Audiobooks may be one of the best-kept secrets of engaging your kids in a lifetime love of reading. Sound strange? Isn’t it cheating to use audiobooks? Let’s dispel that myth and dive into the benefits of using audiobooks in your homeschooling curriculum for all your learners, but especially for your dyslexic kids.
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The Benefits of Using Audiobooks in your Homeschool
Audiobooks are not a lesser form of reading. This is true for your all your kids – dyslexics and non-dyslexics alike. Many of us (I’m raising my hand here!) somehow come to believe that audiobooks are “cheating” because our kids aren’t reading the physical book, but rather engaging with it in an auditory way.
Here are some of the benefits of using audiobooks in your homeschooling curriculum.
The Value of Audiobooks in Literacy Development
Think about storytelling throughout history. It’s always been an oral tradition. Audiobooks are just a modern extension of this. Audiobooks engage the brain similarly to reading, helping with vocabulary development, comprehension, and critical thinking.
And yes, audiobooks do cater to auditory learners, which many dyslexics are.
Audiobooks as a Tool for Struggling Readers
Did you know that dyslexia is the most common learning disability, affecting about 20% of the population? That means that you are likely to have a dyslexic child if you have several kids.
Dyslexics become frustrated when they have to decode words. Of course, they do need to learn how to read at their own pace – and they will! But until they’re confident, don’t hold them back to only reading on their level. With audiobooks, you can encourage your struggling and reluctant reader and help them build confidence.
Audiobooks allow your kids to access literature that may be too difficult for them to read on their own – and this includes all your kids, not just the struggling readers!
Addressing the “Cheating” Myth
If you think that using audiobooks is “cheating” since your child doesn’t need to physically read the words, then you’ll love episode 197 of the Arts of Language Podcast from IEW.
It’s a conversation with Chris Pudewa. He has dyslexia and found great freedom and confidence and growth when he father, Andrew Pudewa (the founder of IEW), gave him audiobooks to listen to as a kid. Listening to his story really brought my mindset around to realizing that using audiobooks in your homeschool, even for your dyslexic child, is not cheating!
Practical Tips for Using Audiobooks in your Homeschool Curriculum
Audiobooks make a great addition to your lunchtime while everyone’s busy chewing! Or, they’re great before bed. If you use a couch time and table time in your homeschool, then you can enjoy an audiobook together during couch time.
As a homeschool mom, I became exhausted in the early years with reading so many things to my kids all day. Audiobooks are a great way to outsource and delegate all that reading.
You’ll find dozens (and hundreds!) of audiobook recommendations in the homeschool world, from classics to newer books.
But here are two that you may not be familiar with. Jim Hodges Audiobooks produces Henty novels and other classics in audio format. He also has some old time radio shows. Check out his free download and listen to our conversation with Jim Hodges on episode 134 of the Homeschool with Moxie Podcast! The Henty audiobooks are perfect to use for history for your kids.
For your teens, you’ll definitely want to check out the action-packed thrillers of the Jake Muller Adventures by Darby Kern. Two new audiobooks are set to be released in the fall of 2024. You can hear our chat with Darby on episode 50.
Listen to the Podcast
Audiobooks are not a lesser form of reading. And if you’re homeschooling a child with learning struggles like dyslexia, you may be hesitant to allow them to use audiobooks.
Here is your call for a mindset shift and encouragement that using audiobooks is not cheating. Let’s chat about the benefits of using audiobooks in your homeschooling curriculum.
Here’s episode 280 of the Homeschool with Moxie Podcast.
