quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
Some schools will allow you to listen to a book instead of reading it. Seems like cheating, but I enjoy audio books myself, so, if it works from an education standpoint, does it really matter?

Schools? As in children? HELL YES, it matters. They should be reading. Hold the book, open the book, read the page, turn the page, read until complete, comprehend the book, discuss the book. Put the book back on the shelf, pick up another book and repeat. Over and over and over. READ. R-E-A-D

quote:

Does listening to an Audio book count as reading a book?

Not to me. Auditory and visual senses are completely different.

The reading voice in my head is a lot different than an audiobook.

I have a higher information retention rate when I listen to a book. Therefore I prefer it to reading.

quote:

Schools? As in children" HELL YES, it matters. They should be reading. Hold the book, open the book, read the page turn the age, read until complete, comprehend the book, discuss the book. Put the book back on the shelf, pick up another book and repeat.

^^^
Of course. Visual learning as opposed to auditory. Reading aloud is important in the younger grades to learn phonics. Learn to appreciate the experience, not to mention look at the pictures and illustrations. Some kids would go and see the movie and then find out the book had a different ending. Failed book report...

[quote]I have a higher information retention rate when I listen to a book.

That is because you are primarily an auditory learner, and have trained yourself to listen. I can read visually much faster than listening to an audio book. My retention is about the same. Reading with my eyes is just more efficient.

I second Para’s words. Listening isa passive activity. Not the same as reading.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
[quote]I have a higher information retention rate when I listen to a book.

That is because you are primarily an auditory learner, and have trained yourself to listen. I can read visually much faster than listening to an audio book. My retention is about the same. Reading with my eyes is just more efficient.

No such thing as an auditory learner.

BTW, is there any evidence that literacy rates in industrialized nations have increased with the advent of the internet? It seems to me that kids have to possess at least basic reading skills in order to interact online. How would you text, or navigate web pages, or send email without basic reading/writing skills? How would you create an Instagram account or see the shit people talk about your poor taste in clothing or whatever?

What are you gonna tweet? Random letters and symbols? Pictures of masked Mexican wrestlers?

If you didn't read it, you didn't read it.

PERIOD.

.

Audio books rock.

I prefer reading, and given the option, that's what I do. The one exception is that we've started bringing audio books on road trips. We went out to AZ via CO and UT this past summer and put about 5,000 miles on the Suburban...we went though 6 or 7 full-length Louis L'amour and Clive Cussler novels on the trip. I can't very well read a book while I'm driving, so the audio books were a great alternative. They kept the family entertained, helped keep me awake, and made the miles go by a lot faster.

While I don't think it "counts" in the sense that a kid who's in school should be allowed to substitute an audio book for learning to read, I definitely absorbed the content, and would not go out and read the book again just to say I'd read rather than listened to it.

Until my eyesight diminishes to the point where I can't read, I'll be a page turner. Audio books just don't "sink in".

In response to the OP’s question, no.

Opinions are like buttholes. Here’s mine. Audio books are entertainment. Audio books allow you to hear a story whether it be fact or fiction. No different than listening to the TV or radio. Great for driving. However, a decent reader should be able to absorb more information by reading to himself than by listening to audio. No one will develop reading comprehension skills without actually reading and no one will increase their reading speed by listening to audio. Reading teaches you to think, to increase your vocabulary, grammar, spelling, etc.

I don't get the same satisfaction from listening to a book as I get from reading. Listening to a book my mind starts to wander and I start daydreaming and eventually realize I have to idea as to what I just listened to.

Reading is relaxing and comforting.

My eyes just aren't as "good" anymore and that's part of why I listen to audio books. Further, I listen to them all the time as I drive, whether it's a short drive to the store or a longer trip somewhere.

They had to sew my eyes completely shut some three years ago, so I was totally blind. In addition to be pretty scary, I could not see anything, and I was alone all day while my wife was working at the hospital.

My only solace was audio books. I had a very simple CD player and my wife made sure the CDs were in order so all I had to do was insert, turn on, listen, eject and replace with the next one.

I do listen to Pandora, sometimes, when driving, but an audio book is my go-to companion when driving.

At home I just don't find the time nor do I enjoy trying to read a book.

Bob

There is no such thing as an auditory learner.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Really? Try referencing credible sources, ie like a psychological journal that is peer reviewed. You might wish to look at the ITPA.

Here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/...linguistic-abilities

No, it's not the same. But I still use audiobooks for entertainment. I like to play audiobooks while I run.

Reading is exercise for the mind. Listening - not so much.

Reading and writing, like listening, are all skills that require regular use if you wish to keep them honed.

Personally, while you've consumed the book, you may have missed things that your own mind would have interpreted as the author intended, instead of how the reader presented them.

For instance, I listened to the 2nd Dark Tower book and then read it. I was stuck with the reader's voice impressions of the characters, instead of creating my own, which I would have done on first read.

If that even makes sense.