As part of our recent Supporting Reading through Audio webinar, we heard from Claire Roberts, SLA member and school librarian at Neston High School. Watch Claire's presentation below or read on for a summary of the challenges, practicalities and positive impacts of using audio, as generously shared with us by Claire.
Claire introduced audio books to Neston High School to address several challenges: limited library space for her 2,000-student school, high rates of overdue books, and growing student demand for audio.
This student-led demand aligned with research from the National Literacy Trust, showing the growing popularity of audio formats among young readers, and Claire was also interested in the wellbeing benefits that using audio could bring, to help support the school’s overall focus on student mental health.
Based on this, the library introduced Sora by Overdrive, offering access to both audiobooks and ebooks. Claire launched several initiatives to promote audio, including setting reading goals through Sora and launching an audiobook club – “a silent disco for reading”!
“It was lovely. There were students just laughing at random times, depending on what they were reading. It was so nice to see. They took a break away from the crazy corridors of Neston, came into the library and just popped their earphones in and listened to their books. It was a real validation that we had done the right thing in getting this system set up for the students.”
The implementation wasn’t without challenges. Claire shared some very honest and relatable hurdles to integrating audio into the Neston school library; from finding the right balance between physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks, to creating exemptions to the school’s “no phone” policy to allow students access to the digital reading platform, with ongoing checks needed during library time.
It was interesting to hear Claire’s observations about usage patterns:
- While ebooks led in terms of items opened, audiobooks showed stronger engagement in number of hours spent consuming content
- Students often started using ebooks during class time but showed more sustained engagement with audiobooks after class and at home
- Audiobooks became integrated into pupils’ daily routines, with many reporting listening while walking their dogs, traveling, or during other activities
Using audio has also created more inclusive reading experiences. For English as Additional Language students, audiobooks have become valuable tools for improving vocabulary and mastering pronunciation, while dyslexic students and struggling readers can now access the same stories as their peers. Claire has also observed an improvement in focus and calmness among students with different learning styles, particularly those who typically struggle to sit still with traditional books.
Overall, Claire "hugely recommends" using audio as way to expand access beyond physical library limitations, meet diverse student needs, and encourage more engagement with books and stories.
One of the most inspiring aspects of Claire's work is how audiobooks have been adopted throughout the school, with form tutors and subject teachers incorporating them into lesson plans and class reading sessions, expanding the reach of the library and encouraging engagement with reading across the whole school setting.
As Victoria Dilly, CEO of the SLA notes, “Activity like this is key to ensuring the school library can be experienced by the entire school community. Whole school approaches that engage staff and students through a variety of formats mean that even the most reluctant readers can engage with books and experience all the benefits of the library. It’s amazing to see what Claire has achieved using audio!”
If you would like to learn more about using audio to support reading in your school, you can watch the full webinar on YouTube now.