E-books better for toddler learning

[kennyc]

"Pediatricians, educators, and parents have always agreed on at least one thing: reading to your toddler -- early on in life and regularly -- is vital to promote language acquisition and also an enthusiasm for learning.

But does it make a difference if parents read from traditional print books, or for parents and kids to engage with electronic books? This ongoing debate has seen several studies in recent years, but there are still many unanswered questions.

A new study conducted by Gabrielle A. Strouse of the School of Education at the University of South Dakota in the U.S.A., and Patricia A. Ganea of the Language and Learning Lab of the University of Toronto in Canada, and published in Frontiers in Psychology has found some striking trends. Electronic media may pose less of a disruptive impact to learning for toddlers than is the case for preschoolers...."


https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0621103103.htm

[Cinisajoy]

I see toddlers with phones so why not e-books.

[HarryT]

Interesting article - thanks for posting it. I notice that this was specifically a study of non-interactive books, and that they warn:

Other researchers have indicated that when electronic books have many highly interactive features such as hotspots that can significantly distract from learning. Indeed, say Strouse and Ganea, ." .. experiences activating built-in features that act as entertainment may heighten any tendencies children have to interpret electronic media as games rather than learning tools."

[JSWolf]

If you get toddlers used to interactive books, then they will expect it and can get upset when the book does nothing interactive. So it's best not to get interactive books for the toddlers.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you get toddlers used to interactive books, then they will expect it and can get upset when the book does nothing interactive. So it's best not to get interactive books for the toddlers.

... hence the warning.

[Deskisamess]

I'm a firm believer in print books for little kids. Nothing beats YOU being the interactive part of reading books with toddlers. Having them on your lap, teaching them how to turn the pages, to take care of the books, etc.

There is a place for digital of course, but until they are reading chapter books, I think print is best. It's too easy to let the tablet/phone be a babysitter.

[ekbell]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I'm a firm believer in print books for little kids. Nothing beats YOU being the interactive part of reading books with toddlers. Having them on your lap, teaching them how to turn the pages, to take care of the books, etc.

There is a place for digital of course, but until they are reading chapter books, I think print is best. It's too easy to let the tablet/phone be a babysitter.

When my youngest was a toddler I mostly read ebooks (non-interactive) to her from my tablet as she sat on my lap. She's now learning to read with the same ease and fondness for her pbooks as her older siblings.

It didn't really feel different to read to her from a tablet then a pbook.

[radius]

Originally Posted by ekbell

It didn't really feel different to read to her from a tablet then a pbook.

One difference is that it is usually easier to follow the words with a finger in paper books compared to on a touch screen.

[ekbell]

Originally Posted by radius

One difference is that it is usually easier to follow the words with a finger in paper books compared to on a touch screen.

I normally have fairly long finger nails and find it easy enough to follow words on a tablet with only my nails touching the screen.