Did you know that children develop their reading skills just as well and sometimes better by using interactive, talking books, for example, off their iPads, as by working one-on-one with an adult tutor and paper copy books?

As we as a society have made the switch from printed word to digital books, the resistance has been intense. I myself have been one of the people thought of digital word as inferior; how could any iPad or Kindle replace the pure joy of turning a page or smelling the rustic woody smell of a book? Books are our history, so how could we possibly accept such a step down in terms of how we consumed knowledge?

While an iPad might not smell like a book, that doesn't mean it can't teach us the same things. In fact, reading on a digital device could actually teach us more through its' use of highlighting and hyperlinks. Have you ever been reading a fascinating book that you're captivated with, and then you stumble upon a word that you have no idea how to pronounce, let alone define? Then you're forced to stop, find a dictionary (or use Google, no shame), and define the word before you can proceed. This is an arduous process that can deter readers from finishing books, or even starting them. This is where iPad's come in: you can tap on the foreign word, define it right then and there, and continue in the story.

How does this help children's development, though? In a 2014 article named "Development of reading ability is facilitated by intensive exposure to a digital children's picture book" by Nobou Masataka, they investigate how audiovisual books on iPad's help children's reading skills. The study used 30 4-year old Japanese children; researchers tested the children's level of Japanese 'kana' characters (which are similar to our phonetic letters/words) before exposing them to the stimuli.



Children read a book on an iPad which was narrated by a voice actor, and when that part was being read, they text highlighted in red. They found that when the children were tested 4 weeks later they were still able to recognize the characters! The use of the iPad features actually gave the children a better way of learning language. Another 2005 study by Clare Wood named "Beginning readers' use of ‘talking books’ software can affect their reading strategies" showed the same effects in UK children. 

The use of technology is not new, and overall improves the state of childhood education. What should be the takeaway on an institutional and personal level? Institutionally, we should be investing more money and time in making sure children have one-on-one interaction and attention. iPad's are so useful because a teacher cannot tend to every child all the time. Equipping classrooms with iPad's would massively impact the learning environment. And where does this leave us personally? If your kid uses your iPad, phone, or computer, download some educational applications. They will keep your child busy and learning without them even realizing it!

http://hechingerreport.org/teaching-preschoolers-to-use-computers-along-with-their-parents/