We know that children of all ages not only enjoy being read to but NEED to be read to. Because of this, teachers at my school carefully construct our literacy blocks to maximize the amount of time spent in shared reading and writing experiences throughout the day.
In addition to participating in whole-group shared reading lessons, students need to work independently toward personal literacy goals. One way that we differentiate instruction and guide students toward meeting their goals is through the use of listening centers. Listening centers create a more versatile and enriching experience by allowing students to choose a book of interest and listen to the recorded narration as they follow along in the text.
The benefits of audiobooks in the classroom are appreciated by all teachers; however, purchasing compact discs or cassettes with paired texts is expensive. Online subscriptions to reading websites are also pricey and don’t allow students to hold a physical text in their hands, a necessity for emergent readers developing their vocabulary and concepts of print. Additionally, providing an assortment of high-quality audiobooks that will engage a wide range of student abilities and interests is nearly impossible.
One solution to this problem lies in the versatility of the Quick Response (QR) code. Using audio QR codes creatively can open a gateway in your classroom to a remarkably targeted level of instruction.
Audio QR codes can make books speak to your students. All you need to do is record yourself (or someone else) reading a book, link the audio file to a QR code, and attach the code to the book cover, and you’ve created an instant audiobook. No more pricey CDs and paired texts. No more expensive subscriptions to reading websites. Using only your smartphone and computer, you can transform every book in your classroom library into an audiobook. It is so simple and yet so powerful.
Check out my best selling QR Code Listening Centers Your students will love listening to their favorite book! They will also be so excited as each month you introduce new stories for them to explore!
