Bermuda Parent Bermuda Parent Spring 2015 | Page 28

pregnancy
little ones
BY BRITANNI FUBLER
Are e-books effective
in promoting
early literacy?
t’s inevitable. Before children begin formal
schooling they will have countless experiences
with electronic resources, in particular, e-books.
With some companies claiming that e-books
can improve phonics, word recognition and even
math skills, many have asked the question: are
e-books really effective in promoting literacy develop-
ment? Some researchers state that e-books improve
literacy skills and encourage unmotivated readers but
others report that they are highly distracting, caus-
ing key literacy elements to be overlooked. As more
research is conducted, more evidence will emerge but
for now, there are a few key points that parents and
educators should be aware of when using e-books.
The Benefits...
•
E-books have the ability to highlight text as is it
read. This helps early readers to follow the se-
quence of words and draw links between sounds,
text and meaning.
•
Greater focus is seen in children when reading
e-books. The amount of features on a page (e.g.
animations, questions) allow for exploration of the
story content which can be an asset for early read-
ers and those who need some motivation.
•
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Children have access to features allowing them to
better understand story content and literacy ele-
ments. Many e-books provide definitions, links to
related websites and comprehension questions. These
features can develop key areas like short term memory
and encourage your child to read about other topics!
The Drawbacks...
•
Parents and children can talk more about the features of
the e-book. E-book reading can become overwhelmed by
comments like “click here” or “don’t click that”. Familiar-
ize yourself with the features of the e-book beforehand so
more discussion and discovery can occur!
•
Reading sessions are shorter when the narration feature
is on. Some e-books read the story aloud which is a great
feature to use...on occasion! This feature can limit oppor-
tunities to discuss what you see, know or wonder.
•
Children engage less in key literacy interactions when
reading e-books alone . When adults take the lead,
labelling what is seen, expanding on story content and
focusing on text and letter sounds occurs more. These
elements are critical to literacy development and are
seen less during times when children took the lead or
read alone.
As our young learners become more techno-savvy (have
you seen them work an iPad?) we must embrace what tech-
nology has to offer. But remember: everything in modera-
tion. E-books can be phenomenal tools to engage readers,
expand a knowledge base and encourage literacy skills. An
adult’s role in reading with a child is to develop their interest
in books and expand on what they know! So the next time