Is this cheating?

la79al · July 2014

The girls are doing the summer reading program at the library this year. Here's my question-can I count minutes they listen to books on CD in the car or is that cheating? I mean the books with no actual book that goes with them. We have a 4 hour ride to the beach coming up and while I despise Junie B. Jones for more than 30 minutes, it does keep the kids entertained.

Spin313 · July 2014

Doesn't count...that's listening, not reading.

la79al · July 2014

Maybe I should add that neither of them are independent readers so their 'reading' is always listening to someone else read. Does that matter?

bumpuser8448316 · July 2014

If neither is an independent reader I don't think it's cheating

Spin313 · July 2014

la79al said:
Maybe I should add that neither of them are independent readers so their 'reading' is always listening to someone else read. Does that matter?

That depends; non readers still usually "read" along and look at the words/pictures. Will they be following along with a book in the car...?

penguingrrl · July 2014

I wouldn't count it. While I do think that listening to books on tape is good, I don't consider it the same as sitting together, book in hand, looking at pictures and potentially them watching the words on the page.

dmartin726 · July 2014

mamaalysson said:
I count it. Our summer reading game has a list of other reading-related activities that count towards the game - they include talking about books, making predictions, drawing pictures, singing songs, and listening to stories. The whole point of the reading game is to develop reading skills and a love of reading. Audio books are doing that, so it counts.

This, exactly

dizzycooks · July 2014

I wouldnt count it unless they are following along in a book. So many skills accompany even holding a book (turning pages, noticing print concepts, seeing pictures).

Chapter79 · July 2014

I wouldn't count it, I don't think it's the same.

outnumbered · July 2014

Of course it counts. Listening to audio books is a great alternative to reading on their own. My kids have been exposed to literature that they would not be able to independently read, but can understand if it is read to them. We discuss the books afterwards and even my youngest can understand the themes of more mature books. Here are some benefits

https://www.audiobookexpress.ca/Audiobooks_Literacy.pdf

Introduce students to books above their reading levelModel good interpretive readingTeach critical listeningHighlight the humor in booksIntroduce new genres that students might not otherwise considerIntroduce new vocabulary or difficult proper names or localesExpose children to unfamiliar dialects or accents, Old English, and old-fashioned literary stylesProvide a read-aloud model

Provide a bridge to important topics of discussion for parents and children who can listen together while commuting to sporting events, music lessons, or on vacations
Recapture "the essence and the delights of hearing stories beautifully told by extraordinarily talented storytellers" (Baskin & Harris, 1995, p. 376)

ETA : Sorry for the formatting

outnumbered · July 2014

mamaalysson said:

I count it. Our summer reading game has a list of other reading-related activities that count towards the game - they include talking about books, making predictions, drawing pictures, singing songs, and listening to stories. The whole point of the reading game is to develop reading skills and a love of reading. Audio books are doing that, so it counts.

Our summer reading program allow is to be counted.

spring_time · July 2014

If they are following along, I would count it. If you are pausing the tape to talk about plot, character, predictions, etc, I would also count it. They could draw a picture about the story and tell you about it. Something that makes it less passive. If they are just going to sit and listen, I do not think it counts.