Homeschooling through fun, faith and a little bit of chaos!

Apr. 23, 2008

Actual Books vs. Audio Books

I am struggling to get Christian to enjoy reading. He will read when forced but will try to rush through it and doesn't get out of the book what he needs to get. I did find some old Choose your own adventure books that he seemed to like at a book store and we will go to half priced books and see if we can find more, but he needs more than those. They are small skinny books that don't have much content. Now here is where my issue comes into play. My dear hubby Chris suggested we get Christian some audio books and let him "read" that way. He would be getting the content, hearing the book completely and he doesn't have to sit still to do it. Now I love my hubby for trying to brainstorm and help. He knows I've been getting frustrated (hubby, myself and our older son are avid readers), however I have always thought that audio books were the "lazy" way to read. Please anyone who uses audio books don't take offense, this is just my own personal feeling. I just feel that by picking up the actual book, looking at the words and immersing yourself in that book is so much better than listening to it. It seems that it would be so much easier to get distratcted while listening to the book therefore not getting everything out of the book that you need to. I suppose I should let him try and see if it works better but I just am having a big issue with it. Does anyone out there have an opinion on this? Should I try it for a couple of books and see how it works or should I continue on insisting that he sit down with me and actually read out loud? Mind you he's almost 11 years old and the older he gets the more reading he will be required to do. I'm trying to fix this now. I don't know where he lost the love of reading. Perhaps it was because he spent 5 years in the public school system and they don't put a big enough emphasis on reading here or maybe he just plain hates reading. Either way, I have to figure this out. Possibly if he gets into the audio books enough he will slowly start to gravitate to reading actual books but I"m not sure. I"m worried that my dislike for audio books is getting in the way of a possible solution to my problem. Any help or advice ya'll can give would be wonderful!

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Comments

Apr. 23, 2008 - Book Issues

Posted by mom45angels

Also try www.dailylit.org It is a great site where you find tons of books.....and they send you daily readings from the books.....they have a huge FREE section. So everyday in your email you get a small part of the book. I'm pre-reading Swiss Family Robinson for Cameron using this!!! Did I mention FREE????

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Apr. 25, 2008 - Audio Books

Posted by jeydan

Here's my opinion. As you know, Patrick hates to read. He cannot stand to be still for that long...he's 13 now. We have fought for 4 years on this issue!
We have recently started with Audio Books. (The library has a huge selection.) At this point he's listened to the entire Harry Potter series. I watched how he listened to them.
This was something he wanted to read, but just could not bring himself to take the time so I gave in...feeling much like you do about Audio Books. There's just something about the feel and smell of a book, getting lost in the words, creating the picrtures in your mind, etc., etc., etc.
I noticed he listened anywhere and anytime he could. In his room, at bedtime, while doing chores, even asking if he could listen while we were driving about town. I was surprised. We discussed the books during and afterwards. I wanted to know if he got anything from the story, recollection, etc. He retained much more of the book than I ever imagined. He went throug ALL 7 books in 2 weeks!!!
I think for books that I want him to read for school I will try having him read along with the Audio Book. I'm not sure that will help, though. He still will have to sit still.
I am working all of this out on my own. I am thinking of having him listen to a book, then having him give an oral report of the story. If I've read the book (which I try to do anyway) we can discuss the greater meanings...a bit of TJEd there). I still struggle with the fact that God gave me a child so very different from me. I mean a person that cannot stand to read coming from me?? Well, all I can say is that he IS after all his father's son.
Please excuse the rambling. You know me though!
CW

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Apr. 25, 2008 - I agree

Posted by Jazzcreations

with the previous poster. While my kids LOVE to read, they also love to listen to audio books and seem to remember a whole lot of it. I would let him listen to some that he wants to read on tape, but still make him read aloud to you for certain books. Just my two cents though. Glad to see you're back among the living - with the internet I mean.

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May. 27, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

Have you had your son evaluated for reading/learning problems? (i.e.-dyslexia, etc.)
I am 23, a former homeschooler, with 3 yrs of college (honors). I am severely dyslexic, and though I love to read (at the age of seven I was reading a hundred chapter books a month to get my book-it pizza), I never would have made it through college without audio books. For me its not a matter of laziness, I simply do not have the ability to get what I need to out of the printed book. Forcing print reading "practice" will not change that, it is a matter of physical ability. If your son is evaluated, and it is shown that he has a reading disability, National Library Services has a really great audio book program (free) for which he should qualify. I do still read print books (some of my pleasure reading), but if there is something (textbook, etc.) that I really need to be able to understand I definitely get them as audio books.
If you would like to discuss this more, or have questions about resources, please email me @ beth dot gonnella at gmail dot com.

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Jun. 7, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by aellingsworth

I just had to weigh in on this subject because my husband and I were talking about this very thing just last night.

My husband grew up never having finished a book in his life, and never having "read" any fiction at all. Any of his assigned reading (he went to public school) his mother would read to him.

Me on the other hand, I love books, reading them, touching them, buying them... you get the idea. It is very hard for me to understand how everyone doesn't just love books as much as I do.

I am a very visual learner, and my husband is very tactile. For him, he enjoys reading do-it-yourself books and then trying what he is reading. I enjoy reading for pleasure (all the time, if I could get away with it) :)

Anyway, I said all that to say, maybe your son is not a visual learner and just doesn't enjoy reading becuase that is not the easiest way for him to absorb information. Books on tape may be a really good way for him to still get some of the good literature without making it a chore.

That being said, he does need to learn to ejoy reading when he needs to learn from a book. He will not be able to get everything on tape. I think that if you balance books on tape with real books then you won't have a problem.

Sorry that I rambled on for so long.

Abby

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Jun. 10, 2008 - Reading vs. Audio

Posted by Anonymous

I have seven children. Some are avid readers and others struggle, but all of them love audio books. I noticed the younger ones vocabulary are excellent because they have listened to audio books at a young age and picked it up by listening. Now to get to the reason why some of my boys struggle reading (3 of them) if because of a vision problem that is correctable. It called the hidden disability. They can see 20/20 but when it comes to reading a page the words bounce in their brain is one way to explain it. A doctor that is cerified in Vision Therapy can test to see if a child eyes are working with their brain. If not working properly, it can be corrected, much like braces staighten teeth. My last son (age 9) who went through therapy appeared A.D.D. but I knew he wasn't, skipped words, couldn't stick reading any book, and leaned his head on his hand. Reading is still not his favorite thing to do, but can now read chapter books. My son who is now 20 went through training at age 9 is now graduationg from community college and on his way to a university. He still will not read a novel but can get through college. My oldest son who had no training( because I didn't know about it) struggles with paper work and reads very little. It still can be fixed but he isn't ready for it. For more about it Cooks Vision Therapy has a questionaire to see if it fits your son's situtation. Parents Active for Vision Education might be a helpful site.You may ask me more questions if you would like. Sorry this is so long.

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This is our life, laid out for you to enjoy. This is our first year homeschooling, mainly using the Charlotte Mason method but we aren't completely dedicated to one form or another. We are a Catholic family and use the Seton and Catholic Heritage curriculum and LOVE it. Join us as we begin our homeschool lives. I guarantee you it will be fun, spiritual and probably a little chaotic along the way. God is directing us so we will go where he leads!