Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill that serves as the cornerstone of academic and personal success. It goes beyond simply decoding words; it involves understanding, interpreting, and critically analyzing text. Mastering reading comprehension empowers individuals to grasp complex concepts, engage in thoughtful discussions, and make informed decisions. It lays the groundwork for effective communication and lifelong learning, enabling people to navigate the world with greater insight and confidence. With the evolution of digital reading devices, many young people have opted out of using traditional books and such. Parents, listen up! A new research study has found that digital devices don’t help kids’ reading comprehension.
“In sum, for developing readers, leisure digital reading does not seem to pay off in terms of reading comprehension, at least not as much as traditional print reading does,” Dr. Lidia Altamura, a PhD student at the University of Valencia, one of the authors, said in an interview with Motherly.com regarding the study. “Our findings are particularly surprising when you compare them to what we already know about the well-established positive association between reading frequency in print and text comprehension.”
“We expected that digital leisure reading for informational purposes, such as visiting Wikipedia or other educational webpages, or reading the news, would be much more positively linked to comprehension. But even that was not the case.”
The researchers examined 25 studies published between 2000 and 2022, involving a control group of approximately 470,000 individuals from over 30 countries. The findings underscored the importance of guiding younger readers toward printed materials rather than digital devices.
“Based on our results, we cannot just assume that all leisure reading will be beneficial for developing readers,” Dr. Altamura told the outlet. “The medium used matters.”
Remember, parents and teachers are a team. Here are some effective approaches that you can use to help improve your child’s reading comprehension with books instead of using digital!
- Encourage Regular Reading
- Ask Questions and Engage children in discussions
- Summarize and Retell
- Teach Vocabulary
- Use Visual Aids
- Model Reading Strategies
- Encourage Critical Thinking
- Provide Supportive Materials
- Create a Reading-Friendly Environment
- Practice Reading Aloud
- Set Reading Goals
By incorporating these strategies, you can help children develop stronger reading comprehension skills and foster a lifelong love of reading.
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