Audiobooks and literacy
Our latest research into audio found that in 2024, 2 in 5 (42.3%) children and young people said they enjoyed listening to audio formats.
What are some of the benefits of listening to audio?
Listening to audiobooks and podcasts can:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Top tips to help teachers make the most of audiobooks to support children’s literacy in the classroom.Download now
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You can listen to audiobooks almost anytime and anywhere as a family - try these top tips!Discover more
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Our top tips for making the most of podcasts to support pupils' literacy in the classroom and at home.Learn more
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.
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Audiobooks are a key part of our Libraries for Primaries campaign.Learn more
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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
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Our reading for pleasure CPD explores using audio to support students' reading engagement.Learn more
Research on audio
Explore our research on children, young people and adults' engagement with audiobooks and podcasts.
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This report outlines the first year-on-year findings on attitudes and behaviours around listening to audio.Learn more
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This report from our 2022 Annual Literacy Survey explores how children and young people are listening to audio and engaging with stories and information through audiobooks...Learn more
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Our latest research into adults' engagement with audiobooks finds links to wellbeing and mental stimulation.Learn more
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Our new report commissioned by Tonies shows how audiobooks can help build reading engagement with younger childrenLearn more
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Report on children and young people's engagement with audiobooks based on our 2021 Annual Literacy ReviewLearn more
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Report on the podcast listening habits and attitudes of young people aged 11 to 18.Learn more
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This report outlines findings from our tenth Annual Literacy Survey relating to children and young people’s engagement with audiobooks in 2020, alongside findings from our...Learn more
