Wilson Exit Paper Ed6x90

An Investigation of the Impact of Reading Technologies
on Emergent Reading Development

Mary (Katie) Wilson
Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador
August 5, 2015
THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES
Abstract
This paper explores various research studies that have been conducted on reading technologies
and the impact they have on emergent readers, particularly children in kindergarten who are
learning the foundational skills to read on their own. The foundational skills of reading
development refer to oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness and alphabet
knowledge (Moody, 2010). The research in this paper focused on the following reading
technologies: iPads, touch screen tablets, electronic books (e-books), computer-assisted
instruction (CAI) and reading software programs. Specific benefits and drawbacks of each form
of reading technology in relation to a childs early literacy development have been outlined
throughout this paper. Research findings indicate that iPads can develops a childs vocabulary
and phonics ability (Flewitt, 2015), e-books can support growing literacy skills (Korat & Shamir,
2007) and CAI can teach foundational reading skills in developmentally appropriate ways
(Lonigan, Driscoll, Phillips, Cantor, Anthony & Goldstein, 2003). The success of these tools
does come with restrictions, as I will share and discuss with my readers. It is my hope that early
elementary educators will use these findings to inform their instruction and make decisions
regarding the integration of technology into their literacy programs.

Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................4
Computer-Assisted Instruction and Reading Software Programs...............................................6
Benefits.........................................................................................................................7
Drawbacks.....................................................................................................................9
Discussion...................................................................................................................10
Tablets and iPad Applications...................................................................................................11
Benefits.......................................................................................................................12
Drawbacks...................................................................................................................14
Discussion...................................................................................................................15
E-Books.....................................................................................................................................16
Benefits.......................................................................................................................17
Drawbacks...................................................................................................................20
Discussion...................................................................................................................21
Limitations to Research Findings.............................................................................................22
Conclusion................................................................................................................................23
References.................................................................................................................................26
An Investigation of the Impact of Reading Technologies

on Emergent Reading Development
Based on my 8 years of elementary teaching experience, it is my professional opinion
that the greatest instructional emphasis in the early elementary years (grades primary-2) should
be on teaching students how to read and write; this opinion is grounded in the Nova Scotia
Department of Educations assertion that the major focus in grade primary should be on literacy
acquisition (NSDEECD, 2008). As indicated in the Nova Scotia Department of Educations
Primary Program: A Teaching Resource (2008), a childs ability to successfully obtain literacy
and language skills during their first year of school is a strong indicator of success later in their
educational career. From my experience it seems that educators are always looking for new and
innovative ways to educate their students and guide them to achieving important learning goals.
(Boeglin-Quintana & Donavan, 2013). Boeglin-Quintana and Donavan (2013) stress the
complexities of teaching a child to read, indicating that it includes multiple layers and multiple
skills to master. Each of these skills works together to develop what we call a fluent reader (p.
49). In order to become successful readers within the initial stages of literacy, teachers are
encouraged to provide students with the opportunity to learn letter names, build phonological
awareness and expand their oral language (NSDEECD, 2008). Thanks to new advances in
technology, young readers now have alternative opportunities to practice these early literacy
skills (Northup & Killeen, 2012).
I feel that is it vital for teachers to be aware of the valuable resources that can used in
order to help students achieve reading success. Up until recently, research on reading instruction
has been grounded in the assumption that reading involved decoding words in printed, paperbased resources (Levy, 2009). Our definitions and outlook on literacy and reading have since
shifted to include new digital tools (Hutchinson & Beschorner, 2013). Today, children can read
without ever picking up an actual book thanks to innovative reading technologies such as ebooks, e-readers, interactive reading games and iPad or tablet applications (apps). With the evergrowing use of technology as an instructional tool in the classroom, it becomes even more
important for educators to be aware of the effectiveness of digital educational tools that can be
used to support reading development (Cheung & Slavin, 2013).
Given the fact that effectiveness and risks are relatively unknown, some teachers are
hesitant to integrate technology into an early elementary classroom to support reading
development (Northrup & Killeen, 2012), I propose to answer the following question through my
research: How do reading technologies impact the development of reading skills (e.g.,
phonological awareness and letter identification) in early elementary students?
Throughout my paper I will refer to reading technologies as digital media tools that
promote reading-like behaviours. I will look at the effectiveness of applications accessed on
hand-held, mobile devices with touch screen interfaces, such a tablets and iPads (Neumann &
Neumann, 2014). Extensive time will also be spent researching the implications of using e-books
with emergent readers. E-books are defined as self-contained digital texts whose basic structure
mimics traditional books, are viewed on an electronic display, and are used by students (Felvegi
& Matthew, 2012, p.41). I will further delve into the different experiences of researchers and
teachers accessing supplementary reading programs through computer-assisted instruction and
multimedia computer software (i.e., programs that use a mixture of sound, audio and
animations).
I aim to present a thorough examination of the various reading technologies available for
todays teachers and students. My goal will be to highlight the many benefits and potential
drawbacks of using digital tools to support young readers. School boards in Nova Scotia, the
Chignecto-Central Regional School Board in particular, are stressing the integration of
technology within instructional strategies, stating [we] believe that both students and staff must
have opportunity to use technologies to access, use and communicate the most current
information available from a variety of sources, including electronic Networks (CCRSB, 2015).
In my opinion, this can be risky for teachers to use new technology initiatives because it is a big
time commitment to devote without knowing how effective these tools will be. I hope to present
my findings to my colleagues and fellow early elementary teachers as a way to inform and
reassure that we are making use of best practices and are leading our students on a path for
success.
Computer-Assisted Instruction and Software Programs
There has been a large growth in the amount of educational computer software made
available to target student learning, in particular, literacy acquisition, coinciding with the
increasing use of information technology in elementary schools (Karemaker, Picthford, &
OMalley, 2008). Computer software programs and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) offers
teachers an alternative resource to enhance literacy instruction. Over the years, considerable
attention has been given to fostering a childs emergent reading development in order to promote
later reading and spelling skills (Segers & Verhoeven, 2005), a crucial component for a childs
academic success (Lonigan et al, 2003). With these values in place, it comes as no surprise that
software companies would target reading instruction as a marketing scheme.
CAI is a promising tool for teaching young children the foundational reading skills in a
developmentally appropriate way (Lonigan et al., 2003). Software programs offered in a CAI
learning environment offer a systematic and structured approach to aid the development of
phonological awareness, letter-sound relationships, word recognition and early phonics skills
(Macaruso & Rodman, 2011): the foundational skills required of successful readers (Lonigan et
al., 2003). These programs, that encompass learning games and activities, typically come in CD
ROM format, making them well suited and designed for a learning environment (Segers &
Verhoeven, 2005).
Voogt and McKenney (2007) stress that reading software programs should allow children
to freely explore the learning opportunities without fear of judgment while stimulating many of
their senses with the use of sound, music and animations. The variety of interactive features of
reading software programs would no doubt make them a highly motivational and engaging tool
for many developing readers to access. While it is difficult to make generalizations on the
effectiveness of these programs given the wide range of titles available (Karemaker et al., 2008),
I will attempt to share the findings that have been conducted on several software titles and the
implications they have for fostering the acquisition of fundamental literacy skills.
The Benefits to Reading Development

During a 40-week study on computer intervention using software that targeted
phonological and grapheme-phoneme knowledge, Segers and Verhoeven (2005) observed
positive effects on literacy skills for grade one students. Through these learning games, children
have the opportunity to learn left-right directionality, that sentences are divided into words and
improve their knowledge of rhyming words (Segers & Verhoeven, 2005). Similarly, when
investigating kindergarteners use of the Living Letters software, Van der Kooy-Hofland, Bus,
and Roskos (2011) discovered that children who were involved in a computer intervention group
outperformed students not receiving the intervention in areas of phonological awareness,

invented spelling and word decoding. It was observed that these children were able to make these
gains because the computer was able to stimulate and focus their attention to the graphemephoneme relationship, and as a result, these students were more prepared to succeed in reading
instruction compared to the control group (Van der Kooy-Hofland, 2011).
Not only does CAI encourage developing reading skills, Karemaker et al. (2008) argue
ICT [information communication technology] can be advantageous over traditional teaching
methods by extending the role of the teacher to personalizing support (p.47). When comparing
Oxford Reading Tree to traditional read-alouds using big books, it was concluded that the
multimedia software was better equipped to meet the individual needs of the students
(Karemaker et al., 2008). It was felt that these results were reflective of the students being able to
control the pace of the program and being able to focus their attention on specific features of the
written text while gaining immediate feedback from the program. Through my experience as a
lower-elementary teacher, the features of this multimedia software do sound promising over a
traditional shared reading piece. During a print-based reading with my class, I cannot always
ensure that every student is paying attention, comfortable asking questions, or understanding the
focus of my instruction. CAI can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each student because
many of these programs increase in difficulty as a student demonstrates success with a concept
(Segers & Verhoeven, 2005). When compared to traditional read-alouds, students who interacted
with multimedia reading software made greater gains in word recognition, rhyme awareness,
segmentation skills and awareness for grapheme knowledge (Karemaker et al., 2008) due in part
to the softwares interactive features.
While studies have been in favour of the use of reading software programs to enhance
literacy skills, several researchers found that there was even greater success when these programs
were paired with adult mediation. During intervention sessions overseeing an adult and 5-yearold children using the program Tutoring Buddy, it was determined that computer intervention
with adult guidance was an effective tool to assist students with literacy deficits (DuBois, Volpe
& Hemphill, 2014). The intervention not only enhanced a childs ability to decode words, but
these children also outperformed non-intervention students in letter-sound expression and
fluency during follow-up assessments (DuBois et al., 2014). It was also observed that four and
five-year-old students were more eager to engage in the computer program when they were
guided by an adult (Voogt & McKenney, 2007). The interaction with an adult tutor encouraged
reflective thinking and conversations about the learning tasks being tackled; the adult provided
additional explanations to complement the feedback a student would receive from the computer
(Voogt & McKenney, 2007).
Potential Drawbacks
Despite the educational features built into many computer programs, young children are
still able to operate some games by giving random responses and ignoring guiding feedback (Van
der Kooy-Hofland et al., 2011), diminishing any potential educational benefits. Some programs
encompass a collection of learning and discovery games (Sergers & Verhoeven, 2005). When left
to independent exploration, Segers and Verhoeven (2005) found that students who spent the
majority of their time playing discovery games did not make significant learning progress
compared to the students who had been instructed to use the learning games. It would be my fear
that posing these kinds of restrictions on a childs use of the program may result in higher
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academic results, but it may also diminish their motivation and interest in using the program. It
should also be kept in mind that while many software publishers claim to promote the
development of important literacy skills, they often do not have scientific research to back up
their claims (Karemaker et al., 2008). Teachers would need to consider these factors before
selecting a reading software program to implement into their instructional routines.
When investigating the use of CAI as a phonics instructional tool, Lonigan et al. (2003)
noted growth in many targeted areas, such as rhyming and segmentation, but concluded that the
gains the children made did not carry over to decoding skills when reading independently.
Likewise, Segers and Verhoeven (2005) also found that the gains five-year-old students made
during computer intervention did not affect their auditory blending and segmentation abilities.
These findings serve to remind teachers that while reading software programs can have
significant benefits to a childs reading development, they should not be used in isolation as they
do not hold the power to replace a human teacher (Segers & Verhoeven, 2005).
Discussion
The effectiveness of reading software programs is dependent on many variables. The
studies I have researched were very favourable of CAI as a reading supplement, but as
Karemaker et al. (2008) caution, the effectiveness of the multimedia software is dependent on
features of the program as well as the prior reading skills of the child. The interactive features,
such as highlighted text with narration, audio cues for expression and pronunciation and
engaging activities, could support the phonological awareness of a child, but more research
needs to be done on the most useful features in order to better inform educators on which
programs to integrate into their classroom (Karemaker et al., 2008).
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Not only do these programs present as beneficial for reading development, but they also
provide opportunities for students that can be difficult for a teacher to do in a class full of pupils.
As opposed to a human teacher, CAI can offer a child endless repetition, direct and immediate
feedback and the child may experience less fear of judgment when taking risks in learning
(Segers & Vohoeven, 2005). This is not to say that CAI should replace a teacher in reading
instruction. A trend I noticed throughout the research findings was that many of the benefits
related to one component of reading development, such as phonemic awareness or word
identification. These skills do help to compose the necessary foundation for reading acquisition
(DuBois et al., 2014), but need to be practiced and applied to many reading outlets to ensure
successful reading development. For this reason, these programs should only be one small
component of a well-balanced literacy program.
From the research results I have explored, I feel confident in suggesting that computerassisted instruction and reading software programs could be an effective tool to enhance
developing reading skills for young children. This opinion is shared by many of the authors I
have read, including Lonigan et al. (2003) who stated phonological sensitivity training using
CAI with preschool children is effective, suggesting that CAI is a promising accessory to
teacher-based instruction of phonological skills or other preschool curriculum (p. 257).
Tablets and iPad Applications

Recent studies are indicating that touch screen tablets and iPads could play an important
role in a childs cognitive development in the near future (Neumann & Neumann, 2013).
Children are being immersed into a world dependent on digital communication when they are at
a vital stage of developing their early literacy skills, such as speaking, listening and writing
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(Flewitt, Messer & Kucirkova, 2015). As a result, these digital tools and new modes of
communication are positively influencing instruction in literacy and are changing the way in
which a child learns to read (Hutchinson & Beschorner, 2014).
Devices like the iPad, are comprised of unique features, such as a touchscreen interface
with a wide variety of applications, which promote mobile learning for all ages (Hutchinson,
Beschorner & Schmidt-Crawford, 2012). With their print-based interface, tablets and iPads
present children with a new opportunity to develop emergent literacy skills (Neumann &
Neumann, 2013) and present teachers with new opportunities to integrate technology into
reading instruction (Northup & Killeen, 2012). As a result, the definition of literacy is
transforming to now include print and digital media (Flewitt et al., 2015), making it necessary for
teachers to adapt new practices while they integrate new forms of texts into their literacy
instruction (Hutchinson & Boschorner, 2014). With this new adoption of literary forms, a
teacher must stop and question the effectiveness of these tools in relation to their students
developing reading skills and consider the potential risks that may be involved.

Within a technology-rich 21st century culture, teachers are now able to meet many of the
print-based reading curriculum goals through the new literacies presented via iPads and tablets
(Hutchinson et al., 2012). Many of the edutianment apps (apps that are both educational and
entertaining) that are available for download have been proven to be effective for 3-5 year old
children in developing vocabulary and phonics skills (Fleweitt et al., 2015). Other literacy apps
have also been found to have a positive impact on a childs ability to identify letter sounds,
rhyming words and, again, to foster their vocabulary development; these findings indicate that a
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childs early use of touch screen devices could help to develop early literacy skills (Neumann &
Neumann, 2013).
Young students are being presented with useful opportunities to practice and apply newly
acquired reading skills (Hutchinson et al., 2015). Neumann and Neumann (2013) argue that the
print-like interface of iPads encourages a childs concept about print because the childs attention
is focused on the printed word. With the small, book-like shape, students are able to engage in
reading-like behaviours, such as finger-tracking, pointing to words and turning pages, while
interacting with downloadable e-books (Neumann & Neumann, 2013).
A childs reading
development is further supported with these interactive e-book apps with built in narrations,
colourful animations (Neumann & Neumann, 2013) and the opportunity to acquire the
pronunciation and definition of words (Hutchinson et al., 2012).
Perhaps one reason why studies show an enhancement in literacy skills with the use of
iPads is because teachers are more able to tailor their lessons to meet their students needs and
personalize learning while using these tools (Boeglin-Quintana & Donovan, 2013). E-books can
be downloaded onto an iPad or tablet that are at a students instructional reading level
(McClanhan, Williams, Kennedy & Tate, 2012), allowing the student to work at an appropriate
developmental level and apply skills to further advance their reading. During their study on using
iPads to support a struggling reader in grade 5, McClanhan et al. (2012) observed that the student
became more cautious of his reading because he was able to record himself and then follow
along with the text while he listened to himself read; as a result he picked up on mistakes he was
making and made goals for improvement, thus improving his reading ability.
Many studies have observed heightened student engagement, motivation and a sustained
interest to read when iPads and tablets are used for literacy instruction (Boeglin-Quintana &
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Donovan, 2013; Hutchinson & Beschorner, 2014). Kindergarten students who were normally
distracted during reading time were more motivated to sit through and listen to a story in
completion when iPods were used for narration (Boeglin-Quintana & Donovan, 2013).
Hutchinson and Beschorner (2014) further concluded that iPad use empowered student learning
because students were engaged and supported through personalized instruction, resulting in a
more efficient and focused learning experience. Comparably, during their study on integrating
iPads for early literacy instruction, Flewitt et al. (2015) also observed an increase in student
motivation due to the responsive nature of the apps and the immediate feedback that was
received during the learning tasks; this motivation to succeed resulted in students displaying
literacy skills that were more advanced than the teachers had previously given the students credit
for.
iPads and touch screen tablets are not only effective tools to use at school to support
reading development, but teachers are also able to improve communication with home regarding
a students reading progress with the use of iPads (Northup and Killeen, 2012). Whereas iPads
are becoming common devices used in the home setting, teachers would be able to inform
parents on the apps that are being used at school to promote reading acquisition; parents would
then be able to download these apps on their own personal devices to extend the learning at
home for their child (Northup & Killeen, 2012).
Potential Drawbacks
Northup and Killeen (2012) caution that the use of iPads does not necessarily lead to
increased student success and achievement: knowing how to use the app does not mean that the
student will also understand the literacy content that is being presented to them through the app.
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Furthermore, if a student is using an app that is not developmentally appropriate, they could
experience frustration or boredom (Neumann & Neumann, 2013), wasting precious time learning
incorrect information (Northup & Killeen, 2012). While iPads and tablets do hold the promise of
assisting teachers in delivering the curriculum, it is not guaranteed that students will meet the
necessary learning goals through the use of these tools alone (Flewitt et al., 2015).
Integrating iPads and tablets into literacy instruction can also be met with reluctance from
educators. Some teachers are hesitant to use these tools because they feel students spend too
much time sitting and fear that the addictive and fast moving pace of the devices will ill-prepare
students for the patience required when learning to read (Flewitt et al., 2015). Teachers can also
spend countless hours of personal time looking for effective apps due to the overwhelming
quantity and the lack of professional development made available in this area (Hutchinson &
Boschorner, 2014).
While there is an abundance of apps available to support literacy and reading
development, some limitations on apps allow students to progress quickly through the content to
a level that is beyond their academic abilities (Northup & Killeen, 2012). Many of these apps fail
to provide students with the opportunity to problem solve or collaborate (Neumann & Neumann,
2013), which in my opinion, are necessary components for higher-level thinking and effective
learning.
Discussion
Through analyzing the benefits and limitations of touch screen devices, I have concluded
that iPads and tablets hold the potential to be useful tools in effectively enhancing a childs
reading development, but as Neumann and Neumann (2013) suggests, these tools alone will not
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result in increased student learning. Careful consideration and planning must be given before
integrating these tools into literacy instruction, if not, the device simply becomes a tool for
repetitive curriculum delivery (Flewitt et al., 2015).
In order for these devices to be effective in assisting young children to develop necessary
reading skills, a quality app must be carefully aligned with curriculum goals and the childs
developmental level (Neumann & Neumann, 2013). Success is also dependent on the use of
effective instructional framework, such as the gradual release of responsibility: first a teacher
models the specific skills, guides students through practice and then allows for independent use
(Northup & Killeen, 2012). This type of adult scaffolding will foster the growth of emerging
literacy skills (Neumann & Neumann, 2013).
E-Books
It would seem that new technology trends are presenting young readers with diverse ways
to experience literature and reading. A reader can literally now hold their own personal library in
the palm of their hands and take it on-the-go with them thanks to the development of e-books
and e-readers (Felvegi & Matthew, 2012). For the purpose of this discussion, an e-book will refer
to any self-contained electronic book (Felvegi & Matthew, 2012), which resembles a traditional
childrens storybook (Roskos & Burstein, 2012). With the advancement of these new literary
devices, not only is our way of reading changing, but it also brings a call for a change in reading
instruction because new skills will be required to read and comprehend a story (Felvegi &
Matthew, 2012), such as knowing how to turn a page or access interactive features to support
ones understanding.
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The described e-books differ from computer-assisted instruction in that these books are
self-contained activities embedded in a closed network book format, eliminating the distractions
of external links, pop-ups and limitless options (Zucker, Moody & McKenna, 2009). E-books
feature a diverse set of multimedia functions, such as highlighted written text as the book is read
orally to the child, animations, music, games and sound effects (Korat & Shamir, 2007). The
characteristics of e-books hold the potential to promote emerging reading and cognitive
development in young children by supporting growing vocabulary and language development,
story comprehension and literacy skills (Korat & Shamir, 2007).
Despite the potential these tools have for promoting emergent reading skills, the research
in this area is offering inconsistent results (Shamir, 2009). There has been some disagreement
amongst studies in relation to the effectiveness and benefit to increasing literacy skills (Zucker et
al, 2009). I will attempt to present research findings on using e-books with emergent readers so
that educators can weigh the costs and benefits before deciding to implement these educational
tools into their literacy instruction.

Thanks to e-books and e-readers, emergent readers are able to listen to and read a story
while obtaining literacy supports (Moody, 2010) that are not always possible with traditional
storybooks with the absence of adult guidance, such as word pronunciations or definitions. These
devices offer a novel situation where kindergarteners can now pick up a book and engage in
reading-like behaviour without having the actual ability to read books independently (Boudo,
Cavallaro, Hurtado, Pisano, Rutkowski, Smayda, OBrien, Jackson & Chase 2014). de Jong and
Bus (2004) have spent extensive time studying the use of e-books with kindergarten students and
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have found that these tools meet the developmental needs of these young readers, offering a
viable option for teachers to use in the classroom as an alternative means for independent reading
or read-alouds.
Many high quality educational e-books incorporate hot spot features throughout the
reading of electronic versions of childrens storybooks (Neumann & Neumann, 2014). These
hotspots, or interactive buttons, provide support for phonological awareness when activated by
the young reader (Segal-Drori, Korat, Shamir & Klein, 2009) by segmenting the word or
providing the reader with the pronunciation. Shamir (2009) found that when hotspots were used
as a dictionary, providing definitions of selected words, an improvement in word meaning was
noted. These hotspots can also elaborate on the illustrations, providing additional information to
further support the childs comprehension of the storyline (Korat & Shamir, 2007). When these
features are activated appropriately, curiosity and communication can be fostered within a child,
which will further support their learning process (Shamir, 2009).
Through their extensive review of 27 studies related to this field, Zucker et al. (2009)
determined that young readers are provided with opportunities to practice new vocabulary,
develop phonological awareness and practice decoding strategies through the use of an e-books
interactive features. In some cases, kindergarten children even displayed superior emergent
reading skills compared to their peers who read traditional storybooks (Zucker et al, 2009).
These conclusions are further supported with the results from studies conducted by de Jong and
Bus (2002) who found that early readers showed progress with their word reading and word
recognition when engaged in regular readings of e-books. This could be because electronic books
are capable of focusing a childs attention to specific text features (de Jong & Bus, 2002) in ways
that traditional read-alouds could not.
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Felvegi and Matthew (2012) argue that e-books provide opportunities for young children
to enhance their reading development. As a story is read aloud orally with corresponding
highlighted words, children are provided with word pronunciations and the ability to follow
along with a text without adult support (Felvegi & Matthew, 2012). This feature provides readers
with insight into the written text (Korat & Shamir, 2007) and improves their concept about print
(such as knowing print tells a story, letter and word recognition and directionality) (Boudo et al.,
2014).
There is a consensus amongst researchers, such as Ciampa (2012) and Roskos and
Burstein (2012), that one of the greatest benefits of using e-books with emergent readers is the
motivational factors and heightened engagement of students. This could be because the
interactive features of e-books are more appealing to young children (de Jong & Bus, 2002).
When comparing reading opportunities with a group of grade 1 students, Ciampa (2012) found
that students who were disengaged and off-task during traditional independent reading sessions
with print-texts were highly motivated to engage in the reading process with electronic books.
Increased student attention and attitude was also noted, especially for those students who were
typically disengaged and experienced reading difficulties (Ciampa, 2012).
When studying the efficacy of using electronic books with kindergarten students, de Jong
and Bus (2004) discovered that a childs comprehension of an electronic storybook was
comparable to reading sessions with adult support. In order for readers to demonstrate this
comparable comprehension, students first need to be at a developmental stage of understanding
the concepts of stories (de Jong & Bus, 2004). Similarly, when comparing electronic book
readings with adult-led readers, Korat and Shamir (2007) found that children demonstrated good
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comprehension of the electronic readings and the independent reading experience was
comparable to being read to by an adult.
While the potential electronic books hold for emergent readers sounds promising, it
should be kept in mind that these books are not to replace adult readers (de Jong & Bus, 2004).
Korat, Segal-Drori and Klein (2009) compared the reading progress of 5-6 year old children in
kindergarten after engaging in independent readings with electronic books, adult reading with
print books and then with adult readings with an e-book. It was concluded that children reading
an electronic book with adult support demonstrated superior emergent word readings compared
to the other conditions (Korat et al., 2009). A similar study also concluded that children showed
greater progress with their phonological awareness and knowledge about print when the
multimedia features of e-books were paired with adult instruction (Segal-Drori et al., 2009).
Potential Drawbacks
Educators and parents need to be cautious of commercial e-books that include many
distracting features, such as entertaining sounds and animations that do not relate to the written
word; these distracting features diminish the educational value of the book (Moody, 2010).
These commercial e-books also do not always include the highlighted narration feature or the
option for word segmentation (Segal-Drori et al., 2009). Without this highlighted feature,
students may experience difficulty tracking the print when listening to the narration, eliminating
their ability to make associations with the written word and what they hear. But even when the
interactive features are designed to create an educational experience, young readers can still get
caught up with the novel tools and can stray from the main idea of the story, slowing down their
rate of reading and impeding their comprehension (Schugar, Smith & Schugar, 2013). Other
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researchers found that when given an electronic book to read with little guidance, children
quickly got off track from the reading task (Roskos & Burstein, 2012) and spent half their time
playing games rather than reading (de Jong & Bus, 2002; Zucker et al., 2009).
de Jong and Bus (2002) argue that it is necessary for a child to understand how print
relates to sound before they are able to independently access hotspots to aid pronunciation and
segmentation. From their research synthesis, Zucker et al. (2009) reported that young readers
clicked on animation hotspots more frequently than pronunciation hotspots. Other researchers
such as Lefever-Davis and Pearman (2005) worried that the development of emerging reading
skills could be obstructed by an over-reliance of pronunciation hotspots (Felvegi & Matthew,
2012). For instance, Zucker et al. (2009) shared how struggling readers would rely on these
hotspots rather than practicing their decoding skills. These observations remind us of the need for
adult guidance (Korat et al., 2009) if an emergent reader is to truly advance his/her skills through
the use of electronic books.
Discussion
It stands to reason that high-quality, educational e-books hold the potential to support the
development of emergent literacy skills, but they need to be used with caution and with
appropriate support. Research is not yet strong enough to suggest that electronic books can
replace adult readers (de Jong & Bus, 2004) but strongly indicates that these electronic means of
reading are a satisfactory supplement to a well-balanced literacy program (de Jong & Bus, 2002).
The e-books that are used in a classroom need to be chosen carefully, with careful consideration
given to the design of the book (Schugar et al., 2013) to ensure that children are being exposed to
meaningful learning tools.
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High-quality educational e-books hold the potential to provide emergent readers with the
necessary scaffolding supports needed to develop their growing repertoire of reading skills, such
as phonological awareness, print awareness and alphabet knowledge (Moody, 2010). It is my
opinion that the motivational and engaging aspects of e-books would make them appealing to
young readers, especially to those who do not have a keen interest to pick up a book and read.
When used appropriately with targeted instruction and adult guidance, emergent readers could
potentially increase their reading ability through the engagement of electronic books (SegalDrori et al., 2009). This is a tool I would recommend to use combined with careful planning and
thoughtful integration.
Limitations to Research Findings
My research encountered a few limitations that one must consider before drawing
conclusions on the effectiveness of these reading technologies. The first being the year in which
these studies were conducted. I observed that the most recent studies were related to iPads and
touch screen tablets while the older studies related to CAI and computer software programs. This
could be an indication of changing trends in technology marketing for the classroom. This is not
to say that the older tools are any less effective than new and novel devices, but it is difficult to
stay on top of current research when technology is constantly changing. Future research in
comparing one reading technology against another may give teachers a better idea of which tool
is most effective to integrate into their literacy program. This research would be especially
helpful if teachers are limited in their resources due to training or financial constraints imposed
by their school boards.
Another limitation necessary to keep in mind is the breadth and variety of reading
technology programs available to choose from, especially the overwhelming quantity of apps for
23
the iPad (Hutchinson & Beschorner, 2014) and software titles available for the computer. This
makes it difficult to base generalizations on the effectiveness of a certain technology (Karemaker
et al., 2008) because one program could have more effective features than another. I found that
many of the studies I researched did not name specific apps for the iPads, which imposed a
further limitation, preventing me from being specific in my discussions.
Finally, when contemplating the results of these studies, it is important for a teacher to
consider the conditions of the study and how they would relate to the reality of ones own
classroom. As Karemaker et al. (2008) argues, classroom based studies are difficult to find,
which may cause a teacher to experience different results when the tools are applied to an actual
classroom. Many studies, such as McClanahan et al. (2012), Van der Kooy-Hofland et al. (2011)
or Ciampa (2012), were conducted outside of the regular classroom setting or routine. Children
in these studies also received support from the researcher not their regular classroom teacher.
With these conditions, it is difficult to determine how the results would apply to the regular
routines of a classroom. As Karemaker et al. (2008) argues, there is thus a clear need for
classroom-based research if the effectiveness of multimedia software [and other reading
technologies] in supporting developing literacy skills in the typical school setting is to be
known (p. 33).
Conclusion
Through my investigation of popular reading technologies (iPads, e-books and CAI) and
the impact they have on the development and growth of emergent reading skills in elementary
school children, I have concluded that these tools hold the promise, with proper implementation
and support, to foster growth for emergent readers. Emergent readers need to be exposed to
instruction in oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness and alphabet knowledge in
24
order to develop as a successful reader (Moody, 2010). One of the initial tasks of literacy
development, identifying letter sounds, is thought of as the foundational framework for learning
how to read new words (DuBois et al., 2014). The research has been favourable for all three tools
for encouraging reading development in at least one of these areas. Given these favourable
results, I feel these reading technologies would be valuable components of a literacy program in
the 21st century classroom.
Flewitt et al. (2015) concluded that a child was able to develop vocabulary and phonic
skills through the use of apps on an iPad, while Boeglin-Quintana and Donavan (2013) found
that children showed an increase in identifying letter sounds and rhyming words when using an
iPad. Similarly, e-books have been found to be powerful tools capable of encouraging reading
development by supporting growing vocabulary and language skills (Korat & Shamir, 2007). Ebooks can also provide emergent readers with opportunities to increase their phonological
awareness, practice decoding strategies (Zucker et al, 2009) and build upon their concepts about
print (Boudo et al., 2014). Teachers should rest assured to hear that e-books are developmentally
appropriate tools, capable of meeting the learning needs of preschool students (de Jong & Bus,
2004). CAI has also been found to be a viable tool in supporting the development of
phonological awareness, letter-sound relationships, word recognition (Marcaruso & Rodman,
2011), segmentation and grapheme knowledge (Karemaker et al, 2008).
An educator must keep in mind that the success of these reading technologies does not
rest in the tools alone. As Neumann and Neumann (2013) cautions, the apps on iPads will not
increase student learning in isolation; these tools must be carefully aligned to a childs
development and to curriculum expectations. A child may waste valuable learning time if thought
and consideration is not put into the planning of the technology integration first. Not only is
25
thoughtful planning necessary, but these tools are not to be thought of as a replacement for adult
instruction. When studying the effectiveness of e-books (Segal-Drori et al., 2009) and CAI
(DuBois et al., 2014), results indicated greater learner success when a child used these tools
while receiving adult instruction and mediation.
When the integration is paired with explicit teaching and teacher scaffolding, the reading
technologies discussed in this paper hold the potential to benefit the development of reading
skills in elementary students. I would also argue that not only are these tools useful, but it is also
our role as educators to provide opportunities for our students to reap the benefits of such
technologies. As Flewitt et al. (2014) poignantly states, if innovative uses of new technologies
continue to remain absent from the school curriculum and from pedagogy, then we risk failing to
turn on a powerful switch that can light up this generations learning (p. 17). These tools
provide new avenues for teachers to deliver literacy curriculum and provide students with the
opportunities to practice skills that will be needed to thrive in a technology rich society.
26
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An Investigation of the Impact of Reading Technologies

on Emergent Reading Development

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

An Investigation of the Impact of Reading Technologies

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

The Benefits to Reading Development

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

outperformed students not receiving the intervention in areas of phonological awareness,

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

Tablets and iPad Applications

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

The Benefits to Reading Development

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

The Benefits to Reading Development

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

Educational Psychology, 94(1), 14555. Retrieved from

Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

THE IMPACT OF READING TECHNOLOGIES

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