--- title: Do audiobooks get in the way of learning to read? description: When kids struggle with reading, is it OK to listen to audiobooks? Does it slow down their reading progress? An expert explains. slug: will-listening-to-audiobooks-make-it-harder-for-my-third-grader-to-learn-to-read author: Jamie Martin published: '2019-10-16T11:57:33.735Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/7DZVp2VRrBzGXDwMX5WnEp/263cc9f92e8b8ba4c58d6806f953c333/G695652834.jpg source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/will-listening-to-audiobooks-make-it-harder-for-my-third-grader-to-learn-to-read lang: en --- # Do audiobooks get in the way of learning to read? **Q. ****My third grader struggles with reading and isn’t reading at grade level. Does listening to audiobooks make it harder for kids to build reading skills?** **A. **You’ll be happy to hear that the answer is *no*. Listening to [audiobooks](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/difference-between-audiobooks-and-text-to-speech) won’t slow down the development of your child’s reading skills. In fact, many experts will tell you it can help kids get better at reading. The first thing to know is that listening to audiobooks isn’t “cheating.” The main purpose of reading is to get information. It doesn’t matter how that information gets to the brain. It’s actually a good thing for kids to read with their eyes and their ears at the same time. This makes reading “multisensory.” And that can help kids gets better at sounding out words (decoding) and reading comprehension. Decoding involves learning what sounds each letter makes (phonics). Hearing words while seeing them helps kids make those sound-symbol relationships. But reading involves more than just decoding. Kids also need to understand the *meaning* of what they read. When decoding is hard for kids, they might put all of their energy into sounding out the words. With audiobooks, kids don’t have to do this. That frees up their energy to focus on the meaning. One of the greatest benefits of audiobooks is that they can motivate struggling readers. When kids aren’t reading at grade level, they might not yet be reading the same books as their classmates and friends. As a result, kids like your child might feel really frustrated. When kids listen to those books, it can make them more engaged and motivated. And that can keep frustration from taking over. At this age, it’s important to develop a love of books. Kids need to be willing to become better readers for their skills to improve. It’s important to find books that hold kids’ interest. Check out [suggestions for kids this age](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/12-great-books-for-reluctant-readers-in-grades-3-5). You can also look into [where to find free audiobooks](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/free-audiobooks-and-digital-text-to-speech-books-for-your-child). --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [Why is my third grader suddenly having trouble reading?](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-is-my-third-grader-having-trouble-reading) - Q. My daughter is in third grade, and she was doing fine with reading until now. Why would she suddenly be having trouble with reading? A. Your daughter is not alone. I often see kids who get off to a great start in their reading, but then they hit a bit of a bump in third grade. Heres what is typic - [4 reasons to keep reading to your grade-schooler](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/4-reasons-to-keep-reading-to-your-grade-schooler) - - Its important to keep reading to kids in grade school, even if theyre doing fine with reading. - Reading to kids helps them build language skills on many levels. - It also helps them feel more positive and confident about reading. Reading out loud to kids is valuable even after theyve learned - [How to help kids become more fluent readers](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/improve-reading-fluency-children) - Reading fluency is the ability to read at a good pace, with accuracy, and with the right expression. Fluent readers also understand what theyre reading. Here are some ways kids can improve their fluency: - Listen to models of fluent reading, like read-alouds. 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