Audiobooks and literacy

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Audiobooks and literacy

Support wellbeing

In 2024, 1 in 2 (52.0%) children and young people said that listening to audio helped them feel relax or feel better when they were stressed or anxious.
Help close the gender gaps in engaging with stories

In 2024, the gender gap in enjoyment was smaller for listening to audio than for reading or writing.
Inspire children and young people to read

In 2024, almost 2 in 5 (37.5%) children and young people said listening to audio had sparked their interest in reading books.
Widen children’s access to books

For children with lower reading ages, audiobooks can help remove the barriers around reading and help them access more advanced stories.

Resources supporting audio

We have published a series of resources for parents and schools to help explore the world of audiobooks.

Top tips to help teachers make the most of audiobooks to support children’s literacy in the classroom.
Download now
You can listen to audiobooks almost anytime and anywhere as a family - try these top tips!
Discover more
Our top tips for making the most of podcasts to support pupils' literacy in the classroom and at home.
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Programmes and training with audio elements

We’ve been working with partners including Audible, Penguin Random House, National Prison Radio and Fun Kids to include audio elements in many of our projects.

10 November 2026: Join us as part of the National Year of Reading for a free webinar where we will consider ways to use audio to support teenage reading experiences.
Secondary CPD: Book now
Audiobooks are a key part of our Libraries for Primaries campaign.
Learn more about the campaign
We’re using audio across our criminal justice programmes, including serialising novels on National Prison Radio, setting up audio corners and training young people how to create podcasts.
Learn more