kids using ebooks - Page 2

NatCh · 09-24-2007, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallen angel

I think that I'm gonna use this technique the opposite way, so as they get used it ...

Excellent idea, Fallen angel!

Besides, it's always good for us old fogies (says the 36 year old) to remember that you young whipper-snappers have stuff to teach us too!

DaleDe · 09-26-2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

I got an interesting piece of news this week. According to the test administered at school, my 13 year old daughter is now reading at an 11th grade level (usually about 17 years old in the US). The interesting part is that the same tests have pretty consistently showed her reading to be on the low side up to this year. What's the big difference? She has her own computer this year and has spent much of her time reading websites in her room.

She's also getting very interested in writing, which I'm encouraging -- she has lately been developing some quite good story ideas.

This is the same daughter who's using my eBw 1150, but I'm pretty sure she spends more time reading online. She was hoping it would be easier to transfer fanfiction to the eBw. I think I should work on setting up tools to help her do this.

I have released a fanfiction book for the eb1150 in the book download area. I intend some more as I get time.

Dale

nekokami · 09-26-2007, 06:06 PM

Nice. She's pretty picky about her fanfiction, though. Generally it has to relate to the manga titles she likes.

ElaHuguet · 10-07-2007, 08:05 AM

Until they're less expensive and fragile, early teens (12/13) for me. And I say this having given my elder son a PC on his fifth birthday (he was using mine too much! lol) and I allow both him and his youger brother (now 4 1/2) to play a little on the iLiad (they love drawing on it, and the 9-yr.old has done a few Sudokus). I think the flexible displays that are being developed will probably be great for little ones.

Actually, if the Sony were available here in Spain, with the 50$ offer, I might have considered it for my eldest.

Azayzel · 10-07-2007, 11:57 AM

Due to the fragile nature of digital devices, cost of such devices, and general lack of worry a kid shows when playing with toys, I wouldn't give one to anyone short of a High School student. Sure it would be great to give it to younger kids once they're capable of reading, but until a ruggedized device is made that can withstand a kid stabbing hard objects on the screen, beating on the device, dropping it, and carrying it around in a bag full of toys, nope, it's not gonna happen. Jr High might work, but it's just at that stage that kids tend to show more responsibility for what they have/own.

BTW If you're curious how I arrived at those examples, it's from teaching kids ranging from age 3 and up. By ruggedized, I mean something along the lines of a Leap Pad, they are pretty darn sturdy and can take a beating administered from the toughest little tykes.

Edit: Instead of making a double-post...
I really enjoyed the ideas presented by Dennis, and will keep them in mind when I have children, yet I have to beg to differ on the literacy issue posed in its relation to being read to as a child. The reason I argue this point is that none of my parents or grand-parents read to me while I was growing up, yet I took to reading with a voracious appetite. Even at this time in my life I can confidently state, and know, that my reading skills and vocabulary are well above the average individual's skill level. How did I achieve this? I'm not really too sure other than the fact that I was encouraged to read while I was a teen and I continued to do so throughout my life (you could probably chalk up the lack of cable TV to my interest in reading, 5 or 6 channels just didn't cut it

).

DMcCunney · 10-07-2007, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azayzel

Edit: Instead of making a double-post...
I really enjoyed the ideas presented by Dennis, and will keep them in mind when I have children, yet I have to beg to differ on the literacy issue posed in its relation to being read to as a child. The reason I argue this point is that none of my parents or grand-parents read to me while I was growing up, yet I took to reading with a voracious appetite. Even at this time in my life I can confidently state, and know, that my reading skills and vocabulary are well above the average individual's skill level. How did I achieve this? I'm not really too sure other than the fact that I was encouraged to read while I was a teen and I continued to do so throughout my life (you could probably chalk up the lack of cable TV to my interest in reading, 5 or 6 channels just didn't cut it

).

My suggestions were made in part based on my own experience. I was read to as a child, and picked up the habit early.

Before you even think about ebook readers for the kid, you need a kid that wants to read. Too many folks see reading as a chore, to be done because they have to, and not because it's fun. For them, it's not fun.

Kids are just like the young of any other species: the earliest learning is mimicking the adults around them. You get kids into desired habits by setting examples for them to follow, and reading to them is one of the best ways I can think of to get across the idea that reading is fun and something they will want to do, too.
______
Dennis

nekokami · 10-07-2007, 10:43 PM

Individuals vary, of course, but the correlation between being read to as a child and strong reading skills later is quite strong in research. That doesn't mean no one can become a good reader without being read to, obviously. (I apparently took to reading on my own before my mother had a chance to try it!) But generally speaking, reading to your kids is one of the best ways you can improve overall academic achievement. And I agree that if you use an ebook reader to do it, you're quite likely to model that as a suitable way to read, and you'll also be modeling proper care of electronic devices.

I agree that the flexible displays will help with regard to durability, though I guess the OLPC is supposed to be pretty tough. But my 13 year old daughter has had my eBw 1150 for about 6 months now and it's still working fine. I think it depends on the kid. She does leave it on the floor, but apparently she knows perfectly well where it is and hasn't stepped on it. (I leave my iLiad on the floor, too, next to the bed under a shelf where I can't accidentally walk, so I can't really chide her on this one.)

GatorDeb · 09-17-2008, 04:14 AM

I'd like to add that I wouldn't allow an eReader to be taken to school, theft and all.

June · 09-17-2008, 02:41 PM

I voted 1st grade, but it's really much earlier. My son just turned 4 and reads books (with pictures LOL) on my 505. But then again, when some of his friends are over I hide the reader. So it's individual, how carefully the kid can handle the reader. My son is used to being around aibo, uses the dvd player and my Palm handheld, so it's natural to him to be careful with more fragile stuff.

That said, I don't think he grasps the book list - the individual books should have anicon or something so he could recognize them as the books. But reading and turning pages works fine.

I wish there was a 'user profile' option on the 505, so I could have a 'guest' type account for (1) showing to people that tap and press buttons indiscriminately when looking at the reader (2) setting up a simplified interface for kids with just a few books, delete disabled etc.

Dr. Drib · 09-17-2008, 03:03 PM

I taught 7th grade Reading just before moving to Peru.

I can't emphasize enough how important reading (and a Reading course) is to the intellectual development of our young children.

If I could, I'd lobby every school district in the country to supply more money for more reading materials, more computers, along with ebook Readers to add to their learning development.

Don

europas_ice · 09-17-2008, 03:17 PM

Now that I think about it, the issue of a sufficiently robust ebook for children has already been solved. The One Laptop Per Child program (http://www.laptop.org/) distributes extremely robust and very simple laptops to children in third world countries. They could, of course, be used for reading books -- I think there's even a specific mode for doing that. It's a bit pricey to buy one in the US though, I think about the price of an ebook ($400?)

On a slightly different note, does anyone think that schools could save money long term by switching over to ebooks rather than pbooks? Or would it just be more expensive overall?

DMcCunney · 09-17-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by europas_ice

Now that I think about it, the issue of a sufficiently robust ebook for children has already been solved. The One Laptop Per Child program (http://www.laptop.org/) distributes extremely robust and very simple laptops to children in third world countries. They could, of course, be used for reading books -- I think there's even a specific mode for doing that. It's a bit pricey to buy one in the US though, I think about the price of an ebook ($400?)

The OLPC project was trying to get the price down to $100, and couldn't. To help get manufacturing volume to lower costs, they had a "twofer" promotion: buy two for $400, and you would get one and a kid somewhere would get the other. I don't think the deal is still on.

Quote:

On a slightly different note, does anyone think that schools could save money long term by switching over to ebooks rather than pbooks? Or would it just be more expensive overall?

More expensive over all. They have the cost of the ebooks (and textbooks would be expensive, even assuming the textbook publisher would make electronic editions), plus the costs of the readers, as they couldn't assume every kid would have one or the parents would have the money to get them one. Not to mention the problems with loss/ breakage, etc. Pbooks are a lot more durable, and stand abuse and still be read that would kill a reader.

Besides, when would you start doing it? Kindergarten? First grade? Later? There would still be pbooks in the mix.

I don't see this happening any time soon, nor do I necessarily think it should.
______
Dennis

nekokami · 09-17-2008, 04:42 PM

http://www.olpcnews.com/sales_talk/g..._unveiled.html

Quote:

OLPC Founder Nicholas Negroponte confirmed that Amazon.com will offer the XO laptop starting on the Give 1, Get 1 launch on November 17. According to Negroponte the laptops will retail for $399.

June · 09-18-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by europas_ice

Now that I think about it, the issue of a sufficiently robust ebook for children has already been solved. The One Laptop Per Child program (http://www.laptop.org/) distributes extremely robust and very simple laptops ---

Yes, that one woud be perfect. I was trying to buy one when they had the 'buy one & get one free' promotion a while back. But unfortunately they dont sell to Europe. Silly - they ship the XO to kids outside of America, but a person in Europe can't buy&donate one

One of those would have been perfect for my kid, and I could have done some good by the donation. Oh well.

Ceili · 06-19-2009, 12:49 PM

My nephew is 6, but he loves to read on my Kindle. We searched the age appropriate areas on Amazon for Chapter books for him, but all of the samples so far only contain the publishing info (idjits). I won't buy what I can't "sample" when it comes to ebooks, so... so far, no reader for him!

He Likes that he can make the font bigger for his books... it seems to help with letter definition (hmm... wonder if maybe he needs glasses

)

Umm, so to actually Answer the question, I'd say around 6 with supervision and If we could find books for him to read!

View Poll Results: In what grade would you get your kid an ebook reader?
1-2	5	11.36%
3-4	4	9.09%
5-6	13	29.55%
7-8	8	18.18%
9-10	9	20.45%
11-12	2	4.55%
never	3	6.82%
Voters: 44. You may not vote on this poll

10-07-2007, 11:57 AM	#20
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Due to the fragile nature of digital devices, cost of such devices, and general lack of worry a kid shows when playing with toys, I wouldn't give one to anyone short of a High School student. Sure it would be great to give it to younger kids once they're capable of reading, but until a ruggedized device is made that can withstand a kid stabbing hard objects on the screen, beating on the device, dropping it, and carrying it around in a bag full of toys, nope, it's not gonna happen. Jr High might work, but it's just at that stage that kids tend to show more responsibility for what they have/own. BTW If you're curious how I arrived at those examples, it's from teaching kids ranging from age 3 and up. By ruggedized, I mean something along the lines of a Leap Pad, they are pretty darn sturdy and can take a beating administered from the toughest little tykes. *Edit:* Instead of making a double-post... I really enjoyed the ideas presented by Dennis, and will keep them in mind when I have children, yet I have to beg to differ on the literacy issue posed in its relation to being read to as a child. The reason I argue this point is that none of my parents or grand-parents read to me while I was growing up, yet I took to reading with a voracious appetite. Even at this time in my life I can confidently state, and know, that my reading skills and vocabulary are well above the average individual's skill level. How did I achieve this? I'm not really too sure other than the fact that I was encouraged to read while I was a teen and I continued to do so throughout my life (you could probably chalk up the lack of cable TV to my interest in reading, 5 or 6 channels just didn't cut it ). Last edited by Azayzel; 10-07-2007 at 12:10 PM. Reason: Didn't want to double-post...

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09-26-2007, 06:06 PM	#18
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Nice. She's pretty picky about her fanfiction, though. Generally it has to relate to the manga titles she likes.

10-07-2007, 08:05 AM	#19
ElaHuguet iLiad freak Posts: 339 Karma: 243 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mallorca, Spain Device: iRex iLiad	Until they're less expensive and fragile, early teens (12/13) for me. And I say this having given my elder son a PC on his fifth birthday (he was using mine too much! lol) and I allow both him and his youger brother (now 4 1/2) to play a little on the iLiad (they love drawing on it, and the 9-yr.old has done a few Sudokus). I think the flexible displays that are being developed will probably be great for little ones. Actually, if the Sony were available here in Spain, with the 50$ offer, I might have considered it for my eldest.

10-07-2007, 10:43 PM	#22
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Individuals vary, of course, but the correlation between being read to as a child and strong reading skills later is quite strong in research. That doesn't mean no one can become a good reader without being read to, obviously. (I apparently took to reading on my own before my mother had a chance to try it!) But generally speaking, reading to your kids is one of the best ways you can improve overall academic achievement. And I agree that if you use an ebook reader to do it, you're quite likely to model that as a suitable way to read, and you'll also be modeling proper care of electronic devices. I agree that the flexible displays will help with regard to durability, though I guess the OLPC is supposed to be pretty tough. But my 13 year old daughter has had my eBw 1150 for about 6 months now and it's still working fine. I think it depends on the kid. She does leave it on the floor, but apparently she knows perfectly well where it is and hasn't stepped on it. (I leave my iLiad on the floor, too, next to the bed under a shelf where I can't accidentally walk, so I can't really chide her on this one.)

09-17-2008, 04:14 AM	#23
GatorDeb Evangelist Posts: 447 Karma: 5365 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sin City Device: PW2 + HDX 8.9	I'd like to add that I wouldn't allow an eReader to be taken to school, theft and all.

09-17-2008, 02:41 PM	#24
June Addict Posts: 306 Karma: 4508151 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Scandinavia Device: Kobo Libra, Oasis 1&2 and others	I voted 1st grade, but it's really much earlier. My son just turned 4 and reads books (with pictures LOL) on my 505. But then again, when some of his friends are over I hide the reader. So it's individual, how carefully the kid can handle the reader. My son is used to being around aibo, uses the dvd player and my Palm handheld, so it's natural to him to be careful with more fragile stuff. That said, I don't think he grasps the book list - the individual books should have anicon or something so he could recognize them as the books. But reading and turning pages works fine. I wish there was a 'user profile' option on the 505, so I could have a 'guest' type account for (1) showing to people that tap and press buttons indiscriminately when looking at the reader (2) setting up a simplified interface for kids with just a few books, delete disabled etc.

09-17-2008, 03:03 PM	#25
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,386 Karma: 59504381 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	I taught 7th grade Reading just before moving to Peru. I can't emphasize enough how important reading (and a Reading course) is to the intellectual development of our young children. If I could, I'd lobby every school district in the country to supply more money for more reading materials, more computers, along with ebook Readers to add to their learning development. Don

09-17-2008, 03:17 PM	#26
europas_ice Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 220 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Moscow, ID Device: iPhone 11 (Kindle app & iBooks)	Now that I think about it, the issue of a sufficiently robust ebook for children has already been solved. The One Laptop Per Child program (http://www.laptop.org/) distributes extremely robust and very simple laptops to children in third world countries. They could, of course, be used for reading books -- I think there's even a specific mode for doing that. It's a bit pricey to buy one in the US though, I think about the price of an ebook ($400?) On a slightly different note, does anyone think that schools could save money long term by switching over to ebooks rather than pbooks? Or would it just be more expensive overall?

06-19-2009, 12:49 PM	#30
Ceili well, that didn't work Posts: 103 Karma: 1027 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle	My nephew is 6, but he loves to read on my Kindle. We searched the age appropriate areas on Amazon for Chapter books for him, but all of the samples so far only contain the publishing info (idjits). I won't buy what I can't "sample" when it comes to ebooks, so... so far, no reader for him! He Likes that he can make the font bigger for his books... it seems to help with letter definition (hmm... wonder if maybe he needs glasses ) Umm, so to actually Answer the question, I'd say around 6 with supervision and If we could find books for him to read!

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