Books on Tape

Sarita talked about using books as a foundation for a great homeschooling experience at the virtual conference today. The talk went well, and it was fun to be in the chat room while she spoke.

Literature provides a really great way to learn, and is the foundation of Sonlight's Core programs.

"But what about books on tape?" one woman asked earlier in the day.

The chat room lit up as people gave a nod toward audio books. I also chimed in: I think they are great!

Someone mentioned that read-alouds should not be replaced, but audio books are great for other titles. And I agree: There is something special about reading aloud together as a family. But for books your children want to imbibe on their own, audio books are great.

I'm a slow reader. I often joke that I can write faster than I can read. So, for me, books on tape are fantastic. I listened to all of "Crime and Punishment" on tape in High School. And it wasn't very hard to write my papers from memory after listening to the tape.

I started listening to books on tape while trying to get through "Heart of Darkness". When I got to Chapter 2, I started the tape, turned down the volume and read as fast as I could. I got to the end of the chapter, barely retaining any of the story, and turned up the sound again.

The tape was only two pages behind me.

I switched to books on tape after that. And it's great because I can get some "reading" done in the car. I've even listened to the whole Bible multiple times in my short commute. So, while books are fantastic, and reading together extremely important, don't forget the beauty of audio books.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father