1.My child can build background knowledge on topics being learned in content classes using material that are above his reading level.

For example, my child's history class was learning about the Jamestown settlement this year. I knew this would bore Eli unless he could connect to the content. He listened to the book Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone to create a connection to the history. When it came time to do a project on the Jamestown settlement, Eli had a fantastic knowledge of the events that occurred there and created an impressive journal entry from a child's perspective in Jamestown.

2.Access to audiobooks allows my child to "ear read" (a phrase coined by Ben Foss in The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan) books his classmates are reading.

Eli loves to read books about video games, Pokémon, and mysteries. But he often cannot access the books by "eye reading." But, being able to "ear read" books allows him to participate in conversations with his peers.

3.Vocabulay

A boatload of data suggests that listening to books exposes children to the same amount of vocabulary growth as reading does. Listening to books is just a different way to access and grow knowledge.

4.Love of reading

We all want our children to love reading. But when reading is EXHAUSTING, it is hard to develop that love. As a dyslexic, I do not love to read. However, I do LOVE to learn. You will always find an educational podcast or historical fiction audiobook queued up on my phone. We can instill a love for knowledge and reading through access to audiobooks.

The best part of this gift is it, or something like it, can be free through your child's IEP. My son has access to Learning Ally as well as Bookshare through his IEP. We pay nothing, and he gets access to so many fantastic books. And the best part is that they are all human-read. I love this program, and I'm happy to help you gain access to accessible materials through your IEP if your child does not currently have them.


If you need help navigating the special education system, email me at lisa@advocating4faireducation.com or hit the contact tab at the top of the page.