“Listening to the books on tape is really wonderful for kids who’ve had problems with reading,” Dent continues. “With the audiobooks students don’t have to concentrate on the words so much, because they’re listening to a story and reading the words at the same time. This really allows their imaginations to kick in. And the beauty of it is, they reap the same benefits as a student who can read on his or her own.”

Sharon Weller, a resource/special education teacher at Aromas School, has a special perspective on the value of the audiobooks. “It has been challenging to motivate students who have low reading abilities, but who have average to above average thinking skills,” she says. “These kids are often presented with low-level, low-interest reading material. It’s no wonder they don’t enjoy reading! With access to the Audible books and a lab full of eMac computers, the students are listening to and reading along with excellent literature.”

Using the eMac computers, the audiobooks and iTunes has been a real boon for Aromas.

— James Dent

From Dismay to Delight

Fifth grader Lauren Freitas was one of the Aromas students who’d had a tough time with the written word. But now she eagerly visits the lab, fires up an eMac computer and follows along with one of the dozens of titles the teachers have posted on the school’s server. Has the process helped her? She sums it up best.

“Before, I was having trouble with some of the words,” Freitas confides. “But listening and reading along really helps me. I like listening to the stories, because they’re very good.”

Adds fifth grader Verenice Campos, “When I just read, I get distracted by noises. But when I’m listening to the books on the computer I can focus better and I can block out everything else.”

“As teachers, we’ve found that the most important thing is for kids to read well and enjoy it,” finishes Dent. “Using the eMac computers, the audiobooks and iTunes has been a real boon for Aromas. Our kids are now accessing and comprehending literature that they never could have on their own … and we’ve been ecstatic about the results.”