Do you really need to read to learn

This article by Stephanie N. Del Tufo, assistant professor of education and human development at the University of Delaware, has been republished with permission from The Conversation's Curious Kids series, for children of all ages. It answers the question: "Do we need to read, or can we just get everything through audio, like podcasts and audiobooks?" - Sebastian L., 15, Skanderborg, Denmark

Let's start with a thought experiment: Close your eyes and imagine what the future might look like in a few hundred years.

Are people intergalactic travelers zooming between galaxies? Maybe we live on spaceships, underwater worlds or planets with purple skies.

Now, picture your bedroom as a teenager of the future. There's probably a glowing screen on the wall. And when you look out the window, maybe you see Saturn's rings, Neptune's blue glow or the wonders of the ocean floor.

Now ask yourself: Is there a book in the room?

Open your eyes. Chances are, there's a book nearby. Maybe it's on your nightstand or shoved under your bed. Some people have only one; others have many.

You'll still find books today, even in a world filled with podcasts. Why is that? If we can listen to almost anything, why does reading still matter?

As a language scientist, I study how biological factors and social experiences shape language. My work explores how the brain processes spoken and written language, using tools like MRI and EEG.

Whether reading a book or listening to a recording, the goal is the same: understanding. But these activities aren't exactly alike. Each supports comprehension in different ways. Listening doesn't provide all the benefits of reading, and reading doesn't offer everything listening does. Both are important, but they are not interchangeable.