Are Audio Books Cheating?

As a librarian I hear this discussion often, that audio books aren't real reading, they are cheating and as a result, many kids are dissuaded from taking out audio books. So this is to set the record straight; Are Audio Books Cheating? Well that depends on how you define reading.

If you define reading as the decoding of words where you break the letters into their sounds and then into spoken language then probably, audio books are cheating. But let's be realistic unless you are in early elementary school, this is not how most people define reading. The definition most used for reading is the understanding of a story or content. Using this definition audio books are definitely not cheating! If the heart of reading is understanding, critical thinking, imagination and the making of connections, then those same qualities can be had with listening to an audio book.

In fact the science, in terms of what happens in your brain during reading and listening, shows that both stimulate the same areas of the brain, both cognitively and emotionally. The cognitive skills are the same. Studies have shown this to be true. So to your brain, wether you are reading or listening, it's all the same thing.

Yet, there are benefits of listening to audio books that are not found with traditional reading. Remember that from birth much of our learning is done through listening, even in schools our lessons are traditionally taught orally. It is also how we share our family stories - storytelling can be found not only around the world as an artform, but in each family home as a way to connect family members and share. It's no wonder that much of our learning is through listening (see infographic)

Other benefits include:

building literacy skills

accessibility for struggling readers

improve concentration

a way to introduce harder (above reading level) materials

critical listening

model read aloud skills - introduction to new words, dialect, phonemic awareness and expression

promotes the human connection, empathy

improves comprehension

improves focus and attention span

allows for multitasking

allows for families to share the same book at the same time

boosts mood, helps with de-stress and relaxation

There are many benefits to audio books, and they're a great way to make strong readers by connecting us to the written word, they're a great way to connect readers to stories and create that love of reading. Ultimately, the answer to the question is no; audio books are not cheating. So the next time your child picks up an audio book, think first - your child has made a connection to a story and wether it requires reading or listening, the ultimate goal is to create a life-long reader. If an audio book does that then half the battle is won.