My experience with using audio files in our homeschool was born out of necessity. My constant struggle to breathe has presented many challenges, not the least of which was my inability to read more than two sentences out loud without pausing for a deep breath! Imagine my relief on December 10th of 2006 when, after nearly 2 years of struggling just to breathe, I was diagnosed with an idiopathic tracheal stenosis and was finally able to pursue treatment.
During those two years as I learned to compensate in our homeschool, I began to recognize the incredible value and versatility of owning and using audio files of all types for homeschooling purposes. Audio files are great in the car, through the home stereo in the schoolroom or family room, or for helping older children to concentrate, using headphones and mp3 players. You can use portable speakers and your mp3 player anywhere you need to listen.
Audio files can be used during breakfast, at lunch, on the way to doctor’s appointments, while you clean together, on the way to Soccer practice or AWANA, even right before bed in the hallway so that everyone can listen at once. Any wasted time in your day is the perfect time for an audio file.
No matter what subject you need your children to study, you can use audio files. Do you need your children to learn Spanish vocabulary? Do you want your children to memorize Scripture? Are you struggling to fit Science into your day? Would you like your preschool children to get more read-aloud time?
Free audio files abound on the internet, and even more audio files are available for purchase or come with the curriculum you already use. Working these listening libraries into your day is not as daunting as it seems. You do not need an idiopathic tracheal stenosis to take advantage of the vast collection of audio recordings available.
I hope you are getting excited by the possibilities!
Listening To Learn: Using Audio Books in Your Homeschool
I can already hear some of you saying, “But I don’t know how!” “How can I get started?” “Where do I find audio files?” “What if my kids don’t like listening?” The bad news is this: I can’t answer all your questions in one blog post. I wrote Listening to Learn: Using Audio Files in Your Homeschool to help you figure out how to make audio recordings work for your family. You will find links to free audios, definitions, detailed instructions and illustrations on using these three mp3 files, iTunes, your public library, information to help you supplement any subject, and so much more.
We love audio books. Right now, we are listening to Cracker, the Best Dog in Vietnam and just finished Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (which I could NEVER have read the way the reader did). Our favorite reader is Jim Dale :-).
I love audios as well. We use it a lot in our homeschool and in my personal learning as well. We use audiobooks, podcasts, audio seminars. Listening to a podcast is my favorite thing to do while doing the dishes.
I need to use more audio files! I downloaded your e-book and I am hoping to have it read by the end of this week. Thanks!
I just started using audio books this year when we discovered my son had a type of learning issue and was not retaining what he read but would retain what he heard. We are still working to help him with reading but audio files have been a wonderful resource.
I have one child in particular who responds extremely well to audio books. She has learning issues as well. I have been blessed and relieved to witness that she retains and remembers a large percentage of what she hears. It is a gift from God.