From: Diane Zens <dzens>
Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:18:08 -0600

I have been buy audiobooks heavily for my two middle schools over the last five years. I started with cassette versions, moved to CD and am now considering the possibilities of audio downloads. I have only a few students who prefer the audiobooks to the printed word. Others are asked by teachers or paraprofessionals to use an audiobooks in conjunction with free reading assignments to improve their reading comprehension. A growing number of students and teachers take audiobooks for trips. Some listen by themselves BUT many play the book aloud so that the whole family can enjoy it and discuss the literature. A growing number of students read the book first and then listen to the audio afterwards.
(This happen allot with the Twilight series). Because of this I deeply agree that quality of the reader is essential to the value of the audio presentation. I love to read and I love to use audiobooks. I almost always have one in my car CD player or on a headset as I exercise or walk. I do many book talks at the two schools and listening to audiobooks, as well as, reading is one way I have found to increase the number of new titles with which I am familiar. To sum it up-- I think both forms of literature are of great value and I agree with Lauri that probably ?"to the mind they are very different "exercises"--like yoga and long-distance running are to the body."

Diane L. Zens Lake Shore/Steffen Middle School IMC Director 6633 W Steffen Dr. Mequon, Wi 53092 262-238-4702 fax 262-238-4740 dzens at mtsd.k12.wi.us http://mtsd.k12.wi.us/MTSD/District/imc/imcst.html

 "What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education."
                       - Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education
Received on Tue 04 Mar 2008 11:18:08 AM CST