An English Professor Explains What Reading Is (Audiobooks are reading)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bet some of these people think certain kinds of books doesn't count, too.

Graphic novels and manga? Comic books? Books of poetry? Books with lots of pictures and diagrams? Middle grade and Children's books?

Are those okay, gatekeepers?

I agree with this.

Another consideration is that for much of the history of English lit, books were meant to be read aloud in a group. This persisted even as literacy rates rose. Reading silently was viewed as anti-social.

[Anonymous]

I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

Then you think blind people don't read because their eyes don't decode words?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

Then you think blind people don't read because their eyes don't decode words?

Of course they read. Their fingers are decoding the words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

Then you think blind people don't read because their eyes don't decode words?

Of course they read. But, to my point, it's a different skill than reading print or listening to an audiobook. They are all valid ways of reading a book, but they require different training and a different skill set. My point was, let's not lose, as a society, the ability to read in long form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

It really depends on the context. The vast majority of the time people say “audiobooks don’t count” they are addressing someone who already knows how to decode, and they when someone says “I read that book” they aren’t saying “I decoded that book.” We are referring to the cognitive process of comprehension. And it’s funny because this usually comes up in the context of how many books someone read (which for the life of me I cannot understand why people keep count but whatever), not in the context of talking about a book you read. So it definitely carries this connotation of audiobooks “not counting,” presumably because it’s easier and people think of doing difficult things as a source of pride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone care what anyone else thinks about this topic? Really, why?

I would never count audiobooks in my reading counts but I could not possibly care less if others do.

There are some good reasons to care what others think, but the most important one is general literacy . If a parent or teacher doesn’t think audiobooks are reading, a lot of kids will just read less. That has negative consequences for components of literacy, like less practice in understanding complex sentences, not acquiring background knowledge and vocabulary, and overall less enjoyment in reading. Plus listening is actually an important component of literacy too. So, assuming we want to live in a literate society, it actually does matter what people think about this.

You just unlocked a core childhood memory! The children's section used to have rack of bags with books and cassettes in them. I loved those sets when I was learning to read.

We'd also read books as a class with the teacher reading aloud for a bit each day. The librarian did the same.

We were way more open minded about what reading was as kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A video of Arlan Hess, English professor and owner of a bookstore, explains why saying audiobooks don’t count as reading is harmful.

It’s short. Three main points.

https://www.tiktok.com/@citybookspgh/video/7139871144961658155

Going over the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of “read.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@citybookspgh/video/7276919461448371502

We all love books around here. Let’s celebrate a love for reading instead of telling people their way doesn’t count.

Interestingly the “professor” produces a TikTok video and does not write it out. This reminds me of a debate architecture professors would get in with former students working in the field. The professor would said you can only create a design with pencil and paper, auto-cad just does not give you the tactile feel to think correctly. Well maybe that was the way you did it but pen and paper or auto-cad is just a tool to achieve an end. It’s a preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone care what anyone else thinks about this topic? Really, why?

I would never count audiobooks in my reading counts but I could not possibly care less if others do.

There are some good reasons to care what others think, but the most important one is general literacy . If a parent or teacher doesn’t think audiobooks are reading, a lot of kids will just read less. That has negative consequences for components of literacy, like less practice in understanding complex sentences, not acquiring background knowledge and vocabulary, and overall less enjoyment in reading. Plus listening is actually an important component of literacy too. So, assuming we want to live in a literate society, it actually does matter what people think about this.

You just unlocked a core childhood memory! The children's section used to have rack of bags with books and cassettes in them. I loved those sets when I was learning to read.

We'd also read books as a class with the teacher reading aloud for a bit each day. The librarian did the same.

We were way more open minded about what reading was as kids.

I had those Frances books that came with...records! 45s! I loved listening to them and reading along in the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh goodness.

Right?! 🤣 I somehow made it to "first, it's ableist". Sad story if this lady actually is a professor.

What gives OP, this is garbage.

WTF is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

Then you think blind people don't read because their eyes don't decode words?

Of course they read. But, to my point, it's a different skill than reading print or listening to an audiobook. They are all valid ways of reading a book, but they require different training and a different skill set. My point was, let's not lose, as a society, the ability to read in long form.

They are only different skills to a point. What happens in your brain with comprehension, which is obviously vital and often the primary point of reading, is the same with a print book or an audiobook. Print is important too but primarily when a book is too complex to just listen to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

Then you think blind people don't read because their eyes don't decode words?

Of course they read. Their fingers are decoding the words.

So your ears do that work with audiobooks and ultimately, the brain is doing the work regardless. As the study mentioned by the professor in the video said, the brain's comprehension is the same. That study she cited was on children, but it says it's consistent with an earlier study on adults.

She acknowledged that it's hard to adjust. She says she didn't think audio was reading for 17 years, but she considered the research and changed her understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I listen to audiobooks, but I don’t consider it the same as reading. To me, reading, is using my eyes and decoding the words.
I don’t think listening to audiobooks is bad. I love it!

If listening to audiobooks is reading, then my infants know how to read! They listen to me read to them, but they are not reading. I love reading to them, and there is incredible value in that. But, IMO, listening is not the same as reading. But there is no shame in listening to books.

It really depends on the context. The vast majority of the time people say “audiobooks don’t count” they are addressing someone who already knows how to decode, and they when someone says “I read that book” they aren’t saying “I decoded that book.” We are referring to the cognitive process of comprehension. And it’s funny because this usually comes up in the context of how many books someone read (which for the life of me I cannot understand why people keep count but whatever), not in the context of talking about a book you read. So it definitely carries this connotation of audiobooks “not counting,” presumably because it’s easier and people think of doing difficult things as a source of pride.

People are so weird. I commented on that thread that I’ve read about 40 audiobooks. I can’t for the life of me sit down and read a physical book because I don’t have time, so that’s why I love audiobooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone care what anyone else thinks about this topic? Really, why?

I would never count audiobooks in my reading counts but I could not possibly care less if others do.

There are some good reasons to care what others think, but the most important one is general literacy . If a parent or teacher doesn’t think audiobooks are reading, a lot of kids will just read less. That has negative consequences for components of literacy, like less practice in understanding complex sentences, not acquiring background knowledge and vocabulary, and overall less enjoyment in reading. Plus listening is actually an important component of literacy too. So, assuming we want to live in a literate society, it actually does matter what people think about this.

You just unlocked a core childhood memory! The children's section used to have rack of bags with books and cassettes in them. I loved those sets when I was learning to read.

We'd also read books as a class with the teacher reading aloud for a bit each day. The librarian did the same.

We were way more open minded about what reading was as kids.

I had those Frances books that came with...records! 45s! I loved listening to them and reading along in the book.

Oh my gosh, yes! There'd be a little beep or chime to turn the page. Ahhhh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does anyone care what anyone else thinks about this topic? Really, why?

I would never count audiobooks in my reading counts but I could not possibly care less if others do.

There are some good reasons to care what others think, but the most important one is general literacy . If a parent or teacher doesn’t think audiobooks are reading, a lot of kids will just read less. That has negative consequences for components of literacy, like less practice in understanding complex sentences, not acquiring background knowledge and vocabulary, and overall less enjoyment in reading. Plus listening is actually an important component of literacy too. So, assuming we want to live in a literate society, it actually does matter what people think about this.

You just unlocked a core childhood memory! The children's section used to have rack of bags with books and cassettes in them. I loved those sets when I was learning to read.

We'd also read books as a class with the teacher reading aloud for a bit each day. The librarian did the same.

We were way more open minded about what reading was as kids.

I had those Frances books that came with...records! 45s! I loved listening to them and reading along in the book.

Oh my gosh, yes! There'd be a little beep or chime to turn the page. Ahhhh.

Narrated by the woman who played the mom in Mary Poppins!