Audiobooks and Struggling Readers

Educators and parents know that when it comes to §promoting literacy, the more kids read, the better §they get at it; and as they gain proficiency as §readers, the more they enjoy reading. But, what if §children can t read what is of interest to them? §Assisted reading, the practice of listening to a §fluent model while following along with the text, is §designed to provide a bridge to the wonderful world §of print. It enables readers to use multiple avenues §of sensory input to process information. Researchers §have cited improvements in reading due to the self-§confidence gained by increased fluency and §comprehension and the enjoyment of reading high-§interest material. This book summarizes the history §of assisted reading from its genesis decades ago to §recent innovations with modern technology. §Audiobooks and Struggling Readers also presents §findings from a study on the effects of audio-§assisted reading with digital audiobooks for §students with reading disabilities. Theoretical §underpinnings are addressed and key studies are §reviewed. Practical applications for the use of §authentic children s literature in the form §of audiobooks are described.