Audiobooks enable those with dyslexia to focus on what is being said rather than trying to decipher the letters and words written on a page.
When Bonnie’s daughter, Kyrieann, 11, was diagnosed with dyslexia, she knew that finding ways to support learning and keep her on track in school would be crucial.
“I can see the words on the page and understand them in my head, but then I can’t speak them aloud. Or sometimes I will mix words up,” said Kyrieann.
Kyrieann has always loved stories, but due to her disability, she was not always drawn to reading physical books.
“When she was really little, she did not have a desire to read at all,” said Bonnie.
Bonnie and her father also have reading disabilities, so she knew that services that catered to her daughter’s reading needs were available and signed Kyrieann up for a membership to Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (GLS).
The GLS resource that has had the biggest impact on Kyrieann’s reading are audiobooks through BARD, the National Library Service’s Braille and Audio Reading Download program, which provides instant access to hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and music materials in audio and electronic braille.
Studies show that audiobooks can support and promote literacy, comprehension, and a love of reading in students with reading disabilities.
According to Bonnie, while Kyrieann’s dyslexia affects her ability to read written text, she excels at retaining and reciting information she hears. When tested by her school, she scored in the 98th percentile for verbal IQ.
“Sometimes when she reads a word she won’t recognize it, but if she hears the words then she knows. She’s an auditory learner,” said Bonnie.
Kyrieann’s love for stories is evident in her joy for performing theatre, where she can express herself and enjoy stories through performances and spoken dialogue, which comes more naturally to her.
Audiobooks enable those with dyslexia to focus on what is being said rather than trying to decipher the letters and words written on a page.
“I always liked stories, but I hated reading because I’m dyslexic and it just made it harder,” said Kyrieann. “So I’m glad I have BARD so I can enjoy the stories”.
Four years since her diagnosis, Kyrieann, now in 6th grade, is keeping pace with her classmates using the audiobooks available through BARD. She regularly uses BARD to listen to and better comprehend books she reads for her school’s Battle of the Books reading challenge.
Bonnie has been pleasantly surprised that all the books that Kyrieann has been required or recommended to read for school have been available through BARD for free.
“With the support systems we have today, it allows her to do what she would be capable of even if she didn’t have a reading disability,” said Bonnie.
Bonnie also uses BARD to read alongside her daughter and says it has helped bring them closer together. They have used BARD to listen to audiobooks together on road trips, while shopping, and even to immerse themselves on vacations, such as listening to Harry Potter books during a visit to the attraction at Universal Orlando Resort.
“We can both listen to a book at the same time, and then we can talk about the book at dinner, or even while reading the book, we pause it to discuss,” said Bonnie.
Although GLS services were intended to help Kyrieann with dyslexia, they also have helped Bonnie, who was not an active reader due to her own reading disability. BARD has made reading more accessible and a regular habit for both her and Kyrieann.
“It’s a way to bring books to people that would not normally read books,” said Bonnie. “It’s made it more accessible to us.”
“To be the conduit through which parents like Bonnie mold children like Kyrieann into inquisitive, lifelong readers who exemplify their respective family’s values is our current primary mission and goal,” said GLS State Director Kristin White. “With so many of our patrons now transitioning into their senior years, to be able to one day hear our youth as adults talk about how beneficial their GLS experience was as children and how much it was a part of their loving memories of family life is what we strive for every day.”
With audiobooks through BARD, reading has become more accessible for Kyrieann, Bonnie, allowing her to engage with books in a more manageable and enjoyable way.
While the majority of their patrons are blind or visually impaired, GLS caters to people with a wide range of reading disabilities, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, brain injuries, and who are not capable of physically holding a book, ensuring that everyone has access to accessible reading materials.
For James Offenhartz, 43, a former social worker, GLS and BARD became an integral part of his life after a traumatic brain injury left him with a reading disability, causing memory and focus issues. GLS patrons can instantly download titles, begin reading, and take the time they need to enjoy a book. There are no holds or delays in getting books and no fines for returning items after a due date.
Offenhartz said GLS plays an essential role in his everyday life.
“When I try to read books with print, I space out,” said James. “It’s a lot easier to maintain the material when it’s read to me.”
BARD enables him to access the information he loves in a format that he needs. He listens to audiobooks on a variety of topics ranging from weightlifting strategies to self-improvement.
“Without GLS, I’d have to find somebody to read to me, and I’d miss out on getting a lot of the information that I enjoy learning,” said Offenhartz. “GLS helps us keep learning despite our disabilities; it takes down barriers.”
Additionally, Offenhartz said through GLS virtual programs, like book clubs, he has connected to a community of other readers.
“So many people are under the misconception that our service is only for the blind,” said White. “While the blind communities, as well as disabled veterans, were our first intended patron groups almost 100 years ago, as technology has evolved, our service has evolved to serve Americans who experience physical disabilities as well as those who experience other cognitive disorders such as dyslexia, all now categorized under the umbrella term of print-disabled.”
BARD is a collection of downloadable audiobooks, magazines, and braille provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress.
Could someone you know benefit from reading materials in an accessible format? Visit gls.georgialibraries.org to learn more.
