrators bring the story to life in a very powerful and imaginative way. This can really help students capture the vision of the story and fall in love with reading. Read further for my list of the best audiobooks to use in your homeschool.
Audiobooks can foster a love for reading
I have always been an audiobook lover. I think it was my grandma who got me started. She always had one playing in her car whenever I was with her (it was usually a mystery novel). Now my kids are just as enthralled with audiobooks as I am and one of our favorite things to do is take long drives around town just so we can finish another chapter. And the best part about it is that I totally count that listening time as school time!
There is so much learning happening when we listen to audiobooks. Many feel that listening doesn’t count and that the only way to truly read a book is to literally read it. I don’t fall under that category at all. Throughout the years, my kids have listened to audiobooks that are far above their reading level abilities and have grown to love stories that they wouldn’t have otherwise. They have increased their vocabularies and have been drawn into other worlds through the superb storytelling of the narrators.
One other thing I’ve noticed about my kids listening to great audiobooks is that it lays a foundation for a love of reading. I can’t tell you how many times, after finishing an audiobook, they run to find our hard copy of the book to look at all the pictures and then to re-read it themselves! Often too they will listen to the audiobook again while reading the book along with it.
Audiobooks have the power not only to draw kids into the world of the story, but also to train them in how to read a story. Oftentimes they can listen to an audiobook that is above their reading level and understand the flow of sentences better. It trains them in how to read different character voices and increases their vocabularies.
Audiobooks should clearly not replace the reading of books! But don’t underestimate the benefits of a great audiobook, especially one read by a great narrator! They can and should be used in your homeschool.
Here are our family’s favorite audiobooks, all read by outstanding narrators. I hope you enjoy them in your homeschool as much as we have!
I hope these titles give you a start in finding great audiobooks to use in your homeschool!
One tip for finding good audiobooks is to find ones read by your favorite narrator. Our favorites include many of those listed here: Cherry Jones, Jim Dale, Edward Herrmann, John McDonough, Peter Coyote, and Andy Serkis. Nearly everything read by them is sure to be a hit!
Looking for more books for your elementary students? Check out my list of the best living books for them right here.
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