At some point or another, we’ve all heard someone say, “listening to audiobooks isn’t reading.” But they’re wrong. Let me tell you why.
Here are several reasons why audiobooks are just as good as eyeball reading:
1. Improved literacy skills
Listening to a book on audio doesn’t exempt the reader from the need to comprehend the text. Some may even have an easier time factoring in tone or connotation by hearing the words said aloud, particularly with the classics where the old language may be a hindrance.
In fact, for many students, listening to audiobooks can improve vocabulary, comprehension, and even critical thinking skills.
2. Engagement
Just as with physical books, a certain degree of focus is required in order to keep the story straight in the mind. Readers must be actively engaged in order to grasp character development, story arcs, and themes.
3. Accessibility
Audiobooks provide an alternative form of reading for people who struggle with eyeball reading, such as those with visual impairments or dyslexia. To deny audiobooks as reading is to deny that people with these conditions can be readers – and they absolutely can be.
Not to mention those who may not have access to every book as a physical copy, or who may not have the time, space, or focus to sit and read with their eyes.
4. Immersion
An audiobook can create an immersive experience for the listener, allowing them to get lost in the story and experience it in a unique and engaging way. Some may struggle to have that experience while reading with their eyes.
Some people may also live in environments that aren’t conducive to immersion in physical reading. It may be easier to plug in to a book than to find a quiet reading space.
Bonus: Convenience
A reader can easily listen to an audiobook while also doing other activities, like driving, cooking, or working out. This makes it easier to fit reading into a busy schedule. And we want people to have the opportunity to read and consume stories, right?
Don’t look down on audiobooks as an alternative medium for book consumption.
Listening to audiobooks counts as reading in all the ways that matter.
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