Do Audiobooks “Count” As Reading For Struggling Readers?
- Daniela Feldhausen
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Are Audiobooks Good for My Child Or Teen?
In This Post
If your child or teen is struggling with reading, you’ve probably asked this question at some point: Do audiobooks really count?
It’s a fair question, especially if you’re investing time, energy, and resources into helping your student catch up. You want to know what actually moves the needle.
The short answer is yes, audiobooks absolutely “count.” But the more important answer is this: they count in a very specific way, and understanding that difference can change how you support your child or teen at home.
What “Reading” Really Means
When most people think about reading, they picture a child sitting with a book and decoding words on a page. That’s part of reading, but it’s not the whole picture.
Reading is actually made up of many different skills working together, including:
Decoding, or figuring out the words on the page
Language comprehension, or understanding what those words mean
Vocabulary and background knowledge
Fluency, or reading smoothly and with expression
For struggling readers, especially those with dyslexia or gaps in foundational skills, decoding is often the hardest part. That’s the piece that feels slow, frustrating, and exhausting.
But here’s the key insight: comprehension and language development can grow even when decoding is still catching up.
That’s where audiobooks come in.
Why Audiobooks Are So Valuable For Struggling Readers
Audiobooks allow your child or teen to access language at their true intellectual level, not just their reading level.
Think about it this way. A middle school student who reads at a second-grade level might still have the curiosity, imagination, and reasoning of a typical middle schooler. But if they’re limited to books they can decode, they’re stuck with very simple content.
Audiobooks remove that barrier.
They allow students to:
Build vocabulary by hearing more advanced words in context
Improve comprehension by following complex stories and ideas
Strengthen listening skills, which are closely tied to reading comprehension
Develop a love of stories and learn about the world around them without the frustration of decoding every word
This matters more than most parents realize. When reading becomes associated with failure, many kids start to avoid it altogether. Kids don’t hate stories, they hate feeling defeated.
Audiobooks give them a way back in. They keep language rich, engaging, and enjoyable while your child or teen builds the skills they need to decode independently.
What Audiobooks Do Not Replace
Here’s where it’s important to be clear. Audiobooks are powerful, but they are not a substitute for learning to read.
Listening to a book does not teach your child how to:
Break words into sounds
Match sounds to letters
Decode unfamiliar words
Spell accurately
Those skills come from explicit, systematic instruction grounded in the science of reading. That means targeted work in phonological awareness, phonics, and spelling patterns.
If your child or teen is struggling with reading, the root issue is almost always a gap in these foundational skills. And those gaps need to be addressed directly with structured literacy instruction.
So while audiobooks support comprehension and engagement, they do not fix the underlying problem on their own.
The most effective approach is a combination of both.
How To Use Audiobooks The Right Way At Home
When used strategically, audiobooks can be one of the most powerful tools in your toolkit as a parent.
Here’s how to make the most of them:
1. Let Them Listen Above Their Reading Level Don’t limit audiobooks to what they can decode. Choose books that match their interests and intellectual curiosity. This builds vocabulary and keeps them engaged.
2. Use Audiobooks To Build Confidence Audiobooks allow your student to experience success with books again. That emotional shift matters. Confidence often comes before skill growth, not after.
3. Keep Dedicated Time For Skill-Building Reading Audiobooks should complement, not replace, targeted reading practice. Your child still needs time working on decoding, whether that’s with a tutor or structured practice at home.
4. Make Reading Part Of Daily Life Again Car rides, bedtime, or quiet afternoons are perfect times for audiobooks. The goal is to surround your child or teen with language in a low-pressure way.
The Bigger Picture For Parents
If you’re raising a struggling reader, it’s easy to feel like every choice matters enormously. You might worry that audiobooks are “cheating” or that they’ll slow down progress.
In reality, the opposite is often true.
Audiobooks keep your child connected to language, ideas, and stories while the harder work of learning to read is happening in parallel. They protect your child’s confidence and curiosity, which are just as important as any academic skill.
At the same time, it’s important not to rely on audiobooks alone. If decoding isn’t improving, the right next step is not more exposure to print or audiobooks. It’s better instruction.
With the right support, most children and teens can absolutely learn to read fluently. And when that happens, audiobooks don’t go away. They simply become one more way to enjoy books, not the only way.
So yes, audiobooks count. They just play a different role than many parents expect.
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