Do You Hear What I Hear? Listening as Literacy

photo credit: Kaptain Kobold via photopin cc

I've long held the belief that listening to other people read can have a significant impact both on early childhood learners and striving readers. This article from Reading Rockets lists multitude of benefits that audiobooks can offer readers.

In addition to reading books, I have been on a audiobook binge lately. My local library system makes it super easy to download books using the Overdrive program. I've introduced my girls to audiobooks. We've listened to quite a few in the car. They love them - and it saves my ears from Radio Disney! Here's what we've been reading lately.

• Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park: - anything and everything Junie B. And these recordings, read by Lana Quintal, are fantastic!
• Judy Moody by Megan McDonald: Judy Moody Declares Her Independence
• Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary - Read by Stockard Channing. Good story, but not a great recording.
• Young Fredle by Cynthia Voight

I've enjoyed these books while walking, driving, vacuuming, emptying the dishwasher ... you get the idea. Basically, any time I can steal a few minutes.

• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children byRansom Riggs 

Is there anything more delightful than getting lost in the prosodic, fluent, expressive voice of another person?

How about you? Do you enjoy listening to books? Do you use audiobooks in your classroom? Do audiobooks make your skin crawl? Do tell!

Thanks for reading. It keeps your ... Mind Full of Literacy!