Monday, November 30, 2009

Audiobooks- Hear Any Good Books Lately?







This morning as I was driving Jeremy to school, I listened to an interview with Neil Gaiman, the author of "Coraline", "The Graveyard Book" and many other stories. Mr. Gaiman was talking about audiobooks, and how much he loved being able to record himself reading his own books for people to listen to.
In the interview, a few other authors and actors are also interviewed. The interview caused us to have an interesting family discussion in the car and it made me think of you all as you are such strong readers and have gotten so good at sharing your thoughts. I am anxious for you to listen to the podcast and share your thoughts with me about audiobooks.

Neil Gaiman interview on NPR

Here are a few discussion points to help you get started after you listen.

Have you ever listened to an audiobook or stories on tape? If not, what about someone reading aloud to you?
Do you prefer to read to yourself or listen to a story? How does the experience change if you are listening and not reading the text?
Do you think reading a text and listening to the same story can be the same experience?
Is reading a book and listening to it the same thing?
How can listening versus reading a book be helpful?
Are you considering listening to any books in the near future? If you are, what ones?




30 comments:

Anonymous said...

#1.I think hearing a book and looking on with the tape is almost the same as reading a book to your self. But when you listen to book you dont really have to put a lot of effort in to reading it.



$$%%!!@@##Will-lliW##@@!!%%$$

Anonymous said...

I have listened to an audio book before. Actually I've listened to a lot of audio books. I prefer reading a book myself because then you can read at your own pace. I actually haven't listened to a lot of stories that you read your book as you listen. Reading a book and listening to one to me is not the same thing. I like reading the book better than listening to one. Listening to a book can be helpful because you can do things while listening. I don't know of any audio books to listen to. Know of any good ones?

-Julia-

Anonymous said...

Not an audio book. But I have heard people read aloud to me. I like to read to myself.It makes it harder for me to listen. Yes it is the same experience.It can help you enjoy the story. Yes I am thinking of finding books for the future. I;m looking for Naruto books.


by Andrew Leduc

Margot said...

Dear Will (P?),
I am not sure I agree with you. I guess you do not have to put effort into reading the words, but you need to pay attention to the words and how they go together. If you miss something, you can not go back and reread it like you can when you are reading to yourself.
As a teacher, I like knowing my students are using their listening skills.I also like that students can concentrate on hearing the story and thinking about what they are hearing. I also like that listening to a story with more than one person ( like we do with read-a-loud) is interesting because you can discuss and hear what other people get from the story. Let me know what you think.....
Mrs. Simonds

Margot said...

Dear Julia,
I also like to read books more than listen. However, there are some good ones that I have heard that I loved because of how they were read. I think it makes a difference how the book is read. Have you ever heard someone read aloud with a monotone voice, or use a voice that did not fit. Stories can also be read too fast.
Some good ones that I have listened to are "The Twits" by Roald Dahl, "The Indian in the Cupboard" by Lynn Reid Banks and the Harry Potter series. What are some that you have liked?
Happy reading or listening!
Mrs. Simonds

Anonymous said...

I have listend to a book on tape all year in 2 grade the librarians put the books on tape instead of reading them to you.


I prefer being red to, because I can really get a picture in my head of what the plot is and when you are reading to yourself you have to keep reading and stop and think about what the setting is, because the other words get you off track well it does to me.


I think they are kind of the same thing, because you are still listening to the same story and you are hearing the same thing.

ALLIE A.K.A. BENNY AND HIS BED AND IN BENNYS BED WAS A SUMO WRESTLER!!!!@@@@

Anonymous said...

1. I have never lisened to an audiobook but my mom does. She listens to it in the car and sometimes in the house. My mom also likes to listen to it when I play basketball because she can focus on the book but also watch me. Nobody reads outloud to me anymore because I'm too old, but in the past, my family and babysitters read to me.

2. I read in my mind because when I do, everything processes through my mind and I get every detail. When someone reads to me, I kind of get tuned out and get bored.

3. I don't think listening to an audio tape or having someone read to me is the same experience as reading a book to myself. When you are hearing the book read by someone else or an audio, you hear their expressions. If you watch a movie with your eyes closed you're going to hear a lot of expression. If you're reading the book to yourself, you don't usually get much expression.

4. I might listen to books in the future, I'm not positive. If I did, I'd probably pick a realistic fiction book because when I read them I just get bored of the story.(except Fudge books:)

1000% Sarah

Anonymous said...

I think that lisaning to story and reading a story are like black and white.when you hear a story I think that you don't acshly experins it.In other words I don't thnk you get that same thril as when you read it.You know when its at the climeax and everthing is working out and you just want to scream!!!I don't think you get that (YESS) felling.


buy your ganster servent ALEX:Q

Anonymous said...

I have never listened to a tape before probably because I like to read books my self more.I like to have people read aloud, but not more than reading the book myself.

The experience in listening to a book is different from reading the book is that you get to here it in a different voice whitch might help you learn how a character speaks and you dont have to hold the book.


I think that reading a book is not the same as listening because you are the one reading it. There is one thing thats the same is that people might want to read it too.

THE LAST QUESTION IS I DON'T KNOW.


Justin/ cow man/ moooooooo/ I LIKE HEDGE HOGS

Anonymous said...

I agree with Miss 1000%.I like reading in my mind.It helps me see what's happening in the book.Like in Three Billy Goats Gruff I can see the goats walking fast to get to the green grass. I can see how Sarah would get bored if someone read to her. Like I said in my last post 'you don't get the same feeling when you're not reading the book.' But I think that you just need a book that really interests you and maybe a friend or two to listen to it with you.
P.S. 1000% is a mathematical impossability SARAh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your weird servant Alex:3

Anonymous said...

#1 I have listened to tapes in CRES.There was a thing there that plays the tape through the head phones and reads the book. (I forgot what its called.) But I listened to alot of those stories in thired grade. But sometimes I would rather read the book my myself instead of listening to it.

signed,
normaL (Not Gianna if that's what you think!!!!)

Anonymous said...

#2 Sometimes I think reading a book by myself is better. But other times I like listening 2 it. When I read on my own I can read at my own speed. I think when you listen 2 a story, it reads it kind of slow. I usually only listen 2 shorter books because if they read slow, long books take a while.

G!@nn@ a.k.a normaL a.k.a The opposite of Gianna Tee Hee!

Anonymous said...

#3 I think that when u read text it sort of draws a picture in your mind. But I also think that listening to the story draws a picture.So I personaly think they r the same experience. This might just b me but reading sometimes hurts my eyes. It can b a different experience because u don't do as much work if u listen 2 the story.

GGGiiiaaannnnnnaaa
P.s I like cheese!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I have listened to audio books on long car trips or at school. My Dad read the entire Harry Potter series and the Ranger's Apprentice series.
It depends on what I am reading if I like to read in my head or have it read to me or listen to it.
Reading a book and listening are different. You are seeing it instead of hearing it and you have more expression when you read because you can hear the characters in your head as you read the words.
-Henry

Anonymous said...

#1. I have never listened to a audiobook story and I like reading the actual book, but I have been read to before, my mom sometimes reads a book to me.


#2. I prefer to read a book to myself. And I think that if you are reading the text and you don't understand a word you can just read the sentence over and see if it makes sense, but if you hear it you can't really do that.


#3. I guess reading it and hearing it can be kinda the same because you're getting the same information from it .


#4. I don't think reading it and hearing it is the same thing because if you're reading it you can hear the voices in your head but when you're listening to it they do the voices for you and if a boy is talking and tries to do a girl it doesn't really sound like a girl.


#5. listening can be helpful because, you can't lose your spot and the pages won't rip.






***~~~~~Emma~~~~~***~~~~~Emma~~~~~***

Anonymous said...

#1.I think hareing a book and listening to a book is better because when i read a book to my slef i think i miss a lot of words my self. Anyways i think i would be better hareing and listening to a book then reading it my self. xocandy

Anonymous said...

#1.I dont agree with sarah because when someone reads to me i think i picture it in my mind. Like Mr.Ewell was talking to me in calss today about pictureing two pizza and to split them in half. I think reading to my slef i really dont get a picture in my mind. srry sarah but i dont agree with you srry srry srry srry srry srry srry srry srry!!!!! xocandy

Anonymous said...

#1.ithnk listening to a story can help bacue,you can get a better picture in your mind and you can understand it more better. That is how i thnk reading is hlepful and it is hlepful to me also. xocandy

Anonymous said...

I think the experience changes because when you are reading the text you could come along a word you don't know and not be able to figure it out. When you are listening to the story the person [or voice] that's reading the same word you might not know but,they say it right that could change the experience.I also think it can change the experience because listening to it [rember this is my opinion] isn't really going to help you to learn the words by yourself. You can't take the time to think about a certain word.[Unless you rewind it.] Mrs.S I have a really bad feeling your're going to comment on this post I did and I don't think it will be pretty it you do it. C+a+m=Cam

Margot said...

Dear Cam,
Now I have to comment......:) I agree with what you said. If someone is reading to you, you will hear words that might have been difficult for you to read. If you read the text yourself, you may have to work to figure out some of the words, if the text is a challenging one. That could interrupt the story, and make it difficult to understand.The flip side of that is that if the person (or voice) reading gos too fast, or you do not understand the way they talk, that could also make the story difficult to understand.
However, you also could be reading along with a recording, and then the voice may help you to figure out the words, and if you need to reread, you could stop and do that.
It is an interesting concept and I think that both reading and listening are valuable skills. For me, I love to hold a book in my hands, read at my own pace, and create my own "movie" in my mind. However, sometimes, when I am busy, in the car, or listening to something that may be hard for me to read, I really enjoy hearing the text.
For me, it is two different experiences, and both have their place.

Anonymous said...

#1
I have listened to books on tape
in the car and in bed.

#2
If I had choose to read a book or listen I would probably want to read the book instead because #1 a book is portable and #2 listening to a book you can not do everywhere (sometimes you do not always have a buddy to read to you or a disc player).

#2
I think that sometimes when you listen to a book you can get a better picture in you're head. You get a better picture in you're head because of the way he person reads it (like how they talk) and sometimes there are names and other words you do not know how to say and the reader can say them right.

*katherine*

Anonymous said...

I agree with julia because it is much more fun and easy to read to yourself.I also agree that it is not that same thing with reading a book and listening to a book.Because when someone is reading to me I feel bored.I agree that you can do other things while you are reading.Because you can eat your snack,lunch,and dinner at the same time while you are reading.I also have never seen a audio book before.

by Andrew Leduc

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

I have something like Giannas post because when I was in 3rd and 4th grade I used to always get a book from the animal part of the library and check it out as fast as could then go to the place were the book recorder was and listen to a bunch of books!


haybie PS Its haylie i did not spell it wrong thats just what my friends call me! good bye!

Anonymous said...

Dear Mrs Simonds,

I see what you mean but some kids might think all you have do is look at words and pictures for 30 min's. But you do have a great point.

(!!@@##$$%%^^&&**Will.p-p.lliW**&&^^$$##@@!!)

Anonymous said...

I prefer to read a book by myself but if its a long car ride and you don't feel like reading, books on tape so I can just sit back and listen. Plus you can finish them faster that way!

I'm planing on listening to the lighting thief on my trip to Florida so i can read it quick and see the movie with justin. Sometimes when you don't have time to fully read a book on your own listen it on tape so you get it done faster.

-book boy

Mr. G said...

I'll be honest, I don't enjoy audio books (a.b.) as much as much as wordio books. I feel like I'm much closer to a wordio book (w.b.). I feel like I go much deeper into the story when I'm reading vs. listening.

When I finish listening to an a.b. I get the same sensation as after I've seen a movie or watched a t.v. show. For some reason I can't put my finger on, the a.b. experience is similar to the video experience in my mind.

What I do enjoy the most about a.b. is that I learn a lot about how to better read aloud and how to read more effectively to myself.

Hearing a piece of writing read well teaches me how to read better. There is always something better about the a.b. reading and my own reading of a story that I inevitably improve on the next time I read the story.

But, given the choice, I'll always choose a wordio book.

Mr. G said...

Oh, and NO! A.b. are not W.b.!

They are very, very, very, very, very, very different!

Anonymous said...

I have listened to a book on tape when I went to Veromnt it was Redwall.I perfere to read to myself because I can think more about stuff in the book.The experiance changes because you can feal how they are saying something. I don't think that would change it that much. I think reading a book and listening to it are nthe same thing.

!@#$%^&*()_+WILL THE THRILL !@#$%^&*()
wILL.d

Anonymous said...

I have listened to an audio book before. I haven't listened to a lot of stories that you read while you listen to the audio book at the same time. I like to read to myself. I to read Orphan of Ellis Island.



mullet man @#$%^&*!noahboa