MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Guiding a child's first interactions with an ebook reader

ekbell · 09-10-2019, 11:33 PM

I think that the main problem when using a tablet for the first time as a learning aid (assuming that the tablet is an dedicated one with minimal distractions available) is simply the novelty. The reader may simply be paying too much attention to the mechanics of turning the pages and playing with the settings to retain information. Providing more practice with shorter high-interest material may be all that's needed. Something as simple as dressing up the tablet differently then the ones the child may be accustomed to play games on may also be useful as associations can be powerful things.

I had a tablet and read to my youngest daughter from it when she was a toddler, later on I passed down the outdated tablet to her so that she could read books on it (no games and WiFi disabled) and she has no problems concentrating when reading it (she's now eight).

My older children also quickly became used to their ereaders although they have had problems with the fragility of ereader screens (I wouldn't recommend a ereader unless you are sure that the children will be reasonably careful). They do prefer paper books but if reading the Wizard of Oz books requires using an ereader then an ereader will be used.

I do not think that tablets or particularly ereaders are particularly comfortable devices for taking notes on without a keyboard, although a stylus can improve matters. While I do use a tablet for personal study I have a separate notebook for my notes. Anything essay length is really best done with a keyboard.

09-10-2019, 11:33 PM	#2
ekbell Guru Posts: 627 Karma: 12345678 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Canada Device: none	I think that the main problem when using a tablet for the first time as a learning aid (assuming that the tablet is an dedicated one with minimal distractions available) is simply the novelty. The reader may simply be paying too much attention to the mechanics of turning the pages and playing with the settings to retain information. Providing more practice with shorter high-interest material may be all that's needed. Something as simple as dressing up the tablet differently then the ones the child may be accustomed to play games on may also be useful as associations can be powerful things. I had a tablet and read to my youngest daughter from it when she was a toddler, later on I passed down the outdated tablet to her so that she could read books on it (no games and WiFi disabled) and she has no problems concentrating when reading it (she's now eight). My older children also quickly became used to their ereaders although they have had problems with the fragility of ereader screens (I wouldn't recommend a ereader unless you are sure that the children will be reasonably careful). They do prefer paper books but if reading the Wizard of Oz books requires using an ereader then an ereader will be used. I do not think that tablets or particularly ereaders are particularly comfortable devices for taking notes on without a keyboard, although a stylus can improve matters. While I do use a tablet for personal study I have a separate notebook for my notes. Anything essay length is really best done with a keyboard.