TeachersFirst's Audio Books with Text
These educator-reviewed resources from TeachersFirst offer audio books with accompanying text so all students, including emerging readers and ESL/ELL learners, can experience literature and other reading selections in audio form as they reinforce and inspire literacy skills and enjoyment. Be sure to explore each site, as many include multiple types of activities, including the audio books and texts. The helpful reviews suggest ideas for ways to use the books in the classroom or outside of school to reinforce literacy skills, improve English skills, or study literature in new ways. See TeachersFirst's full collection of audio book resources and interactive audio book resources for other options.
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Loud Lit - Loudlit.org
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): audio books (24), declaration of independence (15), gettysburg (15), gettysburg address (11), literature (219), poetry (190)
In the Classroom
This site is helpful for many subjects and grade levels. Have students use this website when they have to memorize poetry, the Gettysburg Address, or the Declaration of Independence. multilingual students and many learning support students will benefit from the option of "reading" in multi-media format. Use the audio stories with younger students for listening skills. During a poetry unit, why not have students choose one of the poems to read and listen to? Have the students analyze and write in their journals about what they think the poem means. Replace paper journals by using a blog tool like edublogs, reviewed here. Then have the students share the original poem and their own opinions with the class, making this activity a listening, reading, writing, and speaking lesson. If you are into podcasting, enhance learning by encouraging students to create some of their own poetry readings with commentary.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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TaleTrove - TaleTrove.com
Grades
K to 5tag(s): audio books (24), digital storytelling (152), guided reading (33), preK (263), reading comprehension (146)
In the Classroom
View and listen to stories by opening up two tabs in your browser. Choose one to listen in mp3 format and the other to view using either PDF format or the flipbook reader. View and listen to stories together on your interactive whiteboard or create a link on classroom computers for students to read independently. You could even submit a "review" written by your entire class or have your more able students write one you can submit using a teacher account. Browse for other reading-related activities and crafts. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class for reading practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Google Read Along - Google
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital reading (18), gamification (79), independent reading (86), preK (263)
In the Classroom
Google Read Along would be a great addition to any preschool or early elementary classroom. Teachers who work with ENL students or adults learning to read may also find this site helpful. Students will gain confidence by practicing reading independently yet still get assistance if needed, all while the teacher can work with individual students or small groups. In addition, many books are cross-curricular, so they can be used to enhance instruction for other core subjects.Comments
This is a great resource to help my Spanish 1 and Heritage students to learn how to read.Jessica Zapata, , Grades: 9 - 12
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Crawford the Cat - Perennial Pictures Film Cooperation
Grades
K to 2tag(s): audio books (24), dental health (15), hygiene (9), preK (263), social skills (23)
In the Classroom
This site works really well with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Students can view the videos on the board and then play the games on the interactive board. The printables can be used by an entire class or for individual students who need skills reinforcement, and the books can be used as a center. The students have the choice of having the books read to them or reading on their own, so the site addresses the abilities of all students. During times of remote or distance learning, put a link to this site on your class web page for parents and students to use at home, with directions for what you want them to do, of course. Then ask students to create a video response about what they learned using Gravity, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Unite for Literacy Library - Unite for Literacy
Grades
K to 8tag(s): audio books (24), independent reading (86), interactive stories (21), preK (263)
In the Classroom
This site is one you must bookmark if you work with young readers! Create a link to the site on classroom computers for students to explore and listen to books on their own. Unite for Literacy is perfect for use with ENL/ESL students for reading and hearing books in both English and their native language. Share a link to the site on your website or newsletter for use at home or use during remote learning. During remote learning, consider assigning your elementary students reading and follow up activities using Symbaloo, reviewed here. Symbaloo is an excellent bookmarking tool to use with elementary students due to the easy to use design and use of icons for identifying information readily. World language teachers can use this site to have students listen to books in the language they are learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mighty Book - Mighty Book
Grades
K to 3This site includes advertising.
tag(s): alphabet (52), independent reading (86), preK (263), sight words (22), songs (44), video (261)
In the Classroom
Use this site for learning as a whole group, learning centers, or individual laptops for reinforcement or enrichment. First, introduce Mighty Book on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Since there are extensive ads, you may want to bookmark or create shortcuts directly to the activity you want children to use and avoid having them get "lost" in the many links that take you off the site. Share the songs and discuss the lyrics and what they are teaching. Use this site in art class to introduce famous artists to even the youngest of learners. After listening to the jokes, have students make up their own jokes. Poems with activities offer a kinesthetic approach to poetry. Songs about colors and the days of the week catch your auditory learners. Share this link on your class website for students to explore (and enjoy) both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learn English Kids - British Council
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): interactive stories (21), preK (263), songs (44), vocabulary development (90)
In the Classroom
Primary grade and preK teachers will find many useful interactives for basic skills like colors and phonics on this site, even though it is intended for learning English. Share the activities as a center or for extra practice for struggling students. Check with your administration about whether students can register individually for the site. Introduce this site to your class on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and have your ELL/ENL students use it as one of your learning stations. Teachers can print flashcards for survival English vocabulary such as clothes, food, parts of the body, jobs etc.; accompanying activities provide reinforcement for vocabulary. Learn English Kids changes weekly, offering weekly activities, opinion polls, learning through songs, playground fun, and more. The read-aloud stories are a wonderful option for beginning readers and even non-readers. Speech/language clinicians will join ESL and primary teachers in using the many activities on this site. It even has sorting activities such as fruits/vegetables (see "Food"). Although the interface is graphically appealing, by clicking on "Topics," you can find activities, songs, and games all organized by subject. There is also a large section for parents to help their child at home. Short stories and other interactive features of the site would work well with special education students, too. Be sure to share this link with parents of your ELL students if they have Internet access at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Signed Stories
Grades
K to 5tag(s): sign language (10)
In the Classroom
Use stories on the interactive whiteboard or projector to teach story elements - pause as the story is read to allow students to retell details to the stopping point then make predictions of what will happen next. Help students understand disabilities and adaptations to disabilities through watching the stories being told in sign language. This is also a great resource for students with deaf/hearing impaired parents or students/teachers trying to learn or practice sign language. In sign language classes, consider creating your own signed story videos for children's books using a tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, and share them with a tool such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Audio Stories - Abbey Rice
Grades
K to 3tag(s): air (104), audio books (24), folktales (34)
In the Classroom
Download stories onto a mp3 player for students to listen to during reading time. Play the audio version of stories while following the written version on the interactive whiteboard. Use the stories during a fairy tale unit to compare and contrast characters. Share this link on your class web page for families to enjoy at home. These stories are worth playing over and over. Be sure to provide this link on your class website for students to explore both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading is Fundamental - Family Literacy Resources - Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
Grades
K to 8tag(s): audio books (24), authors (105), literacy (113), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Provide this link to parents in support of your in-school reading program. Be sure to share this link before school breaks so parents can support literacy at home to prevent "summer slide."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Shoemaker and the Elves - StoryNory
Grades
K to 3tag(s): air (104), audio books (24), folktales (34)
In the Classroom
Share this story on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have your students take turns reading the pages to the class. Challenge your students to write new endings for the story. Use the story to teach students about plot, characters, conflict, setting, and other key elements in a story. Create a story map on your interactive whiteboard, pausing to switch between the interactive version and your story map as the story plays aloud!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lit2Go - Florida Educational Technology Clearinghouse
Grades
K to 12tag(s): air (104), audio books (24), folktales (34), literature (219), nursery rhymes (9), rhymes (21)
In the Classroom
Print out up to 25 PDF copies of stories and poems if you do not have print versions. Make your own books and leave blank sections to be illustrated for aiding comprehension. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, you can download many of the selections directly into your iTunes library. Use individual laptops for reading the stories online or as a download. Make sure your sight-impaired students know about this helpful site. Special ed teachers and ENL//ELL teachers will love the availability of audio files and text together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Audio Stories for Children - Light Up Your Brain
Grades
K to 5tag(s): folktales (34)
In the Classroom
Use the stories during listening centers or as enrichment to a theme or shared/group reading during class. Play the stories on an interactive whiteboard or projector and have students draw pictures of the story. If copies of the story are available, have students follow along with a partner during the audio reading. Learning support teachers will like the option of offering stories in audio to help weaker readers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Storynory: Kids Audio Stories - Blog Relations: Matthew Lynn and Hugh Fraser
Grades
K to 5In the Classroom
Beginning readers will enjoy this site as much as more capable readers, listening intently to the high quality presentation. Share this site with parents in your class newsletter or from your teacher web page. Use it also when you read Alice in Wonderland, and when you teach the concept of "series" stories (try the "Bertie" stories). ENL/ ELL and learning support students will benefit from reading and hearingstories at the same time. Project the story on an interactive whiteboard or projector with small groups of readers so students can follow along and even highlight words during the audio reading.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Free Short Stories For Low Intermediate ESL Learners - eslfast.com
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): dictionaries (48), short stories (18), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
The reading and listening activities are easy for students to work on independently because of the listening option. Special ed teachers may also have students who will benefit from the listening practice. Don't forget to provide the headphones. Provide this link on your class website or newsletter, so the families of ENL/ELL students can read (or listen) to the stories together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inkless Tales - Elizabeth Bushey
Grades
K to 5tag(s): audio books (24), listening (92), poetry (190), reading lists (77), writing (321)
In the Classroom
The animated alphabet is certain to appeal to pre-K and kindergarten teachers and students. Make it a center that students can explore over and over!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sesame Street - Sesame Street & PBS
Grades
K to 2tag(s): classification (22), counting (59), listening (92), numbers (119), preK (263), sound (73), sounds (42)
In the Classroom
Use this rare find to motivate your students. Have students work on individual computers and explore this site on their own. With younger students, you may want to introduce the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. This is definitely one that you will want to share with your parents in your newsletter or on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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