Hi everyone! I’ve been really enjoying reading the discussions here and wanted to share a thought on my experience of audio being used as a powerful tool in the classroom.
As an author who regularly visits schools in UK and abroad for assemblies and workshops, I’ve found that audio can really help in building excitement and engagement before I even step into the classroom.
Before my visits, I've been sending schools/teachers a YouTube link to the audio-ebook version of my book Poppy the Pea, so students can listen and watch it, sometimes in addition to or instead of their teacher reading it aloud. This simple step makes such a difference—when I arrive, the children are already familiar with the story, excited to meet me, and ready to dive into interactive discussions and activities linked to the story.
It got me thinking… could Yoto be used in a similar way? If a Yoto player/ and card was available to classrooms before an author visit, it could create an immersive pre-visit experience and help educators integrate audio storytelling into literacy sessions.
I’m also curious to hear from educators—how do you feel about audio in the classroom? Do you see it as something that enhances the reading experience, or do you feel that elements like sound effects and music could take away from children's imagination, particularly when compared to traditional teacher-led storytelling? Do you think Yoto and other audio tools could be more widely used in schools—especially here in the UK where I have found it is not widely used yet?
Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
Best wishes,
Farzad