Some people prefer audio over text for learning and maybe you’re one of them. If you don’t like reading, experiment with audiobooks and see if this helps you with learning.

Many people have found that if they have read a book before, and then listen to the audiobook version, you combine the best of both. Audiobooks are great to supplement previous knowledge to solidify information. And you will retain and reinforce much more information. 

One of the main advantages of audiobooks is that you can pace the information you consume. If you want to go through a lot of information, this is a great way to do that.

As much as we discourage multitasking, sometimes it can be useful and effective. Audiobooks are great for that. You can listen while you’re driving, walking, exercising, cleaning, etc.. It’s especially effective when you’re driving on your way to work, and you can learn a lot of things while you are stuck in traffic. Plus it can be really uplifting, and help you be more engaged at work.

Listening to good music can uplift your spirits ... and so can audiobooks. Reading inspirational quotes and passages are great, but it doesn’t beat listening to an audiobook narrator that motivates you to do great things while you’re learning at the same time.

Some books are better to consume over audio than over text.  You don’t need to know the exact details of the research as long as you understand the major concepts. Once in a while you’ll buy a book, read it and find yourself really bored reading it. Sometimes it’s hard to get through a “dry” book but I’ve found that usually they are great to listen to. If you ever find yourself in such a situation where you know the book content is great but it’s hard to read, grab the audiobook version and go from there.

Audiobooks are really convenient. You can have them on your phone, iPod, computer and in the car. This makes the content accessible and you can easily continue where you left off from last time. Whenever you are reading a book, you may want to be in a quiet place and almost force yourself to be fully present. With audiobooks, you may find it much easier to pick it up and start listening ... regardless of location, noise level or time of day. It’s just so convenient.

It’s a big old world full of people, but there are times when we all feel alone. Unfortunately, the comfort and companionship we need is not always as easy to come by as we’d like. That’s where an audiobook can lend a helping hand. In need of a companion for a road trip? Want a kind voice to lull you to sleep? Whatever your age or situation, an audiobook can be there for you, always ready to read you a story.

The accessibility to books that audiobooks provide is incredible. Everyone deserves to be able to delve into a story regardless of their physical ability. That audiobooks open up published materials to a wider audience, is a great reason why they should be championed. No one need miss out on the latest best seller!

Reading in a new language can be tough – whether that’s because you’re six years old or because you’re studying a foreign language. As a native speaker you usually learn to listen first, and audiobooks can help children to read both by listening when reading along and by improving vocabulary and pronunciation. And if you’re learning a second (or third, or fourth…) language, hearing the language spoken can be really important to cement your memory, and you get the same vocab and pronunciation benefits too!

This isn’t about transitioning from audiobooks to books, but about using them to complement each other. A child (or teen or adult for that matter) who struggles to read may not have experienced the joys of stories and fiction found in books. And they may not feel that reading is worthwhile. Sometimes listening is just the ticket. It can be a way to find out what sort of books you enjoy and for some people it might make them want to give reading a try.

So a CD probably wouldn’t fit in your pocket, but MP3 players are tiny and smartphone phones are often super convenient. So for those who can download an audiobook, it’s pretty easy to take it everywhere. It needn’t weigh anything or take up any space (well, apart from a bit of your device’s memory), and so you need never be without a book by your side.

The more you practice something the better you get, so it makes sense that listening to an audiobook can help you improve your listening day to day. At work, with friends, with family – really listening to people is an amazing skill to have. So why not improve it while enjoying a great book!

No lights? No problem. You want to stay up and your roommate wants to sleep, so you pop on a pair of headphones and listen to your book in the dark! Making you the best roommate ever.

For some people, reading the written word has no contender. Well, why see audio and print as competitors when they can be teammates! As you can multitask with audiobooks, you can get through more of your to-be-read list and tackle some long books that you may not have the time to read in print.

Not all teens can get through reading a classic on paper, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t enjoy the story. Likewise, younger children can hear and love stories that might be too difficult for them to read. Of course, audiobooks are a supplement for parents or carers reading to children rather than a replacement, but what a welcome addition they can be.

All types of books can expand how you see and understand the world, but I couldn’t leave it out as it’s such a great part of audiobooks. They can also help you use your imagination and provide an escape from everyday life, as well as being entertaining and subliminally educational – and who doesn’t want to learn things without even trying!

You’re perhaps less likely to reach for a book in your downtime if you’ve spent all day making notes, trawling text books or poring over academic papers. An audiobook, though, can provide the change you need to relax without meaning that fiction books are shelved indefinitely.

This is true for both children and adults – we could all do with giving our eyes a rest from time to time. Bombarded with televisions, computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, sometimes it’s nice to let our eyes drift off and let our ears pay attention.

When you find a brilliantly narrated audiobook it’s a great feeling. You know that this safe pair of hands will guide you through the story effortlessly and make the book all the more magical. You can also pick up some skills for any reading aloud you might do yourself. And the icing on the cake is that you sometimes get to hear the author read their own book.