Results

A total of seven surveys, three interviews and nine observations were conducted.  18 students between third and fifth grade signed up for the study, but only six were able to attend all sessions and complete all the surveys and interviews.

Summary of Findings

Differences in student response to audiobooks and read-alouds:

  • In the group interviews, the majority of students stated that they prefer audiobooks to read-alouds. 
  • Observations showed that the students were much more focused and engaged during the read-alouds than during the audiobooks.
  • Student reading attitude surveys showed that two thirds felt more positively about reading after the read-alouds than the audiobooks. 

Interviews

Summary of the interviews.  According to the students only three of them had prior experience with audiobooks outside of reading class.  All of the students have been read to, but most have only been read to for brief periods.  None of the students had ever listened to a book being read aloud, or a book on audiobooks for a half hour, which was the length of most of the reading sessions.  The students stated that they enjoyed listening and being read aloud to.

In the first interview the students stated that they preferred to listen to the books on audio tape, in the second interview two-thirds preferred to listen to the books on audio tape, and at the last interview only two of the students preferred to be read aloud to.  When asked why, typical answers were:

  • “I can control it, and fast forward it or stop it.”
  • “You can hear better and not have to listen to other people.”
  • “I am in charge.  I can make the loudness like I like it.”
  • “No one else has to be with you.  No one interrupts you.  The reader does not have to stop for breath and never gets tired.”
  • “The equipment is fun to play with.”

The students who preferred the read-aloud stated that the audiobook was boring.

In the initial interview the students stated that they did not visualize, or make pictures in their mind, when they read.  At the third interview, after listening to three books, half of the students now said they visualized when they listened. 

Observations

Summary of the Observations.  In all the study sessions there was a brief “settling-in” period.  During this time the students were restive, moved around in their chairs and spoke to their neighbors.  This period was much shorter for the read-aloud sessions than for the audiobook sessions.

There was a major difference in the students’ attitudes during the reading aloud sessions and the audiobook sessions.  The students listened more attentively, and were less restless during the reading aloud than during the audiobook.  Students had a tendency to “play” with the equipment during the audiobook sessions. Sometimes they would start to converse with their neighbor.  During the read-alouds the students leaned forward, focused on the reader and did not move around as much.  During the audiobook sessions the students were restless, slouched in their chairs, and if they focused on anything it was each other. 

Although the students stated that they preferred audiobooks, the observations revealed that they were far more engaged and attentive when they listened to a live person read.  When this was pointed out to the students and they were asked why, they stated:

  • “I think we like audio tapes because we can relate to the technology.”
  • “With cassettes we can do what we want, so we do.”
  • “When there is a reader you have to try to respect him and pay attention.”

Surveys

[Data is in Excel file surveys (.xls, 28k)]

[For a discussion of individual student results, click here. (.doc, 29k)]

This chart shows the total point difference in responses to the McKenna Kear survey after reading aloud sessions and audiobook sessions.  There were three sessions of each type and a survey was given after each session.  Because, I was trying to determine the change in student attitudes, the scores of each survey were compared to the initial survey score.  The point differences for all the read-alouds were totaled and the point differences for all the audiobook sessions were totaled.  Then both totals were graphed.

On the chart, zero would indicate no change.  Positive scores indicate that the student's scores showed an increase in reading motivation and negative scores would show a decrease in reading motivation.

As the chart shows, there seems to be a difference in student attitudes toward reading after listening to read-alouds and after listening to an audiobook.  In four of the six students, attitudes after read-aloud sessions were more positive than attitudes after audiobook sessions.  In one student there was no difference and in one student attitudes were more positive after the audiobook session. 

As shown in the chart above, student attitudes towards reading as reported by the survey actually decreased overall for most students.  However, as shown in the chart, student attitudes decreased less for the read-aloud sessions.