Why Audiobooks? — Diana Kennedy

One of the first conversations I have with my parents of dyslexic kids is “And your child should be listening to audio books.”  Almost like clockwork, they respond, “But I want to make sure she still learns to read.”

Maybe this is a concern you are struggling with right now.  Let me help allay your fears.

First of all, one of the a discrepancy between reading level and oral language level.  Often, in fact, these kiddos are really verbal and have been forever.  I can’t tell you how many parents tell me, “He has a great vocabulary and has always impressed people when they talk with him.  That’s why we were so shocked when he started having trouble reading.”

This discrepancy means that children with dyslexia can comprehend books that they hear at a much higher level than they can read.  So, to keep developing their oral language, including their vocabulary and their understanding of literary syntax, they need to be exposed to books at their oral comprehension level, rather than being limited to books they can read independently.

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