Membership in the Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic?

[razorbackmama]

Is it worth it? Not so much?

[RamonaQ]

We got it for free, we still do. We used it a fair amount initially, however, ds can effectively use TextToSpeech so that opens a wide variety of electronic resources, including bookshare. I am still keeping our RFBD account because they do have some unique sources not available elsewhere. Just so you know, RFBD uses volunteer readers so there can be a range of quality.

 

I am also remembering, from ages ago, there are also other free downloadable resources, tending to be out-of-copyright books read by volunteers. I will look around laTer when I have time, but you could google in the meantime.

[VinNY]

Does your library participate in Tumblebooks?

[razorbackmama]

Just so you know, RFBD uses volunteer readers so there can be a range of quality.

That's what I was wondering. The child I'm particularly interested in using it for doesn't do well with audiobooks typically because there isn't a lot of inflection and stuff. :glare: So I was considering reading everything he needs to read myself so that he can read along with me. But gosh, that's a lot of reading.:lol:

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

Does your library participate in Tumblebooks?

 

No clue. What is it?

[siloam]

Is it worth it? Not so much?

 

I never got around to joining. I was just recently gearing up to do so, and the girls were pretty adamant that they just want to read the books and not listen to them and read along.

 

Do you generally use books on audio to begin with?

 

Heather

[razorbackmama]

I never got around to joining. I was just recently gearing up to do so, and the girls were pretty adamant that they just want to read the books and not listen to them and read along.

 

Do you generally use books on audio to begin with?

 

No. Typically I read aloud. I've never tried using an audiobook alongside a print book before. My oldest struggles with any sort of language, so spoken is just as difficult as print. BUT when I read aloud to him (using inflection and such), he does a bit better, and he says that he does understand more when he reads along while he listens.

[RamonaQ]

So is your goal to use the audio to help him with his ability to understand spoken language? Or are there other reading issues that you are trying to alleviate through using audio?

 

In either case, I guess I would try using audio books (books on CD-- read by actors), and reading along with text. The only problem is that there are the least amount of books on CD.

 

FWIW, my ds reads about 700 pages of pleasure reading/ week with along with audio or TTS (which sounds like at this point would not really be a good option for your situation as this has NO inflection whatsoever). This is exposing him to far greater text than his slow reading speed would allow. This has been a HUGE success for us as we are seeing great gains in his reading speed and decoding since we started reading along with audio/ TTS, and also, since he is exposed to so much text, spelling.

[siloam]

No. Typically I read aloud. I've never tried using an audiobook alongside a print book before. My oldest struggles with any sort of language, so spoken is just as difficult as print. BUT when I read aloud to him (using inflection and such), he does a bit better, and he says that he does understand more when he reads along while he listens.

I recorded my 2nd dd's books for a year. The problem I had with regular recordings is they often went too fast for her to read with. I read slower, so when I read it, it worked.

 

Eventually it got to be too much to keep up with, and lucky for me she was ready to read on her own.

 

Generally reading with a recording should increase both comprehension and build fluency. The only problem is finding the stories at the right speed.

 

BTW I would worry first about making sure the reading part is in place. It is OK if the reading is slower than normal, but that they can read well, then I would work with comprehension. Basically the sequence I cover here is: LiPS, Phonics, Seeing Stars (visualizing letters/words for spelling) and then I am going to do Visualizing and Verbalizing. We all do well with seeing pictures in our minds, but we don't do well with details or with using that for non-fiction comprehension.

 

Heather

[VinNY]

http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/about_tumblebooks.asp

[redsquirrel]

my friend had it for her daughter. They really liked it. However, the books are read by volunteers. Some are great, some are monotone. Very often the books are read by several differnt people. So, some chapters might be great and others sort of flat.

 

However, all the volunteers are very kind people and my friend was grateful to them all.

[razorbackmama]

So is your goal to use the audio to help him with his ability to understand spoken language? Or are there other reading issues that you are trying to alleviate through using audio?

 

Well, I have 3 kids that I'm wanting to use it for.

 

Kid #1 has CAPD, I'm almost positive. So decoding isn't too much of a problem for him, but he has no clue WHAT he is reading. He has said it helps when I read it aloud...I guess it's because of the inflection I add or something. Plain audiobooks aren't great for him because they go too fast and are very bland.

 

Kid #2 has dyslexia. She CAN read, but her fluency isn't great. The tester recommended that she have everything read to her or have audiobooks to follow along with.

 

Kid #3 I'm suspecting has some sort of visual tracking issue. He skips a lot of words when he reads, and sometimes he gets confused with what he's reading simply because of the jumping around.

 

I recorded my 2nd dd's books for a year. The problem I had with regular recordings is they often went too fast for her to read with. I read slower, so when I read it, it worked.

 

Yep yep yep. I hear ya.

 

Eventually it got to be too much to keep up with, and lucky for me she was ready to read on her own.

This is a huge concern of mine, given all the other stuff I have going on. ESPECIALLY since the computer with the recording software and the microphone is right next to the TV in the living room. So if I were to do it while everyone is awake, I'd have lots of interruptions and background noise. But if I do it when everyone is asleep, I have to compete with my dh and the TV.:tongue_smilie:

 

BTW I would worry first about making sure the reading part is in place. It is OK if the reading is slower than normal, but that they can read well, then I would work with comprehension. Basically the sequence I cover here is: LiPS, Phonics, Seeing Stars (visualizing letters/words for spelling) and then I am going to do Visualizing and Verbalizing. We all do well with seeing pictures in our minds, but we don't do well with details or with using that for non-fiction comprehension.

 

Yes, the plan is to address the root causes of their problems, but in the meantime I'm trying to figure out how to not completely throw history/science/etc. by the wayside.:glare:

[Dobela]

Can you find some local volunteers or family members to do some readings for you?

[razorbackmama]

Can you find some local volunteers or family members to do some readings for you?

No. We don't live near family, and even if they recorded stuff for us...well...think "Mater" from the movie Cars.:lol::lol::lol:

[RamonaQ]

I think you should give it a try since you have multiple kids and maybe one will find it useful. RFBD is easy to try-- you join for free (with a diagnosis which it sounds like you have--our COVD gave us our referral). You can download the books right to your computer and listen with Windows Media Player. So you could try the experiment one afternoon just to see if the kids find the audio helpful. You could also have them try reading along with text to see how that is.

[Dobela]

No. We don't live near family, and even if they recorded stuff for us...well...think "Mater" from the movie Cars.:lol::lol::lol:

Well, actually, I do understand. I live in Razorback Country :lol:!

Edited January 11, 2011 by Dobela
spelling...

[razorbackmama]

Well, actually, I do understand. I live in Razorback Country :lol:!

Woo pig sooie! That's where we're from!:D

[stripe]

I recently saw some recordings at my public library that are 20-30% slower than average recordings. I think the intent was for people who are newer at English, but you could check those out.

 

I think the site that has recordings of out of copyright material referenced in this thread is Librivox.

 

Tumblebooks is a website that your library may have a subscription to, that has animated children's books. They are similar to the pages, but more lively, with a small amount of animation (mostly the pages being turned). They also have recordings of longer books (no visuals) such as Winnie the Pooh. They have English, Spanish, and some French. I think it's a Canadian company. You can see their website here, but I'd inquire at your library to see if they have it and how to sign in.

 

Your library may also participate in some sort of ebooks program. If your library has no such program, I think the Philadelphia Free Library allows anyone to join for $15/yr and check out material from them, including the ebooks. From what I've seen of my library's ebooks offerings, and the Philadelphia library's site, many of them are audiobooks. They are not all children's books, but it gives a more modern option than just older, out of copyright material read by volunteers.

 

Also -- you can adjust the speed of audio playback of mp3s on iPods, through Windows Media Player, QuickTime, and other such software. Check that option out.