ELL+Students+and+Audiobooks


 * ESL and Audiobooks **

1. __ Benefits of using audiobooks with ESL students __ ? There are big benefits of using audiobooks with ESL students. Studies show it takes students 7 years to acquire a new language proficiently. However, most states beginning testing them within 3 years. As a result, these students often become frustrated and do not acquire the language any faster. The use of audiobooks are showing great benefits to help with language acquisition and comprehension. Students are hearing the pronunciation of a word and can spend more time associating meaning with the word. Audiobook allow ESL students to have constant access to the language they are learning. If those students are in a household where English is not yet spoken proficiently, the student(s) will have audiobooks available at their fingertips to assist in their progression. Audiobooks help to build their fluency and confidence as well. In the building of their confidence, ESL students using audiobooks gain motivation and an enthusiasm to learn more by studying alone. Students are even excited to listen to audiobooks even outside of school.

2. __ Barriers of using audiobooks with ESL students __ ? One of the biggest barriers an ESL student would face is accessibility to these resources both at school and at home. There are several websites that offer audio versions of books and other features to build vocabulary and fluency. However, many of these cost money and a district may not pay for it. There are also free resources available and those could be shared with students via a tablet or a computer at school. However, the greater issue would be accessibility at home. ESL students may not have access to tablets, computers, or Internet at home. Schools may not allow for students to carry these resources home. Therefore, they are limited to what they have access to while at school. Additionally, many textbooks have not moved to a digital format. While students can have access to general audiobooks, they still do not have an audio version of their textbooks. Content language can often be hard to learn and understand for an English speaker. It becomes very challenging for an ESL student.

3. __ Ways around barriers found with using audiobooks __ ? Schools need to begin to acquire more accessibility to these resources. Librarians need to find ways to increase access to audiobooks. Librarians can purchase tablets for students to check out that are preloaded with audiobooks. The school can devise a system for allowing ESL students to carry these tablets home to continue working on their language skills. As a way around textbooks, teachers can create their own audio recording of themselves reading the text and then making that audio available to ESL students. English speaking students could also use this technique for reading books or textbooks for ESL student.

__ Resources __ : // Audiobooks Help ESL Students Achieve Success // by Shari Quan-rios [] // Audiobooks in Advanced ESL Classroom // by Ekaterina Talakina

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