This paper examines the potential of e-readers as instructional interventions for low-performing readers, including students with learning disabilities. Drawing on existing research, the paper explores how digital reading technology can improve motivation, vocabulary retention, word recognition, and reading fluency — key precursors to full reading comprehension. The author proposes research questions focused on comparing e-reader and print-based outcomes, student preferences, and the effectiveness of specific applications and tutoring approaches. While acknowledging limitations such as reduced cognitive mapping with digital text, the paper argues that e-readers serve as a valuable supplement within a diversified instructional toolkit for struggling readers.
Low-performing readers are at risk for being "caught in a cycle of failure" (Collins, 2000, p. 1). It is therefore important to discover and implement a wide variety of interventions as early as possible to address the needs of individual students in a strategic way. E-readers offer a promising method that can supplement a variety of instructional strategies and the tools used to deliver them. Yet in spite of the great promise e-readers offer to teachers and students, "the use of e-readers for academic reading remains understudied" (Thayer et al., 2011). As a graduate student, the aim of this paper is to investigate the efficacy of including e-readers in the instructional strategies used with low-performing readers.
Existing research shows that e-readers offer low-performing readers and their instructors the opportunity to increase motivation as well as improve fluency levels. In fact, students with various types of reading and learning disabilities benefit when technology is used to "promote their literacy learning" (King-Sears et al., 2011). Guiding research questions include how language retention and literacy fluency develop when e-readers are used either in conjunction with or instead of printed materials. A further question is whether there are patterns among students who are given the choice of using e-readers or printed texts. Do some students prefer printed texts and respond to them better than to e-readers, and if so, why? During the course of the research, it will be critical to work with a number of different applications designed specifically for reading instruction.
Ideally, a wide variety of teaching methods and materials — including e-readers — will be used to help low-performing readers. For example, keeping content relevant to student interests helps stimulate motivation and improve comprehension and retention (Collins, 2000). The content embedded in e-readers, coupled with reading-related games and software applications, will be critical in determining the progress of students' reading performance. Are some e-readers more ergonomically suitable than others, and which applications prove more effective in teaching low-performing readers? For example, King-Sears et al. (2011) examine the TECH program, which integrates assistive technology with literacy instruction for adolescents with disabilities.
"How tutoring and e-readers build reading automaticity"
"E-reader drawbacks and the paper's core hypothesis"
"Teachers using technology strategically; motivational benefits"
Like Edmunds (2008), several researchers have found that one of the greatest strengths of e-readers is their ability to motivate students. Wright, Fugett & Caputa (2013) found that reading comprehension and vocabulary retention are comparable whether students are using print or e-text, but that students are much more likely to use reading resources when they are engaged with digital text. Likewise, Doiron (2011) emphasizes the "motivational influence" of e-readers and digital texts. Many students will feel more comfortable working with e-readers than with printed material. This line of inquiry seeks to help fill gaps in the research on the specific ways e-readers can be used with low-performing readers.
You’re 44% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 3 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.