THE  BIG  QUESTION  

Can  ebooks  of  reasonably  good  quality  help  children  learn  to  read?  

LACK  OF  EVIDENCE  LITERATURE  

RESEARCH  IN  ITS  INFANCY  

What  Do  We  Know?  

The  joint  posi,on  statement  offers  guidance—based  on  research-­‐based  knowledge  of  how  young  children  grow  and  learn—on  both  the  opportuni,es  and  the  challenges  of  the  use  of  technology  and  interac,ve  media.    

“When  used  inten,onally  and  appropriately,  

technology  and  interac,ve  media  are  

effec,ve  tools  to  support  learning  and  

development.”  

NAEYC  and  Fred  Rogers  Center  Joint  PosiOon  Statement    (2011)    

Literacy  Affordances  

Computer-­‐based  learning  ac,vi,es  in  language  ac,vi,es  seemed  to  induce  greater  levels  of  collabora,on  and  discussions  (Dickenson,  1986)  

The  dynamic  nature  of  mul,media  seemed  to  help  children  to  create  mental  models  more  effec,vely  and  improved  comprehension  (Kamil  et  al.,  2000)  

Using  computer  soOware  seems  to  benefit  the  learning  of  special  popula,ons,  such  as  ESL,  learning  disabili,es  and  young  children  (Kamil  et  al.,  2000)  

The  use  of  computers  in  reading  and  wri,ng  seemed  to  mo,vate  children  more  effec,vely  (Kamil  et  al.,  2000)  

Affordances  of  EducaOonal  Technologies  

Social  Affordances  

Children  are  highly  mo,vated  in  computer  environments  and  they  enjoy  sharing  their  experiences  and  strategies  with  each  other  (Blanton  et  al.,  2000)  

Children  exhibit  a  rich  versa,lity  of  social  interac,ons  at  the  computer  (HeO  and  Swaminathan,  2002)  

(Brooker,  2002)  found  that  peers  frequently  supported  each  other  in  the  learning  process  &  children  benefited  from  “mutually  suppor,ve  collabora,on.”  

The  manipula,on  of  shapes  and  symbols  on  screen  represents  a  new  form  of  symbolic  play.  Children  treat  digital  ar,facts  as  “concretely”  as  they  do  physical  play  objects  (Brooker,  2002)    

Affordances  of  EducaOonal  Technologies  

What  the  Literature  Says:  Ebooks  

Reading  Engagement  

Scaffolding  for    Emergent  Literacy  

Ebooks  offer  an  engaging  medium  for  young  struggling  readers,  ease  of  implementa,on  for  classroom  teachers,  and  opportuni,es  for  individual  prac,ce  for  all  students.  

Young  children  who  would  not  normally  be  able  to  read  a  book  on  their  own  can  independently  explore  text.  

READING  ENGAGEMENT  

3-­‐TO-­‐6  YEAR  OLDS  FAVOR  EBOOK  

SCAFFOLDING  Numerous  theories  of  reading  development  recommend  

scaffolding  to  promote  literacy  development  .  

Ebooks  provide  supports  including  •  digital  scaffolding  supports  (McKenna,  Reinking,  Labbo,  &  Kieffer,  1999),  

•  word  pronunciaOon  tools  to  assist  students  with  phonological  awareness  and  decoding  of  text  (Olson  &  Wise,  1992;  Wise  et  al.,1989),    

•  pictures  cues  and  read  aloud  op,ons  to  enhance  comprehension  (Doty,  Popplewell,  &  Byers,  2001;  Greenlee-­‐Moore  &  Smith,  1996;  Maahew  1996;  1997).  

Ebooks  provide  scaffolding  through  narra,ons,  anima,ons  and  interac,ve  media,  which  support  young  children  who  are  developing  emergent  literacy  skills.  

SCAFFOLDS  ASSIST  DECODING  

Digital  Features  Designed  to  Provide  Evidence-­‐Based  InstrucOon  

Emergent  Literacy  Skill  

Digital  Feature   Evidence-­‐Based  InstrucOonal  Technique  

Alphabet  Knowledge   Computer  offers  leaer  pronuncia,on  

Adult  names  leaers  

Computer  highlights  and  repeats  leaers  

Adult  points  to  leaers  

Print  Awareness   Computer  provides  wriaen  text  

Adult  reads  and  points  to  text  

Computer  reads  and  highlights  text  

Computer  offers  click  to  turn  page  and  read  op,ons  on  each  page  

Adult  allows  child  to  turn  pages  or  reads  requested  words  on  the  page  

Phonological  Awareness  

Computer  offers  word  pronuncia,on  

Adult  blends  and  segments  words  

Emergent  Literacy  Skill   Digital  Feature   Evidence-­‐Based  InstrucOonal  Technique  

Use  and  Understanding  of  Language  

Computer  asks  ques,ons  about  book  (e.g.,  who,  what,  how,  when,  and  where)  

Adults  asks  ques,ons  about  book  (e.g.,  who,  what,  how,  when,  and  where)  

Characters  talk  in  various  voices   Adult  uses  voices  to  indicate  different  characters  

Comprehension   Computer  defines  words   Adult  explains  word  meaning  

Computer  offers  anima,ons  to  support  the  text  

Adult  offers  explana,on  of  what  is  happening  within  the  story  

Computer  offers  repeated  readings  of  the  storybook  to  support  understanding  of  story  plot  

Adult  offer  repeated  readings  of  text  to  support  understanding  of  story  plot  

Reading  Engagement  and  Expansion  Ac,vi,es  

Digital  anima,ons,  sounds,  games,  and  ac,vi,es  within  play  and  read  modes  

Adult  voices,  ques,ons,  and  facial  expressions,  and  reading  manipula,ves  

Digital  Features  Designed  to  Provide  Evidence-­‐Based  InstrucOon  

Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.

Ebooks  in  Akron  Ready  Steps  

hap://akronreadysteps.ning.com/    

ESSENTIAL  EARLY  LITERACY  SKILLS  

KNOWLEDGABLE  TEACHERS  

21st  CENTURY  LEARNING  ENVIRONMENT  

ENGAGED  PARENTS  &  COMMUNITY  

THE  CLASSROOM  

Phase  1:    

Ebook  

Phase  2:    

Environment  

Phase  3:    

Engagement  

Phase  4:    

Instruc,on  

DESIGN  PROCESS  

4  phase  study  each  phase  for  6-­‐8  weeks  

The  goal  of  ‘pujng  the  lens  down  on  each  component’  and  in  the  process  developing  tools  that  can  help  us  look  more  systema,cally  at  each  

component.  

eReaders    (PDF)  

Web  Apps  (Flash/Java)  

Mobile  Apps  (iPad/Android)  

Digital    Storybook  

Audio  Storybook  

Video  Storybook  

Interac,ve  Storybook  

@brueckj23  EBOOK  SPECTRUM  

EBOOK  QUALITY  RATING  TOOL  

hap://bit.ly/eQRTv4public  

HIGH  QUALITY  EBOOK  

Interac,on  

Ease  of  Use  

Mul,media  

PHYSICAL  ENVIRONMENT  

LEARNING  SPACES  

Physical    Space  (Classroom)  

Physical  Space  (Classroom)  

Digital    Space  

Core  Skills  

New  Context  

Learning  Space  

formal  

informal  

synchronous  

asynchronous  

Developed  by  Mr.  David  Jakes.  Used  with  permission.  

OUR  EDGE  

EBOOK  NOOK  

ENGAGEMENT  

DEVICE  MATTERS  

MOBILE:  LOOK  &  TOUCH  

TOUCH  SCREEN:  MOVE  &  GESTURE  

INSTRUCTION  

SHARED  EBOOK  READING  

EASY  TRANSITION  TO  EBOOK  

Shared eBook Reading Plan

Title: Date:

New Words:

Instructional Segment Plan Notes

Note pre-selected

screens for instruction;

information/ vocabulary

to point out; organization

for mobile reading

Before

Use pocket chart for

introducing target words

• Point out title, author

• Discuss what the story

is about

• Highlight vocabulary

words (Say; Tell; Do)

During • Listen or Read Aloud

• Pause to discuss

• Highlight new words

(as needed)

After • Ask for favorite part

• Repeat new words (as

needed)

• Prepare for mobile

reading

Mobile • Distribute mobile

devices to individuals

or pairs

• Select place to

browse/read

• Monitor engagement

Observations

Note: Keep vocabulary instruction short and simple. (1) Say target words and ask children to

say them. (2) Tell about the word meaning and encourage children to talk about the meaning

a little bit. (3) Use a gesture (if possible) to help children remember the word; invite

children to use the gesture + say the word.

INSTRUCTIONAL  RESOURCES  

ENLARGE  |  ENRICH  |  EXPAND  

TEACHER  HAND  OVER  

This  small  but  growing  body  of  lab-­‐based  and  field  research  suggests  that  the  

signature  characterisOcs  of  ebooks  do  not  appear  to  interfere  with  the  emerging  

literacy  skills  of  most  children,  and  in  fact  may  be  promoOng  essenOal  skill  development  for  some  children.  

LESSONS  LEARNED  

SUBSTANTIVE  |  INSTRUCTIVE  

DEFINE  |  DESCRIBE  |  EXAMINE