Reading boosts English performance (using audiobooks or print books)
Parents often ask, “How can I help boost my child’s performance in English?” The answer is simple: read more! And it’s wonderful to read a book in print: it’s silent; you can go at your own pace; you can easily skip backward (and forward) if you need to; the turn of each page brings a little thrill; you can hear the characters (and the narrator) in your own voice; bring your own emphasis and emotions to phrases; the list goes on. This is why print books (and e-books) are still so popular.
Multi-tasking
However, one of the best things about audiobooks is that it completely frees up your whole body. Putting on an audiobook over some speakers and cleaning up your room is so much more enjoyable, and more efficient too! Or what about listening to an audiobook on earphones while waiting in a queue at the bank or supermarket? Audiobooks make all chores more interesting, and boost literary powers at the same time.
Brighten up a journey
Music and radio are wonderful traditional accompaniments to long journeys. But why not shake things up by sharing an audiobook together? It often sparks off really interesting conversations too, and is a great way for parents and children to share learning together without taking up any extra time out of a busy schedule.
Lightweight and practical
Print books are often heavy and cumbersome, whether you’re carrying them around in your bag all day, or just trying to hold a book in a comfortable way while reading. But audio digital downloads don’t weigh a thing. You can carry dozens of audiobooks around with you without hurting your back, and audiobooks don’t cause discomfort in your neck or arms. Some readers much prefer audiobooks for this reason.
Finish a book from cover to cover
Many readers find it difficult to maintain the motivation required to finish a book. Often, conscientious readers will re-read difficult or confusing passages over and over again, only to find it becomes more and more confusing. Audiobooks take away all that stress: you know how long it takes to listen to the book before you start, so it’s very easy to break that time down into easy-to-manage clumps.
Plus, if you don’t understand a passage, an audiobook forces you to keep going… just like in a film! Believe it or not, ploughing through confusing passages and listening on to the next bit actually boosts understanding and enjoyment, and is a “speed-reading” technique. Furthermore, the voice actor’s job is to make difficult sections much easier to understand, and to highlight any words or phrases of particular importance, which makes a daunting or frustrating book so much easier to enjoy.
Get an overview of a set text
Many students feel unmotivated to read the whole of their set text for GCSE or A-Level. But if you know what the set text is before the summer holidays, why not listen to an audiobook version? Novels will often be abridged in a very helpful way, which makes it so easy to quickly gain an overview. This will make classroom lessons based on close analysis so much more enjoyable, and keep you one step ahead of the game.
Make your own audiobooks!
Readers who enjoy drama or performance, or who learn better by doing rather than by watching, may find it a very enjoyable experience to record their own audiobooks. They make great Christmas presents too! And of course, the best audiobook of all is parents reading to their children, which leads children to quickly develop a respect and a love for literature all of their own.