How are you enhancing differentiated learning in your classroom? Every class and school should have easy access to audiobooks for all students (not just struggling readers). Check out these great resources:
1. Overdrive with LitsenUpVT! (For VT): Students will need their local library card # to check out audio and ebooks. They have to download Overdrive to their device or computer to download the books. Easy to use and FREE!
2. Audible: I use audible for single book purchases of books I may not be able to find in other free options. In the schools I work in Librarians have monthly subscriptions so students can access audiobooks through the librarians account. I like audible a lot because they have professional voices reading the books so the audio quality is always really good. Their monthly subscription is 14.95 a month. $
3. Librivox: Free public domain of audiobooks. Easy to access but limited titles. FREE!
4. Learn Out Loud or Kids Learn Out Loud: FREE and $
5. Lit2Go: Free Audiobooks by grade level. FREE
6. Books Should be Free (now loyalbooks.com) FREE
7. 60 Second Recap– a 60 second audio/video presentation of classic works of literature FREE
Specific to PreK-6
8. Epic! for Students 12 and under: At an educator's cost for about $5.00 a month it's more affordable than audible and you get 4 downloads a month rather than the one you get with Audible. If you only need Literature for 12 and under this may be the way to go.
9. Storynory for K-6: Click the stories at the tab at the top of the page to browse the selection. FREE
10. Tumblebooks e-books, audiobooks and books with video’s. $
11. Storyline Online: Picture books read by famous people your students may recognize. FREE!
12. Online Audio Stories– a collection of elementary audio books FREE
13. The Mother Goose Club (PreK- 2) has a number of rhymes and songs that provide audio support for the text. FREE
Specific to students with Learning Disabilities
14. Bookshare: FREE for students with a print disability. There is an application process involved and parental permission is needed for student under 18. Your Bookshare administrator will need to add students. It's a great resource and has a huge library. They also have a huge selection of textbooks in audio format.
Readers for Bookshare apps include:
Read2Go (iOS app for Bookshare books) $ Voice Dream Reader (iOS app for Bookshare books and other text) $ GoRead (Android app for Bookshare books) FREE Darwin Reader (Android app for Bookshare books) $
15. Learning Ally $ is also for students with a print disability. It is similar to bookshare but they have do not use synthetic voices (for most of their books). Their app and online platform is very user friendly which makes it easy for students to manage their own book selections. They can load up to 4 books a month. Cost is $119 per year per student but you get more than just audiobooks. They have excellent support and webinars. They do have educator package deals. Here is an intro video:
Quick TIPs
1. Choose 1-2 audiobook resources to start out and spend time setting up your class and getting familiar with accessing them. 2. Create a shared document on google docs with audiobook links and directions for easy access for your students. Or hang up directions near devices. 3. Create a parent letter to go home with each student explaining how they can access audiobooks at home.
4. Model, Model, Model! Allow all students in your class to have access not just struggling readers. 5. If you are doing a read-out-loud with your class, display the ebook version on your smart board and designate a page turner. Kids love this.
