When I asked my Year 9 students to write their goals for English at the start of the semester, one student wrote that they would like to finish a novel (as in, their first novel ever!). I went and spoke to his English teacher from the previous year and they confirmed that this student had not read a novel in their class, adding that when he did a book report, he did it on “Where’s Wally?”.
Feeling confident that the class novel we were studying that semester, Deadly Unna, was sure to engage the students, I encouraged the student to borrow an audio recording of the novel from our library (which he put on his iPod). Sure enough, he finished the novel and he was was very enthusiastic about participating in class discussions about the novel.
I have since come across a number of websites that offer free audiobooks that students can download onto their iPods and MP3 players. Use the links below to search for titles that are available. Generally speaking, items published before 1923 are widely available, including classic novels by Jane Austin and Charles Dickens, plays by Shakespeare and even poetry.
Written by Callie Whelan.Melbourne Beyond Chalk Facilitator
8:22 am
Hi – loved your article – I am teaching the deadly unna book and I’ve checked all of the websites above and cannot find a download anywhere. I’d be happy to pay for it if I can get it to play on CD.
Any tips, please email me.
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