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Whole Child: eBooks
Annette VanAken
Whole Child
Using Ebooks to Support Reading in Early Childhood: What Does the Data Suggest
The current emphasis on technology’s role to support teaching and learning stems from the understanding that young children are growing up as digital citizens. Young children including preschoolers increasingly use mobile devices, iPads, smartphones, and other digital devices (Holloway et al., 2013; Chaudron, 2015; Common Sense Media 2017) and within the public schools in the United States, one in every five students use mobile technology (Herold, 2016). This information amplifies the need to understand its place within the learning environment and in particular, how it affects learning outcomes. In addition, with future academic success linked to the dependence on reading skill developmental gains during the early childhood years, (NAEYC, 1998; Levine, et al. 2000) reflecting on digital technology’s use to support reading is timely and important.
Research on the use of ebooks with young children (prek-2nd grade) to support reading development, while limited (Eutsler et al, 2020) offers encouraging results for educators. However, using ebooks, educators have an opportunity to provide learning experiences that may close the gap between the young digital citizens
and current classroom practices while supporting reading development, influencing reading outcomes. Closing the gap between how young children interact with technology in their daily lives and how technology is utilized for instructional purposes in the classroom environment requires evidence-based decisions. In addition, when educators consider the evidence, it is imperative to conceptualize how the practice will support the whole child, providing environments and experiences that are safe, promote healthy beginnings, and & Shamir, 2007; Korat & Falk, 2019) confuse the conversation and may prevent educators from developing the efficacy to implement ebooks within their instructional practices. This leads educators to consider how to implement ebooks. Evidence would suggest stories designed with special attention to multimedia learning theory (Mayer & Monreno) aimed to provide a strong match between the verbal and nonverbal information in stories (Takacs et al. 2015) is critical to support readers. In addition, avoiding extra gaming features
engage, support, and challenge reading development in young children.
Ebooks to Support Reading Skills
For decades, researchers have identified that the inclusion of multimedia, interactive effects could have the potential to support acquisition-reading skills such as phonological awareness (Shamir & Korat, 2007; Shamir et al., 2008). However, counter-effects of ebook use, such as distracting features and quality of ebooks (Korat (DeJong & Bus, 2004; Korat & Falk, 2019) and other hotspot features that are not related to the story do not support literacy (Korat & Falk, 2019).
Storytelling is a practice early educators have engaged in to support reading skill development and stimulate children’s imagination (Phillips, 2013). As an approach to engaging young children in meaningful experiences, Maureen et. al., (2018; Maureen et al. 2020) provide evidence suggesting that through the
utilization of ebooks with narrative features, a storytelling model, in a shared reading format can provide equal support for children’s reading development when compared to an oral storytelling experience. In addition, positive gain in children’s phonological awareness, alphabet recognition, recall, and print awareness can be achieved while also supporting their social and emotional development (Maureen et. al. 2018).
Reading Skills Based on Gender and Ebook Instruction
Ebooks might offer new opportunities to address questions educators have been seeking regarding the gender gap in reading skills (Daly, & Corcoran, 2019; Reilly et al., 2019). Examining the differences in emergent literacy development between boys and girls, researchers in two different studies sought to understand how ebooks might support motivation and self-regulation as a precursor of literacy outcomes (Rvachew et al., 2020; Deasley, 2018) and literacy behaviors (Deasley, 2018). Although results are for the ways ebooks might support boys and girls differently, neither of the study’s results indicated ebooks produced negative outcomes for either gender. In fact, lessons to be learned would include that girls continued to outperform boys on tests of emergent literacy (Deasley, 2020) and boys need to be frequently redirected (Rvachew et al., 2020). However, during independent story engagement experiences, both genders spent significantly more time on-task when reading an ebook (Deasley, 2020). Finally, results would indicate the relevance of the synchronized interaction between an adult, child, and technological features play a role in the teaching and learning experience for the young child (Rvachew et al. 2020).
Training and Professional Development Opportunities
Studies reflecting educators’ perceptions concerning the integration of technology, in general within the early learning environment demonstrate a positive view for the potential of its use within the early learning classroom (Ogegbo, & Aina, 2020; Altun, 2019). Yet, early childhood educators struggle with adapting to pedagogical approaches that are modern and innovative because of their inherent convictions and selfefficacy (Peterson et al. 2018). It is argued that when educators consider the integration of technologies into the learning experience as not supportive of teaching, learning and/or play in early childhood classrooms, they are reluctant or unable to meaningfully use instructional technologies, such as ebooks, for effective learning and play (Nikolopoulou & Gialamas 2015). This would lead to a recommendation
that training, support, and pedagogical orientation should be provided for early childhood educators to tackle these limiting factors Ogegbo, & Aina, 2020) and support the integration of ebooks in the early learning environment.
Training should also move beyond the classroom and consider how to include parents of young readers. Evidence suggested that when parents are provided training for how to engage with children during shared reading experiences and selecting appropriate ebooks that meet the reading development of the child; parents from lower socioeconomic status talked three times more with children using the ebooks than parents without training or intentional ebook designs (Troseth, 2018). It is understood that interactions within the learning environment can build on prior knowledge and support context for the learner, through scaffolding content information. These varied conversations during shared reading experiences provide opportunities to elicit critical information from young children and with the inclusion of ebooks the importance of these conversation does not change (Guernsey & Levine, 2015). Therefore, special attention to support parents’ understanding of how to utilize ebooks in a shared reading experience as key stakeholders should not go unnoted.
Application to the Whole Child Tenets
Continued investigations for the implementation and inclusion of ebooks to support reading development of young children is necessary. However, evidence suggests that the utilization of ebooks cannot only provide opportunities to enhance these skills, but provide a safe and challenging reading environment for young children. Through intentional planning, educators have the opportunity to select ebooks meeting the learner’s needs, similarly to traditional books (Takacs et al. 2015). High-quality ebooks created to support book text and reduces distractibility features are available to educators. These types of ebooks are provided in multiple genres, reading levels, and published in various languages to address the varied needs of the students within the early learning environment. In addition, publishers often provide opportunities for educators to limit access to content keeping young readers safe when reading independently.
During the planning process, ebook experiences with their interactive features create engaging connections to support meaning which support reading development (Shamir et al., 2008). While educators need to be present during instruction and intentional in selecting the right materials for student access and there are times when
students might participate independent reading activities. It is possible that these features will offer a scaffold for students for challenging content. In addition, through ebook storytelling experiences it is possible to engage young children in ways that connect them with the boarder community.
Preparing young children for the global world is directly connected to their ability to utilize technology with ease. Utilizing ebooks is part of the experience of diversifying the technology tools young children are comfortable using for learning To meet this challenge, educators understanding of pedagogical relevance of ebooks for young children and the sharing of this information with other key stakeholders is imperative (Johnson et al., 2018). Without these changes, young digital citizen enter school with skillsets that are different than educators are asking them to utilizing in and out of the classroom. In addition, research would suggests that ebooks have the potential to support reading development skills and time on task during reading supporting a healthy lifestyle as a potential lifelong reader.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Ebooks provide one opportunity to support the connection between young digital citizen and the classroom-learning environment. How young children are entering school using technology in their daily lives in not going to change. The key is to develop educators’ pedagogical understanding and self-efficacy while connecting to a solid foundation of developmentally appropriate practices. Often educators’ core pedagogical beliefs focus on constructivism in which learning and meaning is constructed in and out of social interaction with humans (Cicconi, 2013). However, to meet the needs of our growing young digital citizen, this perception needs to be altered. Discovering how to infuse technology, such as ebooks into daily learning and play experiences within the early childhood classroom in a balanced effective way is necessary.
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Dr. Annette VanAken is assistant professor of literacy and early childhood education in the College of Education at Concordia University Chicago. Prior to joining Concordia, Dr. VanAken spent 19+ years in the classroom as an elementary educator, teaching grades Pre-K through 8th grade before earning her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. Her interests include assistive technology to enhance early learning experiences, early mathematics, and project-based learning. Email:
