ERIC Number: EJ1115515
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0148-432X
EISSN: N/A
Nurturing Young Readers: How Digital Media Can Promote Literacy Instead of Undermining It
Guernsey, Lisa; Levine, Michael H.
American Educator, v40 n3 p23-28, 44 Fall 2016
Young children today are gaining access to a dizzying array of apps, games, and videos. With all of this digital media at their fingertips, two urgent questions have emerged in preschools and elementary schools: Could technology interfere with the way children learn to read? Or could it help? While questions continue to arise about the challenges of the digital age, more investment in early childhood must be coupled with a strategy that recognizes the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. An area of concern for parents with preschooler's is better identification of products for particular ages. Often apps are described as being for "young children," not recognizing that there is a large difference between the needs of a 3-year-old and the needs of a 6-year-old. Several interviewed educators desired more time to try out new tools, critique apps and e-books, and adapt them to the needs of their particular classrooms. The children and families of the 21st century will grow up with screens and digital media everywhere. Educators and parents will need new models for how to use these tools to promote learning. So, instead of pushing screens away, put them into the hands of adults and children to use together to learn and grow.
Descriptors: Young Children, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Computer Oriented Programs, Literacy Education, Reading Instruction
American Federation of Teachers. 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. Tel: 202-879-4400; e-mail: amered@aft.org; Web site: http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A