We are living through a significant shift in the way we access information.
Books and newspapers, once our first port of call for knowledge, are increasingly being replaced by podcasts, audiobooks, short-form videos, social media reels and audio-based content. We are listening to information, watching it in bite-sized pieces and, increasingly, interacting through speech rather than the written word.
From a quick TikTok video to an audiobook on the school run, information is now available at the touch of a button — and often without the need to read a single sentence.
But this raises an interesting question: what does this mean for the way we communicate, learn and develop?
From an oral society to a literate society — and perhaps back again?
For much of human history, societies were predominantly oral. Before writing became widespread, knowledge, stories, traditions and cultural understanding were passed from one generation to the next through spoken language.
Storytelling was central to human communication. People learned by listening, remembering, repeating and sharing what they had heard. The spoken word was fundamental to how communities preserved their knowledge and understood the world.
The development of writing, followed by the widespread availability of printed books and newspapers, transformed the way information could be recorded, stored and shared. Literacy became an essential skill, allowing people to access knowledge beyond their immediate communities and experiences.
Today, we may be witnessing another significant shift.
We are not returning to an oral society in the historical sense, but we are increasingly relying on spoken information. Podcasts, audiobooks, voice messages, video clips and digital assistants are changing the way we receive and exchange information.
It is an interesting cycle: from listening, to reading, and increasingly back to listening.
From reading to listening
Reading and listening are both complex processes, but they are not identical.
Reading requires us to decode written symbols, recognise words, process language and construct meaning. It allows us to pause, revisit, reflect and move at our own pace.
Listening requires us to process a continuous stream of sounds. We must distinguish speech from background noise, recognise words, interpret meaning, understand tone and retain information long enough to make sense of what is being said.
Listening is an active process. It is not simply hearing.
As audio content becomes more prevalent, the ability to listen effectively may become increasingly important in everyday life.
The rise of short-form content
Social media has transformed the way information is presented.
Short videos, reels and audio clips offer rapid access to ideas, often in highly engaging formats. They are convenient, accessible and can be excellent ways to introduce new concepts.
However, much of this content is designed to capture attention quickly. Information is delivered in short bursts, often with limited opportunity for reflection or deeper exploration.
A book allows us to remain with an idea. A newspaper article develops an argument. A conversation requires us to follow another person’s thinking.
The question is not whether short-form content is inherently good or bad, but whether we are providing sufficient opportunities for sustained attention, deeper processing and meaningful interaction alongside it.
Listening, speaking and the importance of interaction
Communication is not a one-way process.
Listening and speaking are closely interconnected. To participate in a conversation, we must listen to what another person says, interpret their meaning, organise our own thoughts and formulate an appropriate response.
This involves much more than vocabulary.
It requires attention, auditory processing, language comprehension, memory, timing and the ability to interpret the subtle cues within communication.
There is a difference between listening to a podcast and listening to a person.
A podcast can be paused or replayed. A conversation is dynamic. It requires us to adapt, interpret and respond in real time.
We need to be able to listen not only to receive information, but to understand another person, respond thoughtfully and participate in relationships.
As our reliance on spoken information increases, the importance of these skills deserves greater consideration.
What does this mean for children?
Children are growing up in a world where information is increasingly delivered through screens, audio and short-form content.
At the same time, they are developing the foundations of communication, language, attention and learning.
Children need opportunities to listen to spoken language, engage in conversation, ask questions, explain their thinking and hear language in a variety of contexts.
Reading remains enormously valuable. So too are storytelling, shared reading, imaginative play, conversation and face-to-face interaction.
These experiences offer something that passive consumption cannot fully replicate: the opportunity to participate.
A child who listens to a story, discusses its meaning, asks questions and retells it is engaging in a different experience from a child who simply watches a short video.
Both may provide information. But the processes involved are not identical.
Are we developing our listening skills at the same rate as our reliance on listening?
This is perhaps the most important question.
As society moves towards greater reliance on spoken information, we should consider whether we are giving sufficient attention to the skills required to process it.
Can we sustain attention to spoken language?
Can we distinguish relevant information from background noise?
Can we follow instructions that contain several steps?
Can we understand what someone means, rather than simply hear the words?
Can we listen, reflect and respond?
These are important questions for parents, educators and anyone working with children.
The ability to access information is not the same as the ability to process it.
Finding a balance
This is not an argument against technology, audiobooks, podcasts or social media. These can be valuable tools for learning, accessibility and communication.
Nor should listening be seen as a replacement for reading.
Rather, perhaps we need to recognise that as the way we access information changes, the skills we rely upon are changing too.
Reading, listening and speaking each have an important role to play.
We need to continue to encourage children to read, but we must also create opportunities for them to listen carefully, engage in meaningful conversation and develop the ability to express themselves.
In a world where information is increasingly spoken, the ability to listen well may be one of the most important skills we can nurture.
Because hearing information is easy. Understanding it, processing it and responding meaningfully are skills that need to be developed.
And perhaps, in our increasingly noisy world, learning to listen is more important than ever.
Further Reading
1. Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word — Walter J. Ong (1982)
A foundational text exploring the differences between oral and literate cultures, and how the development of writing and print transformed communication, thought and society.
2. Oral History — University of Leicester, East Midlands Oral History Archive
An accessible introduction to oral tradition and the role of spoken language in preserving history, knowledge, experiences and stories across generations.
3. Does Reading While Listening to Text Improve Comprehension Compared to Reading Only? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — Virginia Clinton-Lisell (2023)
This review examined 30 studies involving 1,945 participants. It explored whether listening while reading improves comprehension compared with reading alone. The findings suggest a small overall benefit, with outcomes varying by context and learner.
Read the research through ERIC
4. Orality and Literacy — Gregory Nagy, Harvard University, Center for Hellenic Studies
An academic overview of oral traditions, literacy and the relationship between spoken and written communication, including the transmission of ancient literature.